Was just reading an offer from Garagiste and was thinking, "I wonder what Sue thinks of these wines." To my surprise, I'd no sooner thought that than they answered the question, at least re the reisling.
What about the pinot, Sue?
Our friends at Melness are back with a one-two punch that (once again) establishes this winery as one of the top contenders for lowest priced/highest quality boutique producer in New Zealand. This would be like a top Oregon or California winery selling their best wines in the $15-20 range so take note.
From the cold Canterbury region of the South Island, Melness produces a small variety of terroir-focused wines from vineyards in Waipara and south through Canterbury. With the cold winds off the Antarctic and nothing to block them, the area is exposed on the southern shore of the South Island with only water between them and Antarctica - this is not such a good thing for Cabernet but a very good thing for Riesling and Pinot Noir. Coupled with some of the strongest heating degree-days in the world (from an ozone layer of basically nil), this is a match made only in New Zealand and one that produces wine of intrigue and complexity.
Melness produces everything by hand and the quality is obvious. As some of our most popular wines from the Southern Hemisphere every year, we’ve been supporters of their cause since the 2002 vintage and this set only re-affirms how consumer-focused they are. Without further ado, may I bring you:
2005 Melness Canterbury Riesling - $16.84 STRICT LIMIT 6/person (Gold Medal-NZIWS)
What can you say? This is the wine that made them famous and while the vintages are always different, it has never failed to disappoint one crowd or another. The scary fact is that the 2005 is acknowledged as the best they’ve yet produced - it was the Gold Medal winner at the New Zealand International Wine Show (the toughest competition in NZ) and this wine doesn’t need any more help - it’s about as hard to get as Riesling can be in the Southern Hemisphere and only a few shops in NZ get an allocation of any worth. From the extra-special 2005 vintage, this can compete with Spatlese or even low-level Auslese at twice the price but the exotic terroir of Canterbury cannot be duplicated anywhere - even in Germany. Truly a one of a kind entrant:
Sue Courtney (noted NZ critic): “Melness Canterbury Riesling 2005, Like sticking your nose into a bowl of old fashioned rose petals, it so floral I'm convinced it's Gewurztraminer, but it is so citrussy toned to the taste, it just can’t be. There's Moroccan spice market scents, spiced orange water and lemon honey on an unctuous, oily texture. Sweet but not overly sweet because it has fantastic balance. An unusual Riesling, but just yum. Gold medal NZIWS. 11.5% alc.”
2006 Melness Estate Pinot Noir - $18.93 STRICT LIMIT 6/person (not reviewed yet)
We had to acquire this before it is released as it sells out even faster at the winery than the Riesling. Put this one up against your 2005 Volnay and see what happens. Melness continues to mystify the competitors with their nearly untouchable pricing on this high-end Pinot Noir. As one of the staples at top restaurants and wine shops in New Zealand, this wine has become very difficult to get. With a decided slant toward the varietal leanings of the Cote de Beaune, this will pretty much knock the socks off most that taste it as the price is just not what top-end, transparent and focused Pinot Noir commands. No expense has been spared in its cultivation and production which makes this even more alluring. Kudos to Melness for their consumer friendly approach and resistance to charge so much they can retire in one vintage. Will be a “laugh out loud” house wine for many and worth the educational experience alone.
