A fine late spring weekend was a good excuse to look at the latest offerings from Spy Valley – a family-run winery that I enjoyed visiting back at the end of Autumn when we could still leave this city fortress of Auckland. I’m lucky to have a spacious covered outdoor area and had a couple of friends over (socially distanced) to have an alfresco supper and have a glass or two of the variety on offer from this Waihopai Valley winery.
All of the wines were a delight with the food – we started off with a mixed cold platter – fresh tomatoes, cheese and crackers, smoked salmon and some awesome spiced roasted chickpeas – a new favourite – yum. Then a baked, herby risotto with chicken and finally an apple crumble cake. It’s a hard life being trapped in your home!
Wine no.1 was the 2021 Rose. From Pinot Noir – this was that perfect pale rose petal pink in the glass. Nicely aromatic – not too blowsy, but with watermelon, cranberry and elderflower on the nose. Fresh and vibrant on the palate, flowing with a crisp acidity and more red berry flavours. Dry, especially on the finish. 91pts. There was a bit of a scramble for seconds of this!
I had already opened and reviewed the Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc a few days before, at 92pts – see review here – www.winefolio.co.nz/?p=4576, so next up was the Satellite Sauvignon Blanc 2021. The family resemblance was clear to the Spy Valley version. This one with a little more grassy, green capsicum on the nose. The blackcurrant, passionfruit and melon was all there too. Bright and intense. Citrus and white peach through to the finish that’s dry, refreshing and classic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. 90pts.
With the chicken risotto, we paired the Pinot Gris 2020 or the Chardonnay 2020, depending on personal preference. (I had both, purely in the interests of reviewing, of course). The Pinot Gris is an elegant expression. Dry, with a delicate nose of honeysuckle, pear, fresh baguette, baking spice and white peach. Richer through the palate, with baked apple and honeyed spices. Texture is pleasantly rounded but it just lacks a little personality. 87pts.
The Chardonnay was possibly the pick of the whites – on a par with the Sauvignon Blanc from earlier in the week. Excellent balance to this one. The nose is all citrus – bright with grapefruit, lemon peel and mandarin, then some red apple and stonefruits. Medium bodied with enough acidity to pump into the palate, but with a lovely melding of smooth texture, toasted oak influence and ripe peachy fruit. No hard edges, and clean, vibrant layers of interest. 92pts.
Just the one red – a 2019 Pinot Noir which we moved onto at the end of the meal as the temperature began to fall in our outside oasis – we lit the outdoor fireplace and settled deeper into our chairs, blankets on knees. A medium-depth ruby in the glass, with plenty going on aromatically. Greeted with cherry, mocha, raspberry, plum and pepper, and through a crisp acidity to more of the same, with a pop on the palate. Tannins are svelte, fine and supple – added to the vanilla oak, this made for a warming richness underneath the ripe fruit. An ready-to-go style, but with enough complexity and focus to please a crowd. 93pts.
