Tasting in Situ

The trip to Marlborough was lovely, the itinerary beautifully considered and, if the Marlborough sunshine had come out on both rather than just one of the days we were there, it would have been magical. Unfortunately standing above the Awatere terraces with Awatere fruit savvy in hand lost some of its lustre due to a stinging breeze and brooding sky. More gothic than bucolic.

The wines in focus were from the Constellation portfolio which tend towards the more commercial end of the spectrum but that does not in any way diminish the obvious passion, energy, knowledge and enthusiam of the winemaking team we met. This is Marlborough Sauvignon that is going out to meet the world, specifically the U.S. market and as such needs to be made in volume.

We had a thorough run through of their Drylands wines (plus some Selaks) at the winery and I tried hard to keep my prejudice against commercial styles stop me from dismissing the wines out of hand. These are all good wines that speak to where they come from.

Drylands Dry Riesling Marlborough 2007
Rapaura fruit. Lime, mandarin, orange blossom and jasmine with a warming cinammon background this is under 5 grams residual sugar and the palate has strong citrus elements without displaying huge tension or poise. Pleasant commercial style that shows a little flint in the palate and medium length.

Drylands Pinot Gris Marlborough 2007
10 grams residual and using yeast from the Rhone and a slow ferment this is a rich, yeasty style. Quite savoury witha citrus palate, oily but not luscious it's more quince, pear and pear skin.

Drylands Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2007
Passionfruit, grapefruit, sweat and green apple at a year in the bottle the acids are beginning to flatten out.

Drylands Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2008
Aggressive grass and white flower, peach and grapefruit pith. The palate is juicy acidity and lip-smacking un-ripe peach. More delicate than the 2007 at this stage but finishing with a wierd hint of cheese twisty.

Selaks Founders Reserve Oak-Aged Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2003
This was something of a treat. Not available but lurking in a corner of the winery. Deep yellow gold and wearing its age well. Creamy vanilla and redcurrent leaf nose leading into a banana, passionfruit palate hemmed in by hints of asparagus. Honey and nuts. Savoury lemon-honey on toast. Complex and developed but with every sign of living much longer.

Drylands Chardonnay Marlborough 2006
White nectarine, honey and white peach given charcater through barrel ferment this ends with a lees-y, weetbix softness and is undeniably moorish.

Drylands Pinot Noir Marlborough 2006
Red fruits with leather and baking spice. Good structure with mouthcoating, slightly grippy tannins and a long strawberry and rasberry fruit finish.

Drylands Merlot Marlborough 2006
Deep garnet colour with elegant nose. A fruitcake, log-fires and plums wine. Smells like it and tastes like it. The tannins are grippy and drying without the plump-ness that warmer climates can bring.