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Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Pinot Noir
Wonderful structure and power for a Pinot, while keeping its elegance and delicacy. Lovely length of flavour.
Chateau Tasting Notes
SAINT CLAIR ESTATE, MARLBOROUGH, NEW ZEALAND
Neal and Judy Ibbotson were pioneers in the Marlborough wine industry, first planting vineyards in the valley's unique climate and soils in 1978 and then establishing Saint Clair Estate in 1994. They own and developed 100 acres of vineyards in four different Marlborough locations chosen specifically for the attributes of their individual locations and ability to produce top quality grapes.
Their wines received immediate success with three medals from three wines in their first competition.
Premium quality grapes, produced from vines that are now fully mature, combined with the proven experience of winemakers Kim Crawford and Matt Thomson, produce elegant, world class wines.
Saint Clair's production has lifted from 4,000 cases in 1994 to 23,000 in 1998 and is continuing to grow.
Approximately 60% of production is exported. Just 3 years after bottling its first vintage, and only 2 years since it began seeking overseas markets, Saint Clair Estate Wines has won a Tradenz export commendation for its contribution to foreign exchange earnings through sales to 10 countries.
SAINT CLAIR OMAKA RESERVE PINOT NOIR
Grapes: 100% Pinot Noir
Note: The Saint Clair vineyard in the Omaka Valley, Marlborough, is particularly suited to growing intensely flavoured Pinot Noir grapes.
Winemaking: This wine is made from grapes produced on Saint Clair's own Awatere Valley vineyard which can be seem from the road driving through the township of Seddon in Marlborough. At the west of this vineyard there is an old flax mill and it is grapes from the short rows surrounding that old building that this wine is made. The soil is lighter there and the grapes develop riper, more tropical flavours that we believe are more suited to this style of Sauvignon Blanc. The juice was 100% barrel fermented in seasoned American oak barriques, underwent 100% malolactic fermentation and then the wine was aged on yeast lees for 10 months before racking and careful preparation for bottling.
Colour: Bright ruby-red
Serve: Room temperature
Tasting: Intense aromas of honeysuckle, asparagus and butterscotch.
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