Accolades from Major US Wine Critic

Press release

Waitaki Valley Wines Receive Accolades from Major US Wine Critic

In his publication International Wine Cellar, where he has recently reviewed some 1500 New Zealand wines, pre-eminent American wine critic, editor and publisher Stephen Tanzer has singled out the Waitaki Valley for special mention. Tanzer is arguably regarded as the number one US writer with particular expertise in the pinot noirs of Burgundy and the New World. As such his word has major influence in the wine world.

Released recently, after his latest tastings of some 1500 New Zealand wines, his review of five Waitaki Valley pinot noirs gives them a very high rating in his 70-100 point quality scale.

He writes:
“.......Among the highlights of my tastings were a small but growing number of pinot noirs from limestone-rich sites with favored northern expositions. Until recently, precious few such sites had been found, much less exploited, but between the North Canterbury producers and a growing number of wineries in Waitaki Valley in North Otago, this category holds considerable promise for making world-class pinots noirs with distinctive soil character and real drive”.
Waitaki Valley Winegrower’s Association Chairman Jim Jerram describes this significant recognition of the new wine region’s wines as “long overdue” and very welcome. “The pioneers in the Waitaki Valley industry have worked very hard to produce distinct soil-driven wines in this tiny region – in particular wines that represent the unique terroirs of the Waitaki. With the oldest plantings in the Valley now providing maturing vines of 7-8 years of age we are achieving a consistency of production and wine quality which rewards the endeavour, expertise and sheer persistence of a handful of dogged producers. We are now on the world wine map as growers of small quantities of truly world class, high quality cool-climate wines”.

Grant Taylor of Valli Wines comments “Reviewers of Tanzers ability and stature are as important as the winemakers when it comes to understanding what a new wine region is all about. His comments are encouragement to those of us who believe in the Waitaki’s potential and a significant step on the path that’s leading to it being recognized as one of the worlds most exciting wine regions.”

“Tanzer’s lucid grasp of the terroir of the Waitaki is significant. Contrary to more highly visible wine critics who favour power over subtlety, his innate understanding of the wines of Burgundy reflects in his impressions of these wines” says Ostler winemaker Jeff Sinnott. “ It is especially gratifying to see wines whose emphasis is to faithfully express their terroir rather than to impress the wine judges get the nod. In a time when the industry is undergoing a degree of globalisation this comes as welcome news for the little guy”.

Equally important is the aspect of wine age, with a 5 year old Pinot from Waitaki Valley Estates 2003 vintage also demonstrating its ability to improve in the bottle. Reading between the lines of Tanzer’s comments on younger wines it is reasonable to expect them to continue to reward cellaring, in fact it may be mandatory to allow this new region to fully express its potential. After all, the best Burgundies are neither cheap nor drunk young.

The wines reviewed:
2008 Valli Pinot Noir Waitaki Vineyard Otago
($50) Moderately saturated bright red. Distinctive, sexy aromas of red cherry, red raspberry, violet and black pepper; smells like something from the Vosne/Chambolle neighborhood. Savory, vibrant and soil-inflected, with a sappy framboise flavor complicated and lifted by mineral precision. Impressively broad yet tangy and light on its feet. This is about much more than simple pinot fruit. Offers sneaky flavor intensity without any excess sweetness or weight. Finishes tactile, saline and long, with solid structure. I was impressed by this producer's 2007 pinots, and this wine is a bit less lush and more serious than the earlier vintage. 92
2006 Ostler Vineyards Pinot Noir Caroline's Waitaki Valley
Medium red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, plum, mocha and earth. Broad, savory and dry, with plum and underbrush flavors complemented by smoky minerality. Very distinctive, pliant pinot but not about primary fruit. Finishes chewy and long, with sweet tannins and considerable appeal. 91
2003 Waitaki Valley Estates Pinot Noir Doctors Creek Vineyard Waitaki Valley
(the back label says this is produced for Waitaki Valley Estates by Forrest Estate Wines) Dullish medium red. Fascinating nose combines smoked meat, dried Provencal herbs, pepper, molasses and truffle. At once pliant and penetrating, with a smoky, savory quality to the flavors of raspberry, white pepper and salty minerality. Conveys a powerful and wild impression of terroir For a New Zealand pinot noir with five years of bottle age, this maintains a solid sappy core of flavor. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and very good length. 91
2008 Ostler Vineyards Pinot Noir Caroline's Waitaki Valley
Good bright medium red. Complex but reticent aromas of raspberry, strawberry, smoke and musky underbrush. Tightly coiled and energetic but a bit youthfully dumb today and hard to taste; less expressive and pliant than the '06, showing some intriguing pepper and smoke elements. Originally I wondered if this wine was as fresh as the 2006 version at a similar stage of its development, but 24 hours later it was even more vibrant. This wine is made by Jeff Sinnott, former winemaker for Amisfield, and this property, on a north-facing limestone slope, was developed by Sinnott's sister and brother-in-law. 89(+?)?
2008 Waitaki Braids Pinot Noir Otago Station Vineyard Waitaki Valley
Bright medium red. Subtly complex aromas of red berries, smoky minerality and sweet oak. Silky and savory but a bit youthfully subdued, with a strong vein of acidity energizing the berry and meat flavors. Rather tightly coiled and in need of more give. This distinctly adult wine took on a bit more sweetness with aeration but could use a bit more flesh. Has the cut of a wine from limestone-rich soil. 88(+?)?

Nb Stephen Tanzer is an American wine critic, editor and publisher of the bimonthly International Wine Cellar since 1985,[1] with particular expertise on the wine of Burgundy, Piemonte, Germany and Austria,[2]
Tanzer has written wine columns for Food & Wine Magazine and Forbes FYI. Among his books are The WineAccess Buyer's Guide and Food and Wine Magazine's Official Wine Guide.
Tanzer's, also employing a modern rating system on a 70-100 point quality scale, is considered in direct competition with Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate,[2] though Tanzer's "controlled prose" is in contrast to the more flamboyant style of Parker.[3]

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