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+--- Thread: Felton Road - New Zealand Pinot (/thread-6493.html)
- Capocheny - 07-20-2005
Hi all...
Has anyone here tried the pinots from Felton Road? I believe they have 3 bottlings:
1. Regular Pinot
2. Block 3
3. Block 5
Any tasting notes on these wines?
Thanks in advance... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers
- dananne - 07-20-2005
I have the regular '03 Central Otego bottling -- will pop it soon and provide notes. I've heard good things about this producer, so I'm interested to try it.
I've recently enjoyed two NZ Pinots -- Dyed in the Wool and Tohu. Also had a nice one from Forrest awhile ago.
- Capocheny - 07-20-2005
Will look forward to your tasting note on this one... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers
- Capocheny - 07-27-2005
Dananne,
If you get the chance... try one of the Peregrine Pinot Noirs. They're located next door to Felton Road.
It's also very, very nice.
It'll be interesting to hear your tn on the Felton Road Otago... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] I tasted it this evening. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers
- dananne - 07-27-2005
I'll be opening the Felton Road this Friday night, and I'll post a TN. We got sidetracked and opened some Oregon stuff to clear out cellar space (we've visiting Oregon next week).
About a year ago, I checked on the availability of Peregrine, as I've heard good things, but back then they didn't have distribution in GA. I'll check again to see if that's changed.
- Capocheny - 07-27-2005
Hi Dananne,
Great... will look forward to reading your tn. [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers
- dananne - 07-28-2005
What was your take on it?
- Capocheny - 07-28-2005
Hi Dananne,
My take on it was that it was quite different from most Pinots I've had before (and usually drink.) In fact, I found it hard to describe and that's why I was really keen on hearing your tn.
For me... I thought it was "almost too plush" and very, very smooth. Almost too smooth. It was not a fruit bomb in any sense of the word. The tannins were very, very soft... it had the traditional cherry/plum notes and a bit of herbaceousness to it (all very, very subtle, IMHO.) Low to no acidity? I sense there could have been much more complexity to it... if it matured a bit with time.
I'm not saying that it wasn't tasty or anything like that... I'm just saying that it was quite different from the Pinots I usually drink (ie: Prieur, Babcock, Marimar Torres, Saintsbury, etc.)
I'll look for your thoughts and take on it... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
Who knows... it might just have been my nose and palate that evening.
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers
Oh, btw, we also had the Block 3 and 5 that evening. The Block 3 was more like a Marimar Torres but, again, more on the smooth, plush side. It was my favorite of the three.
The Block 5 was in between the 3 and the regular Otaga bottling. Again, fat, soft, plush... low to no acidity, soft tannins, very understated!
Pure, unadulterated, expression of the Pinot Noir grape? [shrugging my shoulders...]
We also had their Riesling that evening and, surprisingly, it was my favorite wine of the group. And, since I'm not usually a white wine fan... it says alot about this one! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
[This message has been edited by Capocheny (edited 07-28-2005).]
- dananne - 08-20-2005
Well, we finally got around to cracking this last night. Decanted for 20 minutes before 1st pour. Deep purplish in color -- suggests a lot of extraction. Cherry/plum nose with the same flavors. I sensed the same plushness you did, and also noticed the lack of acidity. Nonexistent tannins. Really, I didn't have a sense of much framework holding it together. Flavors turn somewhat tart on the finish. No real nuances that I noticed, save for a touch of barnyard on the nose, though spicy Mexican fare a few hours earlier may have blitzed my tastebuds a bit. A straightforward style that people will either love or hate, IMHO. Flavors not as dilute as some NZ PN I've tried in the past, but I didn't like it as much as the aforementioned Dyed-in-the-Wool (which runs $18-20) or Tohu (about the same). I'd go the other way in advice on ageability -- I don't sense enough acidic balance or structure for this to hold up well, and think the fresh, fruity flavors while young are this one's stong suit. So, I'd say drink sooner rather than later, but I've been wrong about these predictions in the past [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] Alc. 14%. Ran us $47 here in Atlanta. At that price point, I'm not rushing out for more, though I still see good things upcoming for NZ PN.
Rereading this, it perhaps comes across as more negative than intended. Frankly, it was an enjoyable wine, just a bit of a letdown given the price tag. I could buy a bottle of Ken Wright for that, and I recently ignored a better bottle at the Carlton Winemaker's Studio in Oregon from Scott Paul at that general price point, as I felt it was "out of range."
- Capocheny - 08-25-2005
Greetings Dananne,
Thanks for the tn... I'm glad I wasn't off-side on my tn on the Otago... [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
The winemaker at the tasting says that it will only get better over the next 5 - 8 years! I'm not so convinced of that but I do have a few bottles in the fridge and will try them over time. [Luckily, my wife likes soft, soft, plushy wines! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]]
Like you... I just don't think there's enough stuffing in this wine to weather out 8 years. But... time will reveal the true story! [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]
So many wines... so little time!
Cheers