Score: 90/100
Matahiwi Estate is a New Zealand wine producer that offers 3 ranges of wine starting from Mt Hector and the Mathiwi Estate wines. The ‘Holly’ range represents their flagship, the finest expression of the producer’s savoir-faire. See further detail in Matahiwi Estate full producer profile.
This NZ Pinot Noir wine is made from grapes sourced from the Matahiwi vineyard. The latter is planted in several combinations of rootstock and Pinot Noir clones : 115, 114, 10/5, 777, and Abel, each adding their own character and complexity.
2015 vintage was an excellent one throughout New Zealand, including the Wairarapa region (Martinborough) where Matahizi Estate is located.
Unstable weather during flowering and a dry summer with warm days and cool nights provide good conditions for ripening Pinot Noir with a balanced crop load.
After fermentation, the wine was aged for about 9 months in wine barrels.
So how good is 2015 Matahiwi Estate Holly Pinot Noir?
Tasting Notes
This Pinot comes in a pretty dark and intense color for the grape. Nothing like the density in appearance found in some California or Aussie Pinot Noirs, but still rather a dark red color.
The nose is ripe and fragrant, but fresh and fruity. Fresh strawberry (definitely not jammy here), some griotte cherry (sour cherry), strong violette aromas, and a fruity vegetal touch like blackcurrent buds (although I know, that sounds quite pompous and esoteric!).
When you swirl the wine, further depth is revealed, sublte wood smoke, rich earth, spicy black pepper.
It does smell very complex and balanced aromatically, no scents overpowering them all !
On the palate, the wine appears to be easy going and easy to appreciate, with a balance that makes everything feel in place. Good acidity matches fair body, discrete and smooth tannins. Nothing outstanding with the way it tastes but very well balanced.
The flavors though make the palate lively and so interesting. The powerful ripe berry fruits dominate the front palate, while more earthy and spicy tones take over the finish. In between, is a myriad of sensations.
Dry overall, it feels rich and ripe from so much fragrant fruity notes, and the relatively warm finish exacerbates the powerful and layered finish.
Overall
A delightful Pinot Noir, crossroads between distinct styles.
The richness and ripeness of relatively warm climate Pinots, at least aromatically and for the flavor profile, but with the complexity and tension only given by cold climates.
A wine to experience then. Good now for lovers of upfront fruity flavors, but that will evolve positively and empower the built-in earthiness and spiciness it already has and that many love in Pinots.
Drink within the next 10 to 15 years.
Enjoy 🙂
Technical Wine Facts
- Harvest Date: 28th March – 7th April, 2015
- Brix: 23 – 23.5
- Alcohol: 13.5% abv.
- Total Acidity: 6.45 g/l
- pH: 3.44
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