Dry River Pinot Noir 2012 Library Release

Reviews

Bob Campbell, MW (The Real Review, tasted 3/5/2022): 95/100. A very impressive red. A little closed at first but the wine opened up with exposure to air. Tight, fine-grained Pinot Noir with dried fruits, struck/gunpoder spice, floral/violet supported by juicy acidity and fine, peppery tannins. Surprisingly youthful. Needs to be aerated. Drink 2022 to 2026.

Jamie Goode (tasted 11.02.2015): 96/100. Very fine, expressive, pure red cherry fruit nose showing lovely finesse and fine spiciness. Very fine palate with fresh, taut red cherries. So linear and bright with real purity and firm but fine tannins and keen acidity. Such a great wine, with massive potential for development. I've always loved the wines, and now I love them even more. This 2012 Pinot is really thrilling, and all those who've not really been fans of Dry River Pinot should make and effort to try this. It's just so good.

Winemaker's Note

Upon release in 2013, this was wine "shy, closed and rigid", showing mostly red berry fruits with a luminous elegance. Now, in 2022, the evolution is remarkable but still fresh with no sign of tiredness yet. The nose is consumed with ripe berry fruit edging into a compote of rosehip, strawberries, rhubarb, and plums. With the fruitfulness waning, the tannins can be detected on the nose as a tree bark scent. Also, other tertiary characters can be found like salty liquorice, heated brown cardamom and thyme. The wine roams over the palate without many constraints. The tannins have amalgamated within the wine and are seamlessly aligned with only a few still out of line, slowing the wine’s movement down the palate. They are not the focal point anymore, rather the buoyancy and weight of the fruit is. Dark fruit is showing predominantly at the front and mid with acidity still keeping freshness at the finish.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: red wine

Varietal: Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13% vol

Residual sugar: <2 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Food match: Match with duck, pork, beef and lamb roast.

Notice: contains sulfite

Vineyard: 'Dry River Estate', 'Lovat' and 'Craighall' sites, Martinborough, New Zealand.

Winemaking: The winemaking was with a similar philosophy; safe and conventional, but with eye for detail and very considered. Dry River winemaker Wilco Lam used about 25% whole bunch in the ferment, that lasted no longer than 5 days, total skin time 9-10 days (approx. 4-5 days cold soak). Pigeage was 4-6 times/day (high extraction). The wine was pressed off, settled, and racked to barrel (25% new) with very little lees. Maturation was in 225l and 300L barrels for 12 months and bottled in the winter of 2013.

Cellaring potential: The 2012 Pinot Noir is in an optimal state, ready to drink from now, and for a few years to come if you would like up to 2025 depending on your cellaring facilities.

Closure: Cork

Serving: Serve Pinot Noir at 16 - 18°C, that is slightly cooler than a typical room temperature, to best enjoy the layers of aroma and flavour as the wine slowly warms in the glass. Decanting an hour or so before serving is worthwhile, especially for young and/or more structured wines.

Produced and bottled: Dry River Wines Limited, P.O Box 72, Martinborough, South Wairarapa, New Zealand

Distributor: vinabonus GmbH, Simmedenweg 40, 34134 Kassel, Germany

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