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| “Neudorf is undoubtedly one of the top wineries in New Zealand” -Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate See recent press for Neudorf Vineyards See Judy & Tim Finn talk about the history of Neudorf and the Nelson Region while fishing and making pizza! Neudorf is New Zealand's greatest wine producer, according to Tom Stevenson's Wine Report 2009. This UK publication has listed Neudorf in the top ten for the past few years but in the latest edition just released, Neudorf is number one! Judy and Tim Finn planted Neudorf Vineyards in Upper Moutere Nelson in 1978, before the fine wine industry was established in New Zealand. Fresh from the ‘back to the land’ movement of the late sixties, they had a vision to produce beautiful wine. With a lot of self-belief and good friends on the side, 31 years later they are doing just that! Vineyard management is driven by the Winemaker’s desire for ripe flavors with balanced acidity and concentrated fruit. Their vines spill down a gentle north-facing slope overlooking Moutere Valley, at the top of New Zealand’s South Island. Shallow sandy loam overlays a draining clay subsoil based on the weathered gravels of an ancient river system. A combination of high plant density (up to 5000 vines/hectare) and low production (2-4lbs per vine for Pinot Noir) helps achieve the quality of fruit to create long-lived, intense but elegant wines. The intensive management regime includes manual shoot thinning, leaf removal, bunch thinning and of course hand harvesting. Canopies are kept open to allow the sun and wind to penetrate, thereby reducing disease. Varieties grown include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Winemaking Great wines have a basis of fruit concentration, length and sense of place – characters which can be formed only in the vineyard. The team at Neudorf believe their primary task is to grow grapes which express the site, to take the essence of that fruit and then preserve it as wine. On the way they may fine tune the balance and complexity in a number of ways but the aim is always to allow the site to speak. In the winery they concentrate on texture, balance and for certain wines, complexity. Finesse is always a priority. Neudorf has won a plethora of awards and is considered one of New Zealand's leading wine producers; they are also a foundation member of the New Zealand Sustainable Viticulture group. |
| Neudorf Vineyards Website |
| Riesling Brightwater |
| Grapes were hand harvested from the Chisnel’s Elmside vineyard at Brightwater (with a small portion from the Beuke’s Vineyard in the Moutere) The grapes were whole bunch pressed on a long, gentle press cycle. The juice was cold settled and racked off lees to ferment in small stainless steel fermenters. Fermentation was halted as the wine style turned dry. RS 8.4 g 12.5% alcohol Only 600 cases produced |
| Riesling Moutere |
| Single vineyard. Grapes were hand harvested from the Beuke block (clay soil) and whole bunch pressed on a very long, gentle 4 hour cycle. The juice was cold settled without enzyme and racked off lees to a stainless steel fermenter and an old barrel (6% total, wild yeast). Fermentation was stopped when a natural acid/sweetness balance was found. The wine was left on yeast lees until filtered for bottling 54 g RS, 9.2% alcohol Only 200 cases produced |
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| Sauvignon Blanc - Nelson |
| Low cropped ripe grapes from the Brightwater estate vineyards. Most of the fruit was crushed and destemmed to the press, while 15% was whole bunch pressed for greater finesse. The juice was cold settled and racked off lees to individual batch fermenters. A small percentage was fermented in older oak barriques for enhanced texture and complexity. 14% alcohol. Rich, creamy and powerful with noticeable mouthfeel, and complex aromas of passionfruit, rose petals and biscuits. A swish of gooseberry creates further palate interest. Excellent concentration and depth with firm, fine texture and lingering mineral finish. Great with oysters, goat cheese or some vegetarian dishes such as grilled aubergine and asparagus. |
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| Chardonnay - Nelson |
| Hand picked fruit was gently whole bunch pressed, then briefly settled and run to barrel (25% new oak). Primary fermentation occurred spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, promoting flavor complexity and enhancing mouth feel. After completing malolactic fermentation the wine was left on stirred yeast lees until racked for bottling.
Silky and sleek on the palate with gingerbread, ripe peaches and nut flavors. Perfectly aligned acidity leads to a refined and long finish. |
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| Chardonnay - Moutere |
| Single vineyard wine. Hand picked from the Home Vineyard Old Vines Mendoza clone. Barrique fermented (30%new) with wild yeast.100% malo conversion in spring. The wine was blended, gently cold stabilized and minimally filtered before bottling. 13.5% alcohol. 580 cases produced. Slinky, silky wine. Poised and intelligent. A finely textured entry with toffee, lemons, butter cookies and ripe peaches rolling through the palate and on the nose. The wine has a sense of wholeness, very subtle but intense and directional. Layers of flavors and glimpses of creaminess are held tight by that Neudorf minerality. Drink with seared scallops dusted with thyme, roast chicken rubbed with olive oil and cooked over whole garlic cloves. Cellaring 3-10 years |
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| Pinot Noir - Tom's block |
| From a very small crop hand harvested from the estate Moutere clay-gravel vineyards, with a small parcel from the Brightwater alluvial gravels. All fruit was hand harvested, chilled, sorted, de-stemmed and cold macerated prior to fermentation. This occurred spontaneously with indigenous yeast’s reaching a temperature of 32C. The wine was hand plunged and had an average time on skins of 21 days extracting out the very fine tannins. Then matured in French oak barrels (26% new), going through complete malolactic fermentation during the spring. Aged in barrel for 12 months prior to racking, blending and bottling without fining or filtration. Juicy plums with hints of lavender, late summer grass and a lick of licorice and chocolate. The suede- like tannins contribute to a mineral, linear palate. Very svelte and elegant. |
| Pinot Noir Moutere |
| For the 07 vintage, flowering was affected by cold weather in a similar way to the 2005 vintage, resulting in a very small Pinot Noir harvest. Grapes were hand harvested from the Home Vineyard and Pomona with this years blend coming from 36% mixed Burgundy clones, 31.5% clone 5, 19% old vine 10/5 and 13.5% old vine clone 22. All fruit was chilled, carefully sorted, destemmed and cold macerated prior to spontaneous fermentation on the skins in small batch fermenters. Time on skins ranged around 20 days before the wine was pressed off to (20% new) barrels from a variety of Burgundy coopers to add complexity. In spring the wine went through a complete malo-lactic fermentation and the wine was in barrel for 12 months prior to racking and blending. Bottled without fining or filtration 14.1% alcohol Youthful, purple hue in the glass with a complex nose of cracked pepper, dark summer berries, black cherry and chocolate, combined with visceral, earthy characters, dried wild herbs and excellent but unobtrusive supporting oak. Initial savory/black fruit entry carries through to a mouth filling, richly structured palate, the texture of soft leather. An underlying mineral acidity supports this richness, adding a certain juiciness and considerable length. |
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