| Wine Advocate Issue
#176, April 2008 - USA
Felton Road
Feted as one of New Zealand's best producers and justifiably so, in my opinion, for time and time again Felton Road's wines triumph against all-comers. Located in Bannockburn, Central Otago, its vineyards nestle on a gentle north-facing slope between 200m and 335m and overshadowed by 2,000m mountains, their micro-climate benefits from low humidity, wide diurnal temperature variation and high sunshine hours. Although not yet certified, winemaker Blair Walter told me that they apply biodynamics to all the vineyards and benefit from a three-tier, gravity-flow winery and use wild yeasts as standard. I tasted their current portfolio at the winery with many turning up in blind tastings, as well as a comprehensive Block 3 vertical that will appear separately. The Pinots usually include some whole bunches depending upon the vintage, fermented in small open-top vessels and matured in oak of which around 30% is new. They mature for between 12 and 18 months and are bottled without fining or filtering. "Calvert" is a joint-venture with the fruit shared by Pyramid Valley Estate and Craggy Range. - Robert Parker
92 points
2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir
Drink - $27-$50
The ensuing 2006 Pinot Noir cropped up in a blind tasting and shone
brilliantly, somewhat closed at first with a certain earthiness
and then violets, the palate imbued with grainy tannins, pure brambly
fruit and superb delineation on the refined finish. - Neal Martin
90 points
2006 Felton Road Calvert
Drink - $54
Felton produced 650 cases of the 2006 Calvert Pinot Noir, the nose
reluctant at first but unfurls to reveal wild strawberry, red cherry
and rose petals laced with a hint of mocha. The palate is firm and
quite sinewy (a la Craggy) with fresh, red-berried fruit and a touch
of thyme on the finish. - Neal Martin
91 points
2006 Felton Road Cornish Point
Drink -
The 2006 Cornish Point Vineyard Pinot Noir is more muted on the
nose which is imbued with a dusty, slightly savory quality with
a touch of plum jam, the palate silky smooth upon entry with its
grainy tannins becoming more apparent towards the sensuous finish
with notes of wild strawberry and raspberry. It is very focused
and harmonious, a joy to drink. New Zealand wine does not get much
better than the coveted Block 3 and Block 5 Pinot Noirs although
opinion seems to be split as to which is better. - Neal Martin
95 points
2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block Three
Drink - $65-$65
The 2006 Block 3 Pinot Noir vanquished all opposition at a comprehensive
blind comparison of Central Otago Pinot Noirs. A bewitching nose
of red cherry, raspberry, lavender and honey, the palate is blessed
with a natural sense of balance and elegance, building towards a
crescendo of vibrant red-berried fruits on the finish that has great
delineation and poise. A bottle should be delivered on every doorstep
in the Cote d’Or! - Neal Martin
95 points
2006 Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir
Drink - $69-$70
The outstanding 2006 Block 5 Pinot Noir has a captivating nose of
baked red cherries, plum, mocha and violets with stunning definition,
the feminine palate just beautifully balanced with pert red-berried
fruits, raspberry leaf, boysenberry, leather and chestnut. It just
builds and builds in the mouth and maintains its freshness and poise.
- Neal Martin
90 points
2005 Felton Road Pinot Noir
Drink - $38-$62
The excellent 2005 Pinot Noir has a dense mulberry-tinged nose with
a touch of sea salt, maraschino cherry, loganberry and wild hedgerow
– quite an imposing bouquet leading to a vibrant palate that
is bursting full of bright cherry-flavored fruit, leading towards
a more savory finish. - Neal Martin
93 points
2005 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block Three
Drink - $63
Meanwhile the 2005 Block 3 Pinot Noir is more introverted and brooding
on the nose with black plum, black cherries, a little wet sand and
cooked meats developing upon acquaintance. More masculine and tannic
than the Block 5, this has a foursquare, boysenberry, roasted chestnut
tinged finish but give this time and you will be rewarded (as evidenced
by the older vintages I sampled.) - Neal Martin
88 points
2006 Felton Road Chardonnay
Drink - $27-$30
The 2006 Chardonnay has an understated nose of apple laced with
passion fruit with good definition. The palate is full-bodied and
buttery in texture with perhaps just a little too much new oak?
- Neal Martin
92 points
2006 Felton Road Block 6
Drink - $49
The 2006 Block 6 Chardonnay is much better, spending 18 months in
barrel although it had to be reluctantly filtered as it stubbornly
refused to clear naturally. Deep in color, this has a delectable
smoky nose with a touch of limestone, the palate beautifully balanced
with well-integrated vanilla-tinged new oak that is never so rude
as to dominate proceedings, with coconut and almond intertwined
on the finish. Just 270 cases produced. - Neal Martin
92 points
2007 Felton Road Dry Riesling
Drink 2008 - 2013 $24-$25
All the Rieslings are whole-bunch pressed and the 2007 Dry Riesling
was my favorite of the three with an intense nose of orange-blossom,
passion fruit and guava, a little spritzy upon entry with superb
weight and concentration on the palate, grapefruit and passion fruit
lingering on the aftertaste. You would never guess this has just
3.5 grams per liter residual sugar and it should drink over 2-5
years. - Neal Martin
89 points
2007 Felton Road Riesling
Drink - $28
The 2007 Riesling does not have the aromatic “tension”
of the Dry cuvee, a little viscous on the palate with a touch of
barley sugar on the Spatlese-esque finish. - Neal Martin
91 points
2007 Felton Road Block 1
Drink -
The 2007 Block 1 Riesling is better with a complex nose of granite
and pear, augmented by white flowers and a touch of lanolin, the
palate beautifully balanced with pear drops, orange-blossom and
apricot on the long finish that never becomes cloying. Again, this
has good ageing potential, up to 6-7 years. - Neal Martin |
