Although there’s a fresh dusting of snow on the mountains around us, the morning is bright and quite toasty sitting in the sun outside the recently revamped Tasting Room at Mt Rosa in Central Otago’s Gibbston sub-region. It’s a definite upgrade on the old shed – the new ‘Woolshed’ opened in mid 2021, and this is my first visit since. It is so popular that you’re advised to book for a Tasting! Inside there is a big fireplace that would be cozy as in winter, but I’m keen to make the most of this crisp and sunny day, so we’re on the terrace, avoiding that scourge of a good Cellar Door – hen parties.
The range on offer at Mt Rosa has increased over the years. I’ve enjoyed things like their Pinot Blanc in the past – reviewed here > https://winefolio.co.nz/?p=7778, and the Reserve Pinot Noir was usually rather good too. Now, you’re offered a Tasting of five of the Estate wines for $20, which can include Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé, Pinot Gris in two styles, that Pinot Blanc and the Pinot Noirs. They’re keen to push the food, and I guess we are visiting over the lunchtime period, but as we have more appointments down the line, I pass on the platters and concentrate on the wines.
Starting with the Sauvignon Blanc 2022, which is a good example of what we’re finding on this Central Otago trip – an expression that is more in tune with the crisp, dry white Bordeaux versions of this classic varietal. Lots of salinity to the acidity, and a distinctive minerality through the palate, Plenty of citrus, gooseberry and kumquat flavours and just a delicious dry finish.
The first of the Pinot Gris wines is from 2020, and, like the Sauvignon Blanc, has a dry line of good acidity, underpinned by richer tropical fruit flavours. The texture is richer and there’s a nice burst of spice and a yeasty note of pear danish towards the finish. Very good – I’m liking this style.
Before I get to try the other one, I’m back into the Pinot Blanc 2021 and you start to see a family resemblance in the line up. Spice – yes. Dry with a clean linear acidity – yes. Tropical-leaning fruit flavours – yes. Notes of quartzy minerality – yes! This has a plush texture that enfolds the palate and slides it off to a softer finish, smothering that initial burst of acidity. It is a good wine though, and quite elegant.
A rosé – of course. The money-earner for any label these days. This Rosé 2020 has a little bit more herbal and floral notes than your run-of-the-mill glugger for the hen parties. I do find rosé from Pinot Noir has that extra edge, along with flavours that lean a little more towards cherry and rosehip too. A little portion of this is fermented in barrel adding more complexity and interest. It’s good, but it’s not $35-a-bottle good.
Now we get to that other style of Pinot Gris Off-dry 2021, and, to be honest I find I prefer the straightforward one. I’m a believer in this varietal, but this one lacks some of the drive and line that the acidity provided in the earlier expression. The fruit also tends towards the candied, dried style – plenty of ginger and honey. Good, but I’d go for the drier one.
Since I’m special, I get to try the Pinot Noir as well. The Pinot Noir 2017 is a classic version of a Gibbston Pinot. This where it started for Central, and you can’t beat it when you get one. Has the cherry, thyme and plum you’d expect, but also a sweet blackcurrant and a savoury black olive note. Good weight and balance of acid and tannin. Oak isn’t obtrusive either. Hard to fault.
Well, I’d thought it was the last wine, but our host is really enjoying serving a couple who are here for the wines rather than party games and selfies, so we get a nip of the Pinot Noir Reserve 2017 as well. This is a bit of a step up – as you’d hope for a reserve wine. More blue fruit flavours at play here, with a super aromatic on the nose – freesia and violets, with candied almonds, middle-eastern spice and damson jam. More density than just more weight, without being heavy. The oak is also more pronounced, but the fruit eats this up, and it just provides an extra bit of complexity and layering – the most characterful wine on show today. This is really quite good. You have to like a little old-school, with some savoury elements as much as fruit; and enjoy really good, supple tannin and a bit of oak in your Pinot, but.. I do.
