76 WINE SPECTATOR • SEPT. 30, 2019SIMONDARB
YBurn Cottage, a biodynamic brand based in Central Otago, produced two outstanding Pinot Noirs from the 2016
vintage. Winemaker Ted Lemon is known for his well-regarded Pinots and Chardonnays from Sonoma’s Littorai.Duck Hunter, founded by Mark Wilson and Rosie Mulholland,
is a new label that made a splash this year with both its Sauvignon
Blanc Marlborough 2018 (92, $20) and Pinot Noir Marlborough
2018 (91, $30). The wines showcase plenty of elegance. The style
is in contrast to their droll labels that feature a camouflage-clad
duck with a rifle slung over its shoulder, a surprising take on a “duck
hunter.” The winemaker is the legendary Kim Crawford, who no
longer makes the wines that bear his name.
Kim and his wife, Erica, are now the talent behind Loveblock,
a brand committed to making wine from organic and sustainable
vineyards. Loveblock has three outstanding wines in this report,
including the Pinot Noir Central Otago 2018 (93, $35), a smooth
and precise version with a distinctive note of toasted cumin.T
he top-scoring Pinot Noirs this year are an exciting group of
wines, showing how nuanced and fresh Kiwi versions can be,
with plenty of juicy fruit flavors. There are a number of dis-
tinctive styles across regions: Central Otago showcases the darkest
fruit flavors and fleshy tannins; Martinborough delivers muscular
and savory versions; Marlborough shows hallmark red fruit flavors;and Canterbury yields very aromatic and perfumed examples.
In contrast to the wide availability of the country’s Sauvignon
Blancs, its Pinots can be harder to find. I don’t see many on the
shelves at wineshops, but they have become a darling red on many
restaurant wine lists, their bright acidity making them a terrific
match with food. Craggy Range, Dog Point, Escarpment, Felton
Road, Loveblock and Two Paddocks are among the perennial
top-scorers.
Of special note this year is Central Otago’s Burn Cottage, which
made a pair of 94-point Pinots from the 2016 vintage. Marquis and
Dianne Sauvage founded this biodynamic brand in 2002, and the
winemaker is Ted Lemon of Littorai in Sonoma. The Moonlight
Race (94, $45) is generous and plump, a blend of three vineyards,
while the Burn Cottage Vineyard (94, $65) is elegant and creamy,
showing off more tea and spice notes.
Beyond the dominance of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, there
are plenty of Chardonnays to recommend, led by Kumeu River,
which has three outstanding wines this year. The top-scorer is the
Chardonnay Kumeu Coddington Vineyard 2017 (92, $46), whose
grapes were hand-harvested, whole bunch–pressed, wild yeast– and
barrel-fermented, and aged for 11 months in
barrel before release. I’m always impressed
with the transparency of these wines, which
show intense, rich flavors but on a sleek body.
The Coddington mingles pear and fresh gin-
ger accents with a refreshing finish. Other
memorable Chardonnays come from Dog
Point, Felton Road and Mt. Beautiful.
With the growth of New Zealand’s wine
industry come concerns about control. Some
New Zealand vintners are worried that the
increasing amount of Sauvignon Blanc
shipped abroad in bulk to bottling facilities
around the world is diluting the reputation of
the country’s wines. The Appellation Marl-
borough Wine certification program was
launched in 2018 and now has nearly 50
members to ensure that producers adhere to
a certain set of standards in order to put the
“AMW” certificate on their bottles. All grapes
must be grown in Marlborough, farmed
through sustainable viticulture programs,
cropped at or below stipulated levels, and bot-
tled in New Zealand.
This underdog country has proven itself a
force in the world of wine. Even for New Zea-
land winemakers who feel overshadowed by
the giant that is value-priced Sauvignon
Blanc, there is much to look forward to as the
country moves from strength to strength. Mar-
tin Bonifant of Tora Bay Wines has an opti-
mistic take. “Look, we’ve only been at it for
30 years, and we’ve come a long way. We still
have a long way to go.”Senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec is Wine
Spectator’s lead taster on the wines of New
Zealand.Rating Pinot Noir Vintages in New Zealand
2017 89–92 A cool, wet year resulted in lower yields across the country, NYR
but the smaller crop led to more concentration in some wines
2016 93 A dry season in many regions resulted in intense wines; yields Drink or hold
bounced back slightly from 2015
2015 92 Wines show excellent quality and concentration, yet spring Drink or hold
frosts limited yields across most region
2014 91 A bumper harvest, with excellent wines across the board; Drink or hold
particularly exciting in Hawkes Bay
2013 92 Wines show tremendous concentration and structure, with Drink or hold
powerful flavors
2012 91 One of the coolest years on record, affecting fruit set and Drink or hold
resulting in low yields
2011 90 Warm and humid year, with showy wines; less concentrated Drink
than 2010
2010 92 Low yields, with deep and structured wines; exceptional Drink
in Central Otago
A score range indicates preliminary analysis based on barrel samples and/or a limited sampling; many wines of the vintage
not yet reviewed.
Vintage ratings: 95–100, classic; 90–94, outstanding; 85–89, very good; 80–84, good; 75–79, mediocre; 50–74, not
recommendedDrinkability: “NYR” means most of the wines of the vintage are yet to be released; “drink” means most of the
wines of the vintage are ready to drink; “hold” means most of the ageworthy wines have yet to fully mature.