ARTICLES
A Tale of 4 Pinots
Spitbucket | 8 August 2012
Styles
"A lot of people, producers and Media, shit canned the 08s"
Many Aussie winelovers will be all too familiar with PJ Charteris, the lconic Kiwi who has been Iain Riggs' right-hand man at Brokenwood in the Hunter Valley for so many years. It came as a bit of a surprise that he moved on recently. Brokenwood is well known as one of Australia's great winemaking nurseries (not sure if that makes Riggsy Nanny McPhee or Mary Poppins) with many of our finest having done time there. PJ had been there seemingly forever, however, the time was apparently right to return to New Zealand, taking with him not only years of experience but also wife Chrissie whom he met at Brokenwood, and kicking off his eponymous winery in Central Otago, specialising in pinot noir (in Central, what else?). All of this, plus the imminent arrival of rug-rat No 2, has meant PJ has hardly had a chance to toss in his fly line and, given the fishing down there, that is harsh!
PJ has recently released his latest pinot, the 2010 (a decent 2008 was first up). Must say I was a bit concerned as I thought time was flying by faster than usual, but he has brought it out well inside the traditional 'year'. The actual wine is known as the Charteris 'Winter Vineyard' Pinot Noir from the Bannockburn sub-region of Central.
For me, the 2009, which I would hope you still might be able to find, is the standout. To be fair to 2010, it is still a pup and a very fine wine, but I loved the '09. Notes for both below. I put the argument to PJ. He had the very good grace to first mention the Origin (and one of the redeeming features of Kiwis is that most of them do seem to support the glorious Maroons when it comes to Origin – on the downside, more than a week after that magnificent evening and I still have the dreaded Lang Park Lurgy, picked up from the crowd at the game), “What have you been doing to your boys up there. They should have smashed those NSW thugs (there is no other way to describe them)”.
More relevantly from PJ, “As for the 09 v's 10 debate, I think it is one that will go on for a few years. A lot of people, producers and Media, shit canned the 08s from Central but the wines from good vineyards are just starting to show their colours now. There is some amazing finesse in those wines and it is the acid structure that has given them the legs I reckon. Quiet to start but creepers and I put the 10's in that camp. The 09s are so plush and full that it is easy to over look the 2010 wines. 09 was a bit of a dream year weather wise though…..so in answer to you question and with Canberra worthy rhetoric, Fine wines those Oh nines and the Tens…they'll keep. I am enjoying the 09 at the moment.” PJ's next career is in PR or politics.
What struck me most about the '09/'10 debate was how amazingly closely it tracks the exact same debate over the 2009/2010 vintages in Burgundy (and spookily, 2008 had similarities as well). 2009 the ripe, rich, plush, cuddly, obvious year but with some truly glorious wines (yesterday I got to try both the 2009 de Vogue Musigny and 2009 Mugnier Musigny and if they are not heaven on a stick, what is?), with 2010 so much more understated, refined, elegant. It is a vintage that sneaks under the radar but is going to provide so many great wines, I believe. Sad it is such a small vintage. I’m not sure 2010 in Central is as good as 2010 in Burgundy but time will reveal all. Worth noting that PJ has accessed some riesling and chardonnay from the region for future vintages.
Come back across the Tasman to the Apple Isle and check out a couple more top pinots – this time made by former State cricketer, Joe Holyman (as a former wicketkeeper, though at a much much less illustrious level than Joe, I think he has gone from one stellar career to another but keepers do stick together) at Gravelly Beach in the Tamar Valley region of Tassie. Joe and wife Lou purchased the vineyard in 2004, though the company kicked off in 2000. I loved the 2009 Holyman (check out the previous review). It is worth noting that Joe has two levels – 'Holyman' and 'Stoney Rise', the latter being the more bargain-orientated wine of the two ($45 and $29 respectively with the X coming in at $90). He also has another in the pipeline – called 'Project X' (as well as some gruner veltliner). 2011 was a bit of a tough year in Tassie – they are not alone in that – and so that 'X' fruit has gone into the 'Holyman' for that year.
Stoney Rise is, rather bizarrely for a Tassie winery, named after a surf break found in the Little Dip Conservation Park, near Robe in South Australia.
Not surprisingly, the 2010 Holyman is head and shoulders over the 2011 Stoney Rise, as one would expect, but the latter is a lovely drinking pinot.
Four terrific examples of pinot noir.
Article by Ken Gargett.
For me, the 2009, which I would hope you still might be able to find, is the standout. To be fair to 2010, it is still a pup and a very fine wine, but I loved the '09. Notes for both below. I put the argument to PJ. He had the very good grace to first mention the Origin (and one of the redeeming features of Kiwis is that most of them do seem to support the glorious Maroons when it comes to Origin – on the downside, more than a week after that magnificent evening and I still have the dreaded Lang Park Lurgy, picked up from the crowd at the game), “What have you been doing to your boys up there. They should have smashed those NSW thugs (there is no other way to describe them)”.
More relevantly from PJ, “As for the 09 v's 10 debate, I think it is one that will go on for a few years. A lot of people, producers and Media, shit canned the 08s from Central but the wines from good vineyards are just starting to show their colours now. There is some amazing finesse in those wines and it is the acid structure that has given them the legs I reckon. Quiet to start but creepers and I put the 10's in that camp. The 09s are so plush and full that it is easy to over look the 2010 wines. 09 was a bit of a dream year weather wise though…..so in answer to you question and with Canberra worthy rhetoric, Fine wines those Oh nines and the Tens…they'll keep. I am enjoying the 09 at the moment.” PJ's next career is in PR or politics.
What struck me most about the '09/'10 debate was how amazingly closely it tracks the exact same debate over the 2009/2010 vintages in Burgundy (and spookily, 2008 had similarities as well). 2009 the ripe, rich, plush, cuddly, obvious year but with some truly glorious wines (yesterday I got to try both the 2009 de Vogue Musigny and 2009 Mugnier Musigny and if they are not heaven on a stick, what is?), with 2010 so much more understated, refined, elegant. It is a vintage that sneaks under the radar but is going to provide so many great wines, I believe. Sad it is such a small vintage. I’m not sure 2010 in Central is as good as 2010 in Burgundy but time will reveal all. Worth noting that PJ has accessed some riesling and chardonnay from the region for future vintages.
Stoney Rise is, rather bizarrely for a Tassie winery, named after a surf break found in the Little Dip Conservation Park, near Robe in South Australia.
Not surprisingly, the 2010 Holyman is head and shoulders over the 2011 Stoney Rise, as one would expect, but the latter is a lovely drinking pinot.
Four terrific examples of pinot noir.
Article by Ken Gargett.
© 2013 Spitbucket
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