Visiting
New Zealand's
wine regions
Part 6: Millton Vineyards, New Zealand's biodynamic pioneer -
tasting the wines
(...continued
from part 5)
Biodynamics aside, what about the wines? In short, they’re great
– I’d count this among one of New Zealand’s top estates.
What is remarkable is the sheer diversity of varieties that
Millton seem to be able to get to work here, ranging from Syrah,
to Riesling, to Pinot Noir, to Chenin Blanc.
The first set of notes are those from the visit in Novermber 2007;
the second set are from a tasting in London with UK agent Vintage
Roots in March 2008; the third are from a more recent tasting in
June 2009.
Millton
Opou Vineyard Chardonnay 2006
Complex nose of apples and herbs which is nutty and broad. The
palate is fresh and minerally with lovely focus and purity.
There’s a nice texture here: this is fantastic stuff with real
presence and freshness. ‘I think we can do a hell of a lot
better than this, but I’m happy with it’, says James Millton.
90/100
Millton Clos Ste. Anne Viognier2005 Made in 600 litre barrels. This is precise, aromatic and a bit
minerally, with notes of herbs and straw. The palate has lovely
focus and texture with a bit of nut and straw. Rounded
personality. It’s not at all blowsy, with lovely smoothness and
elegance. 92/100
Millton
Clos Ste. Anne ‘The Crucible’ Syrah 2005 From a narrow strip at the top of Clos Ste. Anne, this is a
really serious wine. Fantastic nose of pepper and spice with
bright red fruits. There’s some ferrous character, and a whiff
of meatiness. The palate is peppery and fresh with lovely savoury
presence and brightness, as well as quite firm tannins. Fresh,
precise, peppery and exciting. 95/100
Millton
Clos Ste. Anne Pinot Noir ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 2003 Quite a brooding earthy, spicy nose, with some elegant
cherryish fruit. The palate has spicy depth with nice earthiness
and quite firm tannins. It’s a very expressive wine with old
world in profile with lovely freshness and presence. 91/100
A short film about James Millton's
compost heap. This is made with the help
of biodynamic preparations, and the microbial activity means that
temperatures of 70 degrees Centigrade are reached.
Tasted
in March 2008:
Millton
Chardonnay Riverpoint 2006 Gisborne
80% fermented in stainless steel, 20% in oak. Deep yellow colour.
Rich, slightly reductive nose with bold, peachy, nutty fruit. The
palate is fresh and a bit herby with lots of personality. 88/100 (£7.99)
Millton
Opou Riesling 2007 Gisborne
18 hours skin contact. Beautifully aromatic: expressive, perfumed
and a bit limey, with some honeyed, melony notes. The palate is
off-dry with pure, delicate citrussy fruit. Lovely. 90/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Te Arai Chenin Blanc 2006 Gisborne
Half fermented in 600 litre oak demi-muids, half in stainless
steel. Deep coloured. Lovely nose with some cheese, some straw and
herby complexity. The palate is quite dense and savoury with
focused fresh fruit, good minerality and a sense of structure.
Lovely. 92/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Opou Chardonnay 2005 Gisborne
Fermented in 228 litre barriques, 15% of which were new. Half went
through malolactic fermentation. Very rich, creamy, toasty nose,
which is generous yet taut at the same time. The palate is broad,
creamy and toasty with lovely freshness and great fruit
expression. 92/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Clos de Ste. Anne Viognier 2005 Gisborne
Fermented in 600 litre barrels. Quite an unusual, distinctive,
broad, rich style of Viognier with textured pear and peach fruit.
Rich but still fresh. 89/100 (£18.95)
Millton
Te Arai Malbec 2005 Gisborne
80% Malbec, 20% Merlot. Fresh, bright, assertive nose is cherryish
and fresh. The palate is bright, fresh and peppery with grippy
tannins. A light, savoury style. 88/100 (£10.99)
Millton
Clos de Ste. Anne Pinot Noir 2005 Gisborne
Complex, intense spicy, cherryish fruit on the nose. Lively and
interesting. The palate is complex, savoury and quite spicy with
brilliant freshness and some attractive earthiness. Lovely. 92/100
(£18.95)
I
caught up with James again in London on a recent visit to try his
latest releases, along with Peter Gordon at the Providores
restuarant.
Millton
Riverpoint Chardonnay 2007 Very fresh and quite minerally. Bright and focused with lively
fruit. Lemony, intense and minerally. Expressive and bright.
91/100
Millton
Opou Vineyard Chardonnay 2007 Lovely complex, mealy and minerally nose. Focused with some
lemon pith notes and also a bit of fig. The palate has great
concentration and freshness with lovely presence. Mouthfilling
with nice acidity and hints of vanilla and spice. A lovely
expressive wine. 92/100
Millton
Opou Vineyard Chardonnay 2005 Yellow/gold colour. Lovely intense, nutty nose with some
creaminess, and also fresh citrus notes. The palate is dense and
nutty with figgy, toasty notes and also lovely crisp citrussy,
spicy freshness on the finish. Great balance here: drinking
beautifully now. 93/100
Millton
Clos Ste Anne Chardonnay Naboth’s Vineyard 2007 Toasty, aromatic nose with some fresh citrus and grapefruit
notes, as well as richer more tropical fruitiness. The palate is
dense, mineralic and concentrated with lovely focus and balance.
Alive. 94/100
Millton
Chenin Blanc Te Arai Vineyard 2007 Deep yellow colour. Wonderful nose with intense herby, citrus,
apricot and spice notes, together with honey and wax. The palate
is intense with a lovely savoury dimension. Waxy, spicy and
apricotty with some minerals. A really distinctive wine. 93/100
Millton
Viognier Riverpoint 2007 Lovely fresh aromatics: lemons, pear, a bit of honey. The
palate is lively and fruity with lovely fresh yet thick textured
melony fruit and a nice savoury dimension, too. 92/100
Millton
Clos Ste Anne Pinot Noir Naboth’s Vineyard 2006 Faded cherry colour. Nose has a herby, spicy, slightly
undergrowthy edge to the cherry fruit. The palate is herby and
fresh with nice cherry fruit and lovely elegant, spicy tannins.
Great presence and savoury elegance here. 92/100
Millton
Malbec Te Arai Vineyard 2005 Distinctive minty, slight meaty nose with some medicinal
notes. The palate has a lovely fresh, slightly peppery character
with minty notes. Interesting and fresh, with a eucalypt edge to
the blackberry and dark cherry fruit. 89/100
Millton
The Crucible Syrah 2006 Peppery and fresh; meaty, spicy and dense. Very focused with a
lovely white pepper character. It’s vivid and intense with
lovely ripeness and focus. Just so lively and bright with amazing
old world/Northern Rhône character. 94/100
Millton
Clos Ste Anne The Crucible Syrah 2007 I love this wine. It has a really fresh peppery nose with
lovely vivid red berry fruit. Quite northern Rhône like. Lovely
freshness and focus on the palate with dark pepper, dark cherry
and raspberry notes, as well as some spiciness that may be from a
bit of new oak. Fantastic effort. 93/100