Spring Release 1999
1999 Following the '98 drought, a dry winter, an early spring and a continuing low rainfall, we feared yet another hard year for the vines. However, by the end of October a welcome downpour had eased the immediate situation, and most of the rest of the season experienced at least moderate precipitation. This, combined with a lack of our usual wind, was sufficient to allow the development of more normal vine canopies through the season. Cooler, moist conditions in November hampered flowering and resulted in the lowest crop level we have seen across most of the vineyards of Martinborough. Relatively heavy rain in early March might have given problems for the ripening crop in other years - by either dilution or disease - but the persisting very dry soils and our own, predominantly older, deep-rooted vines combined to avoid significant uptake of the moisture. Instead, it seemed to be largely absorbed by the existing moisture deficit at the upper levels of soil. Dry conditions in April and through winter means unirrigated vineyards in Martinborough will remain vulnerable to drought through the coming season.
1999 joins the previous year as one of the hottest on record with a total of around 1400 degree centigrade days. Nevertheless, the extremes of '98 were avoided - for example February '98 was hotter than the Barossa, but no month in '99 came near this.
Drought stress delayed ripening in 1998 to the timing of a 'normal' year, with harvest in April. In 1999 we were already picking in March and were faced with extraordinarily rapid ripening and compressed harvest dates with attendant refrigeration and winery difficulties.
The dominant factors setting the character of the '99 wines were the full canopies resulting in robust, forward flavours, and the low cropping levels promoting concentration and richness. These factors offset the effects of rapid ripening and hot vintage conditions which impact on cool-climate aromatic varieties in particular.
- Chardonnay 1998
Because of the heat and drought stress up to harvest, we picked earlier than normal in the flavour ripening profile, and moderated the influence of the new wood to emphasise freshness and elegance which might have been at risk under these conditions. The colour is light gold with hints of green, and the nose smells of dry straw with a soft coconut expression to the wood and gentle citrus through to peach fruit. The palate also shows the more delicate wood handling, with coconut and mealy flavours allied with citrus through to peach, and a mineral aspect adding freshness and structure. It has a lingering, spicy aftertaste. We would expect that drinking it at 4-7 years of age should allow considerable benefits from good cellaring conditions.
- Pinot Noir 1998
We were careful to preserve freshness and elegance in this wine (as we did for the Chardonnay), as a direct response to the heat and drought stress up to harvest. Its colour is a rich ruby with a lively hue. The nose is aromatic, with floral red berry and sweeter blackberry notes combined with an underlying nutty character. The palate is intense but elegant - red and black berry flavours encapsulated in firm but notably silky tannins which mask an underlying concentration and power that could take several years to become fully revealed. The wine is a stylistic synthesis of what we developed in '95 to '97 - with its ripe fruit tannin structure - but with a more complex spectrum of flavours aided in part by the unique conditions of the '98 season and tiny berry sizes of the crop. It is better consumed after some cellaring and I expect it to be one of our more long-lived Pinots.
- Criaghall Riesling 1999
The grapes for this wine were picked in two lots 18 days apart to provide a greater spread of flavours. The aromas range from toasty limes to touches of yellow peach with orange blossom and hints of talc. The palate is long, lean and crisp, with an intense front palate showing locked-up fruit which is yet to emerge, and with lime, yellow peach and minerals also apparent on the nose. The palate resembles a slightly more sumptuous version of the '96 dry Riesling when it was at that point of development. At present the '99 wine only hints at the elegance and ethereal grace I would expect to emerge with time. This is a wine for matching with food after bottle ageing (4-8 years or longer).
- Sauvignon Blanc 1999
Pale lemon with green lights. The nose is of zesty lemon, white peaches and an aroma which is reminiscent of passionfruit or possibly nettles. The palate is somewhat akin to Riesling in its clarity of expression. It is crisp, and has a good weight and a dominant flavour of citrus allied with subtle white tannins with the texture of crushed silk. It has the balance for a food wine and displays considerable length. Our Sauvignons can be excellent with food when drunk young, but acquire a different persona on ageing which is also worthwhile.
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