The wines of Foxes Island, Marlborough, New Zealand

The wines of Foxes Island
John Belsham's winery in New Zealand's Marlborough region

Website: www.foxes-island.co.nz

John Belsham (pictured above, with Kelly Brown) is one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded wine makers, and he’s the man behind Marlborough producer Foxes Island. He first got into wine on his OE (overseas experience, something that most young Kiwis seem to do) when he ended up at Chāteau de Saturnin in Bordeaux in 1977, and he ended up staying here for five years.

On returning to New Zealand Belsham worked at Matua Valley and Hunters, and then set up New Zealand's first contract winemaking facility in 1991, in the Marlborough region. In 1988 he planted his own Pinot Noir and Chardonnay at a 4.5 hectare vineyard in the Rapaura Road area, and the first Foxes Island wines appeared in 1992. To complement this he purchased 20 hectares in the Awatere in 2000, and also draws on grapes from two further vineyards. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling are made, with the first two Belsham’s main emphasis, and which are particularly successful. Second label is ‘Fox by John Belsham’.

THE WINES

John Belsham The Fox Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
80% Awatere fruit. Lively black cherry fruit aromatics. Fine, fresh and vivid. The palate is sweet, fine, pure and aromatic with sweet cherry fruit. 92/100

Foxes Island Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Sweet, ripe and seductive black cherry and plum fruit with great breadth of flavour, and a bit of a savoury twist. Seductive and ripe. 93/100

Foxes Island Renard Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
The first release. This is fine, aromatic and complex on the nose with black cherry and spice. The palate is dense, fruity and pure with black cherry, herb and spice notes. A rich, warm, complex Pinot. 94/100

Foxes Island Lapine Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
A site selection Sauvignon fermented with indigenous yeasts in old 400 litre barrels, with a range of soild levels and a range of temperatures. Complex, aromatic nose with taut, herbal spicy notes. The palate is textured, dense and herby with some green notes. Rich, broad and nutty. Fine, needs time. 93/100

Wines tasted 02/13

Older notes from 07/10:

Fox by John Belsham Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Marlborough
13.5% alcohol. Very attractive sweet passionfruit and peach nose. Sweetly fruited and open. The palate is sweetly fruited with vibrant freshness. A rich, almost exotic interpretation of Sauvignon Blanc. 90/100

Foxes Island Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Marlborough
Aromatic nose: grassy, herby, with some richer tropical fruit notes. The palate is intensely fruity with lovely balance, showing fresh, citrussy notes with some gooseberry and grapefruit. Still quite fresh. 89/100

Foxes Island Riesling 2008 Marlborough
From a stony vineyard in the Awatere valley. Fresh, pure, minerally nose with some intense limey fruit. The palate is pure and minerally with focused limey fruit, nice intensity and real purity. Stylish with potential for improvement. 90/100

Foxes Island Chardonnay 2006 Marlborough
13.5% alcohol. Very fine, refined bready, toasty nose with fig, pear and pineapple notes. The palate has a herval, slightly pithy edge with stylish bread and toast notes. Really integrated with subtle oak influence and lovely fruit. Developing nicely with some distance to go. 92/100

Fox by John Belsham Pinot Noir 2008 Marlborough
13.5% alcohol. Silky smooth, light, fresh red cherry and cranberry fruit with a subtly spicy twist. Pure, expressive and elegant. Refined spicy structure here: really harmonious. 90/100

Foxes Island Pinot Noir 2005 Marlborough
14% alcohol. A powerful expression of Pinot Noir. Aromatic, spicy dark cherry and plum nose with a hint of mint as well as some woody notes. The palate is dense and structured with hints of tar and spice under the rich plummy fruit. Nicely savoury, this is evolving well and finishes long and spicy. 91/100

wines tasted 07/10

Older notes from 2008:

Foxes Island Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Quite refined with green herb and gooseberry notes on the nose. The palate is fruity with subtly grassy notes and good length. 90/100

Foxes Island Chardonnay 2004
Bright green herb-edged fruit dominates. There’s some nutty, toasty richness too, along with fresh fruit. The palate shows some herby fruit as well as richer tropical/toast notes. Quite stylish. 89/100

Foxes Island Riesling 2006
Very rich lime-laden nose with some sweetness. The palate is vivid with lovely freshness and nice balance between the sweetness and limey fruit. Good acidity makes this taste dry. 89/100

Foxes Island Pinot Noir 2004
Smooth, refined berryish fruit on the nose. The palate is fresh and shows dark cherry fruit with a hint of spice. Quite a classy style with lots of interest. 90/100