{"id":3910,"date":"2021-07-11T08:15:07","date_gmt":"2021-07-10T20:15:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910"},"modified":"2021-07-11T09:55:09","modified_gmt":"2021-07-10T21:55:09","slug":"a-regional-tasting-of-northland-at-marsden-estate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910","title":{"rendered":"A ‘Regional Tasting of Northland’ at Marsden Estate"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

I\u2019d promised to return to Northland after a couple of sensational visits, to Marsden Estate<\/strong> and then The Landing<\/strong> last year. This time, I\u2019ve been asked to sit down and have a look at some of the smaller producers who have their wines produced by the team at Marsden Estate. I start off in the winery, surrounded by a whirr of activity amongst barrels and tanks. Rod sets off with his wine thief and brings back barrel samples, dodging the forklift and trying to remember what is where\u2026<\/p>

Rod MacIvor<\/strong>: We could start you off on a Sauvignon Blanc?<\/p>

WineFolio<\/strong>: Sure \u2013 I just had a couple of \u2018natural\u2019 wines that were Sauvignon Blanc \u2013 it seems to be a varietal that suits the natural wine style? Done on skins, or cloudy, but with good fruit. And the barrel-fermented style is great too. I like this one \u2013 what is it? I love the citrus, mandarin flavours in that, and it\u2019s got a much lower acidity. Has a hint of ginger spice at the back too.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: This is Larry Randall\u2019s<\/strong>. But, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a world class wine. And people want it to taste like that, in that flavour spectrum. I\u2019ve got this Arneis<\/strong> from Dancing Petrel<\/strong> as well for you to try.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: It\u2019s been a couple of years since I had an Arneis. If you hadn\u2019t said, I might have guessed that it was an Albarino<\/strong>? It\u2019s got that distinctive salinity, and a zesty fresh, crispness to it \u2013 like a Northern European white \u2013 like a Verdejo<\/strong>. I drink those and like them, in the right spot. I\u2019m glad that varietals like this are still around. Like Viognier \u2013 there\u2019s still quite a bit of interest in that.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Viognier makes a great wine. I prefer a good Viognier to a Pinot Gris to be honest. The Yalumba<\/strong> one is nice for about $18.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: I know people who it\u2019s their second favourite white wine. It\u2019s nice, light and dry, with a really pithy textural finish to it. It\u2019s not hugely characterful, but that\u2019s a pretty good wine, particularly since you don\u2019t see much of it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

RM: <\/strong>This is from Kainui Road \u2013 you\u2019ll see their vineyard as you head north. Not many people have tried a Northland Gewurztraminer.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: It\u2019s not that I don\u2019t like Gewurz, I just always find something else to drink. I like a glass of it. I\u2019ll go for that style that is quite dry and without too much rose petal \u2013 with orange rind and a bit of oiliness. Or go absolutely full-blown, really rich and unctuous. If it has sweetness it\u2019s got to fit in, and I find sometimes with Gewurz it doesn\u2019t, it just sits on top of everything, drowning out the other parts. There\u2019s something about this \u2013 the yeastiness I suppose, that reminds me of Champagne!<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: That\u2019s funny because we have turned it into sparkling for them in the past. They have concerts at the property and they had it for the event. The only other one we\u2019ve had was from Millars<\/strong> down in Mangawhai and we gave it quite a bit of skin contact and it was delicious. That was in 2015, I don\u2019t know if they still do it. As you say, it\u2019s not a wine that\u2019s going to fly off the shelves.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: It will do well on the right wine list if the sommelier knows what they\u2019re doing, and always a winner at a Cellar Door \u2013 like Gruner Veltliner<\/strong> or Viognier, where people buy it because it\u2019s different. \u201cLook I got this and I can\u2019t even pronounce the name!\u201d<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: That\u2019s the beauty of a Cellar Door \u2013 you get people to drink stuff they wouldn\u2019t normally drink. Because you\u2019re getting them to taste it, and it\u2019s something different. They\u2019re taking away that story. It\u2019s a privilege to be able to play with so many different wines. That\u2019s why these young guys are here \u2013 they could be off making lots of money, but they love the wine. It\u2019s a great thing to be involved in. We\u2019re at the pleasure end of the spectrum.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

My major enjoyment in the process would be growing the fruit. I love the work you do in the vineyard. That\u2019s the challenge \u2013 getting a good product, because if you haven\u2019t got that, then it doesn\u2019t matter what you do at the other end. And the one thing about that which is probably the most humbling is that you haven\u2019t got full control. This year we had two days of heavy rain, but it was late enough that we\u2019d picked the whites, and early enough that it didn\u2019t totally f*ck up the reds.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is Viognier \u2013 barrel fermented, from a four year old barrel. They\u2019ve got a stainless steel portion as well. The wine from 2020 that you tried was a pretty nice wine. Sometimes the acid can drop out if they get too ripe, but this year, with the growing season and we\u2019re so early, the acid is still there.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: that\u2019s a decent wine again \u2013 I like the honeycomb edge to the back of the palate, after all the apple and pear and citrus flavours; it\u2019s a nice contrast. You can see the barrel influence but it\u2019s hiding, and I guess that will edge down again once the tank portion gets blended in.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: And this is the Marsden<\/strong> Chardonnay from this year \u2013 in a two year old barrel. Just stirred yesterday and about dry, starting to get it to go through malo.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: It\u2019s a wee bit edgy just yet. Do you just make the one Chardonnay?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Yes, we don\u2019t have enough to do more. We could double production of the one and we\u2019d still sell it. Problem is we have to release it too early. We\u2019ve had the \u201820s out since February \u2013 we ran out of \u201919. It\u2019s too young, but we\u2019ve sold two pallets of it. It\u2019s an unfortunate fact of life.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Try this Pinotage<\/strong> \u2013 it has a milky colour to it \u2013 our ones do. I think because we try to make a lighter style of it. I don\u2019t find it appealing when it\u2019s young, and it\u2019s not dry yet obviously. You\u2019ll see how that evolves when you try the \u201920.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: I\u2019ve spent a bit of time over the years, looking at aromas of things, so I do tend to have both quite a focus on that when I\u2019m looking at wine, but also, a library of things that I\u2019ve tried \u2013 well, smelt obviously.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Rod\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

For example, there\u2019s this thing called \u2018orris root\u2019 and it\u2019s used in making perfumes and used to be put into pot pourri. It has a specific smell, with florals like old-fashioned violet or rose floral, then mint and raspberry. And that\u2019s what I\u2019m getting in this Pinotage. Clearly if I said \u2018orris root\u2019 you probably wouldn\u2019t know what I meant! (laughs).<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Finally \u2013 this is Chambo<\/strong>. A lot of the smaller growers plant it because it takes care of itself. You don\u2019t have to leaf pluck it, or do much at all.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Makes a decent wine too. Robust and spicy.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Yeah it does. And it\u2019s the one variety that Brett loves, it just gets straight into it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: But that\u2019s in its character, and the French will tell you all about terroir and character, and letting that show in the wines. It\u2019s earthy and barnyard-y, and I don\u2019t mind that, a little bit.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Yes, a little bit. The other thing about Chambo, it\u2019s normally a fairly neutral flavour. It fits in between other reds. At the other end is this \u2013 try that..<\/p>

WF: <\/strong>Ok, that\u2019s ripe but pretty solid. Nice acidity but the tannins are quite chewy at the moment. Can\u2019t pick what grape that could be \u2013 unless it\u2019s some of that elusive Tannat that I know you\u2019ve got up here, and I\u2019m determined to track down?!<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Wow, yes, it is Tannat! It\u2019s Dancing Petrel 2020.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: Awesome. There\u2019s quite a bit in that. I like the acidity as well as the depth and concentration. Cranberries and plums. Bit of red liquorice.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: It\u2019s a great blending component as well. They grow it a lot in Argentina and Uruguay. We could spend a week looking at everything, but that\u2019s a snapshot of this years.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: What\u2019s the smallest thing you do?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: See those two 20 litre drums? We\u2019ve got a Lawyer, coming to pick his wine up today \u2013 and it\u2019s bloody good! We bottled it for him yesterday.<\/p>

We move through to a table in the corner of the Cellar Door, and start to look at a selection of bottles \u2013 some of which have been sent over for this tasting, some just from the cellars at Marsden Estate.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Shipwreck\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

RM<\/strong>: This is a 2020 Flora<\/strong>, the label is \u2018Shipwreck Bay<\/strong>\u2019. He was in last weekend and dropped this off and said \u2018just try it\u2019 so\u2026since it\u2019s here, let me know what you think?<\/p>

Rod brings in a couple of his winemaking staff Justin and Pietro, to join in the tasting..<\/em><\/p>

Justin<\/strong>: Are you on the Flora there?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Yes, I\u2019m hogging it all. I don\u2019t hate it. It says on the bottle Gewurztarminer\/Semiilon \u2013 is that what Flora is?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Yes, and it\u2019s better than I remember it, it\u2019s developed quite well. It\u2019s one of those that\u2019s bulletproof. You can crop the hell out of it and it grows anywhere. It can go from just about being ready to be picked, to being over-ripe in about four days.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: That would be a great food wine. I like those \u2018thai beef salads\u2019 with a little kick to them, and that would be OK with one of those.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Obviously he\u2019s reasonably happy with it, otherwise he wouldn\u2019t have given it to us to try. We\u2019ve got three Pinot Gris \u2013 and we usually don\u2019t try these after they\u2019ve been bottled.. Possibly three more than we need!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: No, not at all. Being someone that can go through trying fifty Sauvignon Blancs in a morning\u2026 I also attempt to be Mr Pinot Gris as well. I like breadth of the styles of it. I obviously don\u2019t like the ones that are utterly bland and innocuous, but I do rate some of the ones that I think are taken seriously, and I love the good, old ones. I had a Rockburn<\/strong> one from 2002 that was sensational recently, in the last year.<\/p>

J<\/strong>: They can cellar really well. I remember when I first started here, you\u2019d give me a heap of really old ones that you were getting rid of. And one of them was a 2004 Pinot Gris and that was amazing. Something like Dry River \u2013 their Pinot Gris is renowned for cellaring well.<\/p>

Pietro<\/strong>: What was it about that old Pinot Gris that you liked?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: It still had some fruit showing, so I think it must have had plenty of acidity when it was put in the bottle. I think it had been in that off-dry style, so that had fattened out well and gone waxy and unctuous. Lots of honeycomb and baking spice at the end. We had it as an aperitif and I though that worked really well. I drank beautifully \u2013 just a lovely older bottle of white wine with good development. Under cork as well.<\/p>

Then \u2013 the highlight of the day \u2013 Rod reappears with a bottle labelled \u20182004 Pinot Gris\u2019 \u2013 opens it, and pours out\u2026olive oil!!<\/em><\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Hell. I\u2019ve got two more of these up there. I must have given away all the old corked Pinot Gris. Would you like to try an aged olive oil? (laughs). Or, I\u2019ve got another Pinot Gris – hopefully it is! This is Morepork<\/strong> 2020. They do a great job growing it \u2013 it\u2019s an older clone.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

P<\/strong>: This has a stalky, savoury note to it \u2013 less fruity.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Phenolic, with a roast carrot savouriness to it. It\u2019s still got a bit of pear, nutmeg varietal character, but I can\u2019t say I\u2019m crazy about that one. I\u2019m not sure what I think of it right now, but I wonder if it might age quite well? Like we were just talking about?<\/p>

P<\/strong>: It might be a hard sell though, to change people\u2019s perceptions on keeping Pinot Gris to age.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Well you say that, and my interview with Gordon Russell, where we talked at length about the ageability of his Esk Valley<\/strong> ones, was over a year ago now. Now I just saw recently another wine writer who does a lot more social media than I do \u2013 banging on about an older Pinot Gris they\u2019d been sent, and waxing lyrical about it. I can\u2019t claim to have invented the idea obviously, but, yeah\u2026 you know. Look for a really good producer, and not a 4-5 year old one \u2013 go for a ten year old version.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

J<\/strong>: I think New Zealand wine drinkers buy their wines and drink them straightaway. I don\u2019t think they have the patience to cellar them for that long.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Probably they just wouldn\u2019t think to. It\u2019s like getting a good Sauvignon Blanc and putting that away for a decade? People just don\u2019t think of it. They don\u2019t think \u2013 older equals better, so they don\u2019t do it. I do. In fact if I go places and I think they may have older stock, I ask them. When I was at Lime Rock<\/strong> they had some for sale, just on the side \u2013 like 2005\u2019s, so I was like \u2018give me those\u2019. I have to be quite careful with buying wine as it has to be quite targeted. Often I\u2019m having wine because I have to review it, not necessarily because I chose it. So when I drink what I really want to, it\u2019s not as often as you might think.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

I look at a bottle of Marsden Estate Pinot Gris, that\u2019s up next\u2026<\/em><\/p>

When a bottle of wine is labelled Mardsen Estate \u2013 is that fruit from a vineyard that you own, or just something you buy in?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: It\u2019s our fruit from our vineyard. Other than the Sauvignon that comes from Marlborough<\/strong>, all the other wines are from here. We got the new clones of Pinot Gris because they\u2019re not as tight-bunched but they seem to have that lemony than apple and pear. The old clone if you got it under-ripe was like Granny Smith and if you got it ripe it was more towards the pear. The fruit is much better to grow though.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: I\u2019m getting a little eucalyptus character at the back of that one. I don\u2019t mind that, and I can see that it\u2019s got that citrus rather than apple and pear, but, again, that\u2019s OK. The palate has a nice balance.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Rod runs off to deal with the customer he mentioned earlier, so we open a\u00a0Marsden Estate \u2018Duo\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0from 2009 while he\u2019s not looking\u2026<\/em><\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Oh wow\u2026OK!\u00a0<\/p>

P<\/strong>: It kind of tastes like one of those old Landing Chardonnays<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: So what is it? I\u2019m thinking it\u2019s Flora again..<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

J<\/strong>: I think it is, and he called it Duo because it\u2019s a varietal cross of Gewurz and Semillon \u2013 so, Duo?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: \u2018Cellar for two to three years\u2026 bone dry, food friendly wine\u2019 it says here on the label. Yum. That\u2019s pretty ripe, and it\u2019s got a bit of oak in there, a bit toasty. That\u2019s actually quite intense and concentrated. It\u2019s straw coloured in the glass, but its almost got a flavour of meadow grass, hay and straw as well. And I love that it is really dry. I\u2019ve only ever had Flora as a young, fresh wine, but this is quite something, with all this age.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: It\u2019s certainly got some bottle age character. It won\u2019t last long once it\u2019s been opened. We\u2019ll try this 2020 Chardonnay \u00a0\u2013 personally I\u2019d give this another six months, then I\u2019d be really happy. You notice that little bit more acid with it not being cold stabilised. It was beautiful fruit, couldn\u2019t ask for better.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: I think that looks pretty good now. When I had the early releases of the 2019s I was quite disappointed.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: I think you know pretty well when you get your fruit in if the wine is going to be Ok. You\u2019ve got to be brave enough to let it. But I wish we didn\u2019t have to release that yet. It\u2019s not our decision, if the public want to take it home and cellar it. By the time it\u2019s get to anywhere near it\u2019s best it will all be sold out.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: So why not make that decision for them and just not release it?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Marsden\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

RM<\/strong>: Well then I won\u2019t have a Chardonnay to sell. I\u2019d rather give the person on the other side of the counter the decision. Say \u201cLook it\u2019s not really ready to drink now but you\u2019re welcome to buy it\u201d. They should cellar it, but most Kiwis don\u2019t. We had a guy in from Hawke\u2019s Bay yesterday, and he bought a case. A case at $42 a bottle is good money. We\u2019ve had absolutely no negative comments about that wine since we released it.<\/p>

We might try that 2020 Pinotage \u2013 it hasn\u2019t been bottled all that long. I did find an old one, I missed the Pinot Gris but I found a Pinotage.<\/p>

P<\/strong>: What do think about Natural wines?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Yes, definitely something of interest. I\u2019m quite new to it, but I was fortunate in that a place I went and stayed is very focussed on natural wines. I like the wines that I\u2019ve had that are really good wines anyway, just that they are made in a natural wine way? There are a couple of big producers \u2013 Carrick<\/strong> or Ata Rangi<\/strong> for example, and those are effectively natural wines. It still tastes like really good wine. Doesn\u2019t have to be cloudy and oxidised to be natural wine. I like that it makes you think about wine, at all.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: We\u2019ve got 250 Pinotage vines, but we crop the hell out of it (laughs). We probably did five or six barrels. You tried the Pinotage before, so that\u2019s how it comes out. I\u2019m really happy with that. It\u2019s a variety that\u2019s disappearing.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: I like that it\u2019s not too heavy. It\u2019s quite agile and light on it\u2019s feet. The tannin and the oak is nicely balanced. It\u2019s got a mocha note to it, and it\u2019s so smooth! I\u2019ve had some over-extracted teeth-staining monster Pinotages in my time.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

RM<\/strong>: It fits in well with us because it\u2019s a lighter style. I couldn\u2019t find a Pinot Gris, but there\u2019s a 2004 Pinotage<\/strong>. The cork looks like new! The 04, 05 and 06 vintages were excellent. 2006 was the better one. I recall Michael Cooper saying he didn\u2019t think Pinotages would age that well, but we had some good years and they were great and keep for quite a long time.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: The nose is starting to fade, but the palate is so fresh!<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: I had an email from some guy the other day about a 2010 Chambo he\u2019d bought off me, and he wanted to tell me that it was absolutely magnificent! And I wouldn\u2019t have thought that Chambo would have much of a life either..this has quite similar characteristics.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: The only real bit of age that\u2019s showing is on the nose. It\u2019s got a kind of root beer turn to it, on the nose. It almost seemed a little corky when I first got into it, but it\u2019s not stale, it just needed a bit of time to breathe. It\u2019s still really fresh to taste, and a lovely savoury line through that, like a mature Pinot. That\u2019s Wine of the Day that.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

RM<\/strong>: Shall we try that Mahinepua Merlot 2019<\/strong>? They\u2019re right on the coast and get really good fruit.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: It\u2019s got a darkness to that \u2013 not just all soft juicy plums. Again, quite a savoury line with tobacco leaf and leather. Broodingly dark and ripe. Got a Merlot nose, but then it gets all kind of Malbec through the middle. Outstanding tannins in that – ripe and dense. It\u2019s got a roundness that says \u2018blend\u2019 to me if I\u2019d had to guess \u2013 Merlot-Malbec-Cabernet Franc. Got that mossy, bark and earth to it.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: We\u2019ll do a couple more Chambo\u2019s? First off is ours \u2013 a 2019 Marsden Chambourcin<\/strong>, then a Mahinepua Chambourcin 2016<\/strong>.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Do you do much whole bunch here? That\u2019s got a slightly stalky, green but spicy character that smacks of that?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Yes, we do, but I can\u2019t remember about \u201919. I can only remember the last two vintages! It\u2019s not as rich as the \u201920 or \u201921. I\u2019m not overly impressed with that to be honest.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Mahinepua\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

J<\/strong>: in 2020 we did quite a bit of whole bunch and did that whole berry thing as a component. It\u2019s not Brett-y.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: That one is quite vibrant. I find that some of those reds from the cooler years can really shine after a few years. Like Central Otago Pinots from cooler years for example. Some nice, sweet oak and the tannins are smooth but quite lively.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: I don\u2019t think I\u2019ve tried this \u2013 a Marsden Estate Tempranillo<\/strong> 2019. How\u2019s that tasting?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Absolutely fantastic. Is that from here? Far out, that\u2019s good. So, a \u201919 Tempranillo I would expect it to be quite tight and a bit chewy maybe.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: The tannins are always just silky on the Temp. I think I said that in 2010 we got 20 litres of it, and I was so impressed with it I went and planted another 400 vines. We did it in one of those plastic drums and it was drinkable straight after ferment. But it is temperamental. If it gets any rain it splits. We turned all of ours into ros\u00e9 this year. Out of ten years we probably make it six years. The other years we turn it into rose but when you get it right\u2026 There\u2019s one of Stuart Fraser\u2019s \u2013 he\u2019s on the coast. But we can get it ripe. It\u2019s stunning but we\u2019re talking 27 brix! At Dancing Petrel they\u2019re looking at different varieties to plant. Tempranillo would go well up there.\u00a0<\/p>

J<\/strong>: It\u2019s pretty popular at the Cellar Door. Maybe because it\u2019s different from the Tempranillo they\u2019ve bought from the supermarket on the cheap.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Michael Cooper\u2019s just done a review of it somewhere because they rang up and said \u2018he\u2019s just rated your Tempranillo and it\u2019s going to go into the article \u2013 would you like to get a bottle shot for $400?\u2019. I said \u2018No\u2019 (laughs). It\u2019s like Dish Magazine you know? Your Chardonnay gets in the top 1000 of them and it costs you $500 for a bottle shot. And really those things don\u2019t translate to anything else, other than having it in a magazine, which is always nice but that\u2019s about as far as it goes. Our best way of advertising and promoting is to get people to try the wines at the Cellar Door.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: The Syrah Top 10 Tasting that I did at the end of March. That had the biggest day of traffic to the website. The first day after the results came out; and then the second day would have been the biggest day of traffic if it hadn\u2019t been for the first day. So both days were record traffic. Someone actually commented that they thought it was \u201ca landmark tasting of NZ Syrah\u201d. I think because the calibre of wines that were there were excellent. I can say that you could look at wines that didn\u2019t make the Top 10 list \u2013 right down to 28th<\/sup>\u00a0place and you\u2019d say \u201cI would buy that wine\u201d.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Does that show you the standard of New Zealand Syrahs?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Well I think so, yes. I had a few people who read the article and emailed me saying \u201ccan I come to the next one?\u201d and I have to say \u2018well it\u2019s not a public event..\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

So there\u2019s definitely interest in the best of New Zealand wine, and therefore in what I\u2019m doing. Because that\u2019s what I\u2019m looking at. And one of the reasons I call my sessions the \u201cTop 10 tasting\u201d is that people love Top 10 Lists of things. It goes really well. Again. I\u2019ve had people contact me and say \u201cRight, I bought all of those wines on the Top 10 \u2013 when\u2019s the next one?\u201d Which is great.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: There\u2019s not a huge amount of writing done about wine now. There used to be something about wine all the time, but now.. where do you read about wine? It\u2019s not in the Herald?<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Well, I actually wrote to \u201cStuff\u201d which is that alternative news site to the NZ Herald. They have a section called \u2018Food & Wine\u2019 and I counted how many articles were on that page\u2026 nineteen articles about food and ONE article about wine. And do you know what the wine article was about? Which wine glasses you should use!! So it wasn\u2019t even about wine, it was about glassware. I just emailed them and said \u201cAre you kidding me? As someone who is interested in wine \u2013 your wine coverage is a joke\u201d. No reply. I despair, because the coverage of wine going back even just five to ten years ago used to be fantastic, it used to be serious.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: This is Monty\u2019s Syrah. The only reason we\u2019re having it is because he dropped a sample off and it\u2019s sat here for quite some time. It\u2019s called Shipwreck Bay<\/strong> 2015 Syrah. We put in 1% Flora into it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: Is that like when people put some Viognier into their Syrah? What\u2019s the purpose of that?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: When you do that, it\u2019s normally skins and you do it at ferment. It does two things. It gives it a slightly floral complexity and it\u2019s supposed to intensify the colour. I mean you\u2019ve got to have Viognier to do it, so most people who\u2019ve got a supply of Viognier have the ability to do it. I think when it\u2019s overdone it\u2019s too much.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

One of them, the Bullnose I think, has it, and to me it\u2019s too much. The reason that Monty did the Flora was that they wanted to freshen up the Syrah.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: It\u2019s definitely at that lighter end, with a raspberry taste, rather than a deep liquorice like you get in Hawke\u2019s Bay sometimes. It\u2019s got a musky sort of flavour to it \u2013 roasted spices and dried rose petals. If that\u2019s a cheap Syrah – $20 wine, then it\u2019s OK.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Now, the Mahinepua Syrah 2019<\/strong> \u2013 Roger wasn\u2019t going to put this in because he said it hasn\u2019t settled down. He hasn\u2019t released it yet and he\u2019s not happy with it. I said \u2018chuck it in and we\u2019ll have a look at it anyway\u2019.<\/p>

WF: <\/strong>It\u2019s a bit dominated by those tannins. It\u2019s quite disjointed though \u2013 it\u2019s like this is here, that\u2019s over there\u2026and it\u2019s not giving much away on the nose \u2013 which I\u2019d argue is essential for a Syrah?<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Sounds like you won\u2019t make it over to Omata this trip, so we should do one last Syrah. It\u2019s been here for a couple of weeks.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: So this is the 2019 Omata Syrah<\/strong>? You\u2019ve been talking this one up, let\u2019s be at it.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: Site selection is so important – what nature gives you! This is on clay and that\u2019s the intensity you get. Good tannins but you wait five years. This retails for around $50.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: You put that in Hawke\u2019s Bay it would be a serious, single vineyard, high priced wine. You might not see that for another year as well.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: It has that meaty, fleshy character \u2013 that site always has it.<\/p>

WF<\/strong>: Great length. And I love that despite the floral nose and the real purity of the fruit\u2026 that it has that tar – a kind of dirt to it too. A good dirt. And weight.<\/p>

J<\/strong>: It\u2019s shame they don\u2019t put it in more tastings and competitions.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

WF<\/strong>: I should have found time to go last time, but as you know we were staying in the Duke, and the wife was keen to get down there and get unpacked. But I said we should fit in another winery beforehand, and when we went up to Paroa Bay she was actually pretty happy up there. Had some cheese and wines. And the wines were pretty good.<\/p>

RM<\/strong>: They\u2019ve got a new winemaker up there so hopefully they will get some support and do a good job. The vines are struggling but if they can get the support, they can get the fruit ripe. If I could have a site like that, I\u2019d kill for it.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I\u2019d promised to return to Northland after a couple of sensational visits, to Marsden Estate and then The Landing last year. This time, I\u2019ve been asked to sit down and … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3911,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-about-wine"],"yoast_head":"\nA 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I\u2019d promised to return to Northland after a couple of sensational visits, to Marsden Estate and then The Landing last year. This time, I\u2019ve been asked to sit down and …\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"WineFolio\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wine.folio.1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"845\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"David Walker Bell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"David Walker Bell\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"25 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"David Walker Bell\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8b8706e15ba32f9782222c431fa75d9f\"},\"headline\":\"A ‘Regional Tasting of Northland’ at Marsden Estate\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910\"},\"wordCount\":5016,\"commentCount\":1,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/07\\\/MarsdenCD3.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Features\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910\",\"name\":\"A 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/07\\\/MarsdenCD3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/07\\\/MarsdenCD3.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/07\\\/MarsdenCD3.jpg\",\"width\":1600,\"height\":845,\"caption\":\"Marsden Estate Cellar Door\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?p=3910#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A ‘Regional Tasting of Northland’ at Marsden Estate\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/\",\"name\":\"WineFolio\",\"description\":\"A collection of writing about New Zealand Wine\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"WineFolio\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/11\\\/WF_final_black.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2019\\\/11\\\/WF_final_black.png\",\"width\":999,\"height\":389,\"caption\":\"WineFolio\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/wine.folio.1\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/winefolio\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/winefolio.co.nz\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/8b8706e15ba32f9782222c431fa75d9f\",\"name\":\"David Walker Bell\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"David Walker Bell\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio","og_description":"I\u2019d promised to return to Northland after a couple of sensational visits, to Marsden Estate and then The Landing last year. This time, I\u2019ve been asked to sit down and …","og_url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910","og_site_name":"WineFolio","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wine.folio.1","article_published_time":"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1600,"height":845,"url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"David Walker Bell","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"David Walker Bell","Est. reading time":"25 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910"},"author":{"name":"David Walker Bell","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/8b8706e15ba32f9782222c431fa75d9f"},"headline":"A ‘Regional Tasting of Northland’ at Marsden Estate","datePublished":"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00","dateModified":"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910"},"wordCount":5016,"commentCount":1,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","articleSection":["Features"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910","url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910","name":"A 'Regional Tasting of Northland' at Marsden Estate - WineFolio","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","datePublished":"2021-07-10T20:15:07+00:00","dateModified":"2021-07-10T21:55:09+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","width":1600,"height":845,"caption":"Marsden Estate Cellar Door"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=3910#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A ‘Regional Tasting of Northland’ at Marsden Estate"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#website","url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/","name":"WineFolio","description":"A collection of writing about New Zealand Wine","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#organization","name":"WineFolio","url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/WF_final_black.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/WF_final_black.png","width":999,"height":389,"caption":"WineFolio"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/wine.folio.1","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/winefolio\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/8b8706e15ba32f9782222c431fa75d9f","name":"David Walker Bell","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8597b80119ac3781cc55cc862f5a0514b7945f701d24da2c585751e8ee210ba7?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"David Walker Bell"}}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/MarsdenCD3.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3910"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3910\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3930,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3910\/revisions\/3930"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}