A rare and exciting opportunity to taste through many of the Spring release wines from Bannockburn, Bendigo, Gibbston, Pisa, Queensbury and Wanaka took place on November 29th. The venue was the Misha’s Vineyard cellar door private tasting room.

Many thanks to Misha and Andy for providing the space.

None of the Misha’s Vineyard Wines were included in the tasting. You can see recent reviews for their wines here: https://www.camdouglasms.com/reviews/tag/Misha%27s+Vineyard.

Scan the QR code below to link to images from the tasting.

The term ‘Blend’ in some of the wine titles below refers to the source material to make the wine comes from more than 1 site.

All wines were tasted blind - many thanks to Misha Wilkinson and Janet Blackman for ensuring the wines were bagged and taped, glassware was pristine clean the room was set up with lots of light.

This is not a competition and the wines were scored according to how they presented on the day.

I welcome any comments or questions you may have

The # at the end of each note is the score - for example 93 [points out of a possible 100]

Chardonnay Spring Release Tasting November 29th, 2024

Amisfield 2023 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. Bright and fresh with flavours of citrus and pith, peel then stone fruits. Super fine tannins and medium+ acid line. Med+ weight and length. Well made, dry finish. Best drinking from now and through 2029. 93

Chard Farm 2023 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. Varietal, power and richness with a rounded frame then flavours of apple and white stone fruits, pear and a layer of spice. Fine almost powdered fruit tannins, decent acid line, medium+ length and finish. VG. Best from early 2025 through 2030+. 93+

Domaine Rewa 2023 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. An intriguing bouquet and palate with some reduction layering in a mineral quality. Taut and new with a citrus and stoney soil palate. Well made, dry, med+ acid line. Mandarin and orange notes, fresh and new. A wine that seems to need some more settling in time. Best from day of purchase through 2030. 92+

Mount Edward 2023 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. Intriguing and complex bouquet, aroma sand flavours of pear and spice, oak and mineral, there’s a clay earth quality then a mix of new wood and gentle smokey qualities. New, youthful, taut and dry, Nice acid line and length, well-made and just beginning to settle in. Best from 2025 through 3031+. 93+

Mt Difficulty2022 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. There's no mistaking the impacts of ripe fruit, use of barrel and lees, a wine with power in the bouquet framing fruits of citrus and spice, vanilla and a soft smoky wood quality. Well-made and lengthy with plenty of acidity acid and texture, mouthfeel and med+ to long finish. Best from 2025 through 2032. 94

Prophet's Rock 2022 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. Bold and expressive with a powerful bouquet of fruit and barrel. Flavours of grapefruit and oak spices, wood smoke and stony soils. Full-bodied and dry, textures from fruit and some wood tannins, plenty of acidity and length, well made with a fig and nougat note on the finish. VG drinking now and through the next five years. 95

Wooing Tree Vineyard 2020 Cromwell/Lowburn/Pisa. A lovely bouquet and palate with a mix of citrus and stone fruits, white peach and grapefruit, then some barrel spices and soft earthy mineral qualities. Dry, taut, youthful and almost pinking with acidity and some fine chalky tannins framing the core fruit flavours. Well made with med+ complexity and length. Best from mid to late 2025 through 2030+. 93+

Nanny Goat Vineyard 2023 Queensberry/Wanaka. Complex, enticing, detailed and well made, a bouquet of weight, shape and freshness, these ideas translate to the palate seamlessly and with style, flavours of cashew and grapefruit, peach and apple then fresh fig and a lick of quince. The use of wood and some if its smoky spice qualities are well placed. Best from 2025 through 2032+. 95

Gibbston Valley Wines 2023 Bendigo/Tarras. Youthful, ripe and fresh bouquet with varietal scents and flavours of grapefruit and baked apple, nectarine then barrel and lees complexities. The use of oak seems lower and more judicious, allowing the site and ripe fruit speak more precisely. Very fine fruit tannins and medium+ acid line. Taut and dry, new and lively. Well made with med+ complexity and finish, some extended length, great mouthfeel and tapered ending. 95

Maori Point Vineyard 2023 Bendigo/Tarras. A lovely shape and form to the bouquet with a fine rounded silky shape leading to aromas and flavours of white peach and ripe citrus, the use of lees and gentle oak inputs add further shape and form on the palate. Citrus and white fleshed stone fruits, Excellent texture and length, a wine with a lovely palate presence and length. Best from late 2025 through 2033. 95

Moko Hills 2023 Bendigo/Tarras. A bouquet and palate of fresh citrus and stone fruits, nut and some spice qualities. The nut and spice layers reflect the use of wood then lees leading to a gently rounded texture and flavours more aligned with orange and ripe lemon, then apple and kitchen spices. Well made, dry and ready with medium+ acidity and length. A taut youthful beginning with a mix of the familiar nut and stone fruit spice qualities then mineral and site. Best from day of purchase through 2029. 93

Quartz Reef 2022 Bendigo/Tarras. A lovely bouquet and palate with a fine complexity and seamless frame of fruit and site, lees and winemaking capturing the vintage and window of ripeness. A satin cream mouthfeel is contrasted by the impacts of acidity and fruit spice, fine tannins with a gentle chalky quality, medium+ acid line and lengthy even paced finish. Well made with best drinking from 2025 through 2030+. 94

Chard Farm 2023 Blend. A very enticing bouquet with layers of gentle wood smoke and nut, cashew and fine stony mineral qualities. Ripe peach and nectarine, a mix of lees and baking spice then some citrus pith and peel and nougat. Dry, taut, youthful and engaging textures. Medium+ weighted and delicious from start to finish, nice weight and length, complexity and style. Best from 2025 through 2030+. 94

Domaine-Thomson 2023 Blend. Some bolder layers in the bouquet led by spice and citrus then a stony mineral quality before the fruit flavours of apple and pear, some white fleshed stone fruits and textures kick in. Plenty of weight with acidity and alcohol with contrasting textures and flavours reflecting the bouquet. Medium length and complexity overall. Some development showing with this bottle. Best from day of purchase through 2029. 92

Monte Christo Winery 2023 Blend. Youthful, bright, fresh, fruity and varietal with a core of ripe citrus and white fleshed stone fruits, baked apple and seam of minerality. Youthful with a course-silk mouthfeel, plenty of acidity and fine tannins with a gentle chalky texture. Balanced and well made in a medium+ weighted expression. Best drinking from late 2025 through 2030. 93+

Mora Wines 2023 Blend. Varietal, fresh and new with a rounded satin shape and form to the bouquet. Aromas and flavours of white fleshed stone fruits, some smoky citrus highlights, plenty of stony mineral qualities and textures. Some youthful firmness and tautness with a nice palate squeeze, flavours of citrus then nut, stone fruits then lees. Judicious use of oak sees the palate framed nicely with acidity and tannins. Well made with best drinking from 2025 through 2030. 93

Peregrine Wines 2023 Blend. Excellent bouquet and palate, scents of place and style, vintage and frame. Flavours of ripe citrus and white peach, layers of lees and a touch of pith, a youthful palate with purity and finesse, length and style. The use of barrel and lees adds shape and form on the palate as well. Lovely fine tannins and acid line, length and style. Best drinking from 2025 through 2030. 93

Rockburn Wines 2023 Blend. On the plus side there's a decent acid line and length, textures from lees and minerality; lemon and apple. This bottle, today however shows a little disjointed, volatile and clumsy on the nose with an unexpected oxidative note. This disrupts the palate with a touch of sourness to the acidity masking the riper side of the fruits and emphasising the pith and citrus. I am beginning to wonder if the closure was a bit damaged. Best drinking from day of purchase through 2029. 90

Te Kano 2023 Blend. An enticing bouquet, ripe and fresh though a whisper of volatility which I think is more akin to the style and signature of the producer. A lovely weight and texture with finesse, floral highlights and charm. A lovely mouthfeel and texture with a happy and almost seamless links between acidity and tannins then fruit and flavours of citrus and apple, some green pear then green golden queen peach. Fine lees qualities. It is well made with best drinking from 2025 through 2030. 94

Felton Road 2023 Block 2 Bannockburn. Raw and new, lees a ripe pithy qualities lead to aromas and flavours of peaches and some meyer lemon, apple and green mandarin. Complex and dry on the palate with the use of some newer barrels and oder layering breadth and complexity. Dry, textured, fine fruit tannins and acidity along with some barrel frame the palate nicely. Well-made and lengthy, delicious and new. Best from 2025 through 2032. 95

Akarua 2023 Bannockburn. Aromas and flavours of peaches and ripe citrus, some coarse silk textures with lees and vanilla qualities. Medium+ weight, a satin-cream mouthfeel with fine tannins and plenty of acidity. Well made, dry and consistent with flavours of citrus, apple and some fruit spice. Best from day of purchase through 2029. 92

Felton Road 2023 Block 6 Bannockburn. An intriguing wine led by a core of minerality and sense of site, stone and limestone then lees frame the fruits of citrus and white peach, lemon and pear. Dry, evenly weighted and new with a firm youthful squeeze, core of fruits that fill the mid palate nicely and framed by ripe acidity and fine tannins. Well-made and lengthy, a finer style with finesse and charm. Best drinking from 2025 through 2030+. 94

Dicey Wines 2023 Bannockburn. Impacts from ripe fruits and newer barrels frame the bouquet with peach and baked apple, kitchen spices and a whisper of earth and wood smoke. Salivating and dry with core flavours of lemon and flint, grapefruit and spice, some very fine tannin textures and plenty of acidity frame the wine beautifully adding length and charm. Best drinking from late 2025 through 2031+. 93+

Felton Road 2023 Bannockburn. Aromas and flavours of peach, vanilla and lemon custard, there's a line of lees and fruit spice adding breadth and complexity. Dry, well-made and new with a nice palate squeeze and mouthfeel. Fine lees also chow a little chalky textures and acidity salivates the palate showing off some mineral qualities. Decent length and finish with best drinking from 2025 through 2030. 94

Carrick 2022 Bannockburn. This bottle today - A lovely bouquet with weight and satin-cream shape and form. The palate has a banana-creamed corn note I find a little distracting, flavours of apple and citrus, there's an oxidative lees mix that grab my attention. Some silky texture and medium+ acidity. Overall balanced and ready. Best from day of purchase through 2028. 90

Central Otago Spring Release 2024 ---- Tranche 2 ---- Chardonnay