2007 Felton Road, Block 3 Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Vinous 94

Bright medium red. Precise aromas of raspberry and minerals call to mind a wine from the southern Cote de Nuits. Urgent, sharply delineated yet utterly silky flavors of sweet berries and minerals saturate the palate. This wonderfully rich and substantial but classically dry wine offers an uncanny sappy quality and positively vibrates in the mouth. Finishes with broad, suave tannins and outstanding persistence. [Stephen Tanzer, 09/01/2008]

Robert Parker 93

The beguiling 2007 Block 5 Pinot Noir has a lovely nose with Felton’s trademark purity and finesse: succinct redcurrant, raspberry and wild strawberry aromas swelling in the glass with a slight clayey earthy undertow. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, very approachable with superb balance. It may lack the weight and ambition of the 2006, but it compensates with femininity and refinement. I met proprietor Nigel Greening in London back in 2008 for a first peek at his new releases just before he moved permanently to New Zealand and then re-tasted some of the wines in Central Otago during the Pinot Noir Celebration and again at regional tastings. As expected, winemaker Blair Walter continues to produce a very Burgundian style of Pinot Noir that prioritizes elegance and finesse over power and concentration. Although their Pinot Noirs hog the limelight (deservedly so), their excellent Chardonnay and Rieslings should not be ignored. Importer: Wilson Daniels Ltd., St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661; fax (707) 963-8566. [Neal Martin, 30/09/2009]