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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 4 2007 Sawcut Pinot Noir

With winter hitting the country, my thoughts turn to red wine when wondering what to have with dinner. One reason for this is that red wine tends to be best served at room temperature rather than chilled. It was once thought that New Zealand would prove too cold for growing red varieties, but this country’s wine makers have proved this wrong and Central Otago (our southernmost wine growing region) is actually famous for its Pinot Noir, the red variety I am looking at today, although the bottle I am reviewing today comes from the warmer climate of Marlborough.

Saint Clair’s Sawcut Block is in the Ure Valley, 40km south of Blenheim. It is close to the coast and because of it’s location in a narrow valley, has a unique microclimate. It is quite a warm site despite it being so far south and near the coast. It is actually one of Saint Clair’s earliest blocks to be harvested.

The valley is also noted for the very high limestone content in its free draining river valley alluvial soils. The high pH soil and limestone content impacts significantly on the flavour of the wine, giving it fruit intensity and ensuring good palate weight.

Once the fruit had reached full physiological ripeness, it was harvested, then at the winery it was held cold for four to five days prior to ferment to extract maximum flavour and help with the colour stability. Cultured yeasts were used to ferment the wine. Dur4ing the ferment the must was hand plunged up to six times a day. Once dry, the wine was pressed off to tank and then racked off gross lees to 54 percent new French oak. The wine then underwent malolactic fermentation and was allowed to age for nine months in barrel before being blended and bottled.

I found the ruby red Saint Clair Pioneer Block 4 Sawcut Pinot Noir of 2007 to exhibit aromas of cherry and dark plum, with hints of spice and oak. On the palate, it has wonderfully intense flavours of dark cherry and ripe plum with spicy oak. There are also the chalky and mineral notes that you would expect considering the soil content. Also present are slight herbal notes, making a complex red wine with good palate weight and a long lingering finish.

I would expect this wine to cellar well for three years, and when you do have it, I would suggest trying it with lamb cutlets or lamb chops.

Reviewed by Stephen Clark (16/7/2009)
 

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