Odyssey Wines was launched in 1994 by Rebecca Salmond, an alumni of Massey University in New Zealand and Adelaide University’s Roseworthy College. Rebecca then worked her way through some of th best wine-producing regions on the globe – Burgundy, Bordeaux and Cote Rotie in France; Alto Adige and Sicily in Italy; Marlborough and Hawkes Bay in New Zealand.
Odyssey now owns 68 acres of land in Marlborough’s Brancott Valley with 25 acres currently under vine. One of the more elevated vineyards in Marlborough, it sits with a North easterly aspect, and has been managed organically for many years and is certified with Biogro certification. The vineyard grows Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir.
Their Gisborne fruit is sourced from a long term contract grower in Hexton, Gisborne – in the ‘Golden Triangle’. One of the oldest in the region, the vineyard is not irrigated over summer as the heavy silt loam and clay of the soil holds moisture. The Chardonnay is the Mendoza clone (a favourite of mine) which has the characteristic ‘chicken and egg’ small berries leading to concentrated flavours.
The Odyssey Pinot Gris 2022 comes from Marlborough, and the perfume shows a delicate lemon blossom, along with baking spice, pear and honey. Dry in style, with a medium acidity and a good richness to the fruit – rockmelon and guava tropical notes. Ginger and a red peppercorn add more spice, and there’s a toasty breadcrumb that hints at some oak influence (but there isn’t – I asked). Good, clean, drying finish. 90pts
Odyssey Iliad Reserve Chardonnay 2022 is the first of a couple of wines that I think fit into that ‘old school’ style of wines that suit Gisborne (and some Hawke’s Bay) fruit very well – and have plenty of fans looking for this type of Chardonnay. Like the Pinot Gris, this shows plenty of spice on the nose – gingerbread, nutmeg, cashew nuts, tarragon, honeycomb and vanilla custard. That’s before we even talk about the fruit. Ripe, fleshy and succulent with golden peach, fig and orange peel. Enough acidity to keep the flavours pumping through the palate and into a drier finish of good length. 92pts
Odyssey Hera Chardonnay 2021 is a limited release, made in the best years, from the best Gisborne fruit. This doubles down on the Iliad version, with a single-minded pursuit of voluptuous, almost decadent richness and power. A golden yellow in the glass, it has an equally golden aroma of ripe tropical fruits. Pineapple, nectarine and rockmelon fruit, with a smoky, spicy vanilla note of oak on the nose. It sees 50% oak and that flavour frames the fruit, unashamedly upfront and heroic. Some weight and concentration in this young wine that really begs to be drunk alongside some good food. Great to see this style still being made – will find plenty of support. 93pts
Odyssey Iliad Reserve Pinot Noir 2021 is another Brancott Valley wine. A lighter burgundy-ruby in the glass, but with a bright, inviting aroma of bramble, cherry, red apple and damson. Not overtly ‘Pinot’ at first, my initial impression is of a nice dry red wine, but the crunch of fresh red berries is quite typical of Marlborough and as the wine unfolds, that Pinosity starts to emerge. A nice phenolic of eucalypt and balsamic adds umami savouriness; and both the oak and the youthful grip of tannin are integrated and add complexity. Has good ripeness and depth, and a spicy finish. 90pts
