Wine Review: Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($23)
Friday, August 22, 2008 by Michal The Joggler Kapral
Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 $23
As the most widely planted red grape in New Zealand, Pinot Noir is a major focus for winemakers in the country. Delta Vineyard in the Marlborough region planted the fickle grape on clay soils in the south of the valley and used top French clones. Winemakers Matt Thomson and David Gleave say they found the perfect Pinot spot in the “delta” of a triangular hill near Blenheim.
This week’s wine, the Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($23), is a top-notch wine. The price tag may sound steep for the bargain hunter, but it’s worth dropping an extra few bucks for a taste of a fine New Zealand red. Most of the New Zealand Pinots I’ve tried to date have been too fruity and too dense.
Under good light, the Delta is the color of candy apple, and I get a hit of candy apple on the nose as well, along with wine gums, but there are also some classic Pinot earthy elements to the aroma. The mid-palette brings out dark cherry juice and some mushroom. A joy to sip.
Quaffability Rating: 90
As the most widely planted red grape in New Zealand, Pinot Noir is a major focus for winemakers in the country. Delta Vineyard in the Marlborough region planted the fickle grape on clay soils in the south of the valley and used top French clones. Winemakers Matt Thomson and David Gleave say they found the perfect Pinot spot in the “delta” of a triangular hill near Blenheim.
This week’s wine, the Delta Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 ($23), is a top-notch wine. The price tag may sound steep for the bargain hunter, but it’s worth dropping an extra few bucks for a taste of a fine New Zealand red. Most of the New Zealand Pinots I’ve tried to date have been too fruity and too dense.
Under good light, the Delta is the color of candy apple, and I get a hit of candy apple on the nose as well, along with wine gums, but there are also some classic Pinot earthy elements to the aroma. The mid-palette brings out dark cherry juice and some mushroom. A joy to sip.
Quaffability Rating: 90
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Michal Kapral has been enjoying wine at home since way before he was of legal age. The editor-in-chief of Canadian Running magazine runs marathons to burn off all the calories he consumes on wine and cheese. Kapral spent some time living in Italy as a teenager, solidifying his appreciation for all things wine-related. In his days as a journalism student, he was likely one of the youngest – and poorest – subscribers to Wine Spectator magazine. In 1999, Kapral turned down a job at a winery to work at Captivate, where he spent 11 years as a news editor.