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NOTES
Since leaving their last roles as winemakers/general managers at the prestigious Tower Estate and Tempus Two wineries in the Hunter Valley, winemakers Sarah-Kate (SK) and Dan Dineen have quietly built a winery, a new home, developed the Maude wine label and started a family amidst the stunning back drop of Lake Wanaka in Central Otago, New Zealand. It is no surprise to wine industry insiders that their wine, Maude, has become an instant success.
Part of the motivation to move to Central Otago was the eternal search for the holy grail of winemaking, Pinot Noir perfection. Often mentioned behind Burgundy but along the same lines as the Willamette Valley in terms of great Pinot regions, Maude as built a solid reputation for top quality Pinot culminating in a 96 Point rating for their 2004 vintage in Australia's Gourmet Traveller WINE Magazine.
TASTING NOTES
From the sensational 2006 vintage, perfectly ripened fruit was hand harvested from six premium vineyard sites in Central Otago, split between 4 different sub-regions - each region contributed uniquely to this blend. Alexandra (35%) gave the perfume, Lowburn (20%) the density of the mid palate, with Gibbston Valley (40%) the lineal tannin structure and great length. The small parcel of Wanaka (5%) contributed the ‘forest floor’ character which will develop into the ethereal Pinot Noir perfume over time. As a result the wine is greater than the sum of its parts.
The colour, a vibrant scarlet leads into a nose of dark berry fruits, ripe plums, subtle char with lifted hints of violets and wild thyme. The palate is full rich Pinot Noir with complexity. Typical of Central Otago Pinot Noir, this wine has ripe concentrated dark fruit flavours. However, more interesting is the complexing characters in this wine evident as the forest floor and dried spice flavours. Combining these with savory long fruit tannins and well integrated oak has given rise to a wine we feel will reward careful cellaring for up to 10 years.
OTHER NOTES
Deep ruby garnet. Perfumed soapy aromas give way to fruit cake cherries and spice scent while the lifted, spicy flavours and cherry and plum fruit have a deep earthy, savoury, smoky and slightly tarry undercurrent. It's quite a gutsy wine with firm tannins, a hint of stewed tamarillo loitering in the background and another bright flourish of spice on the concentrated, long, savoury, full-bodied finish - Sue Courteney,Wine of the Week
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