This time last year, I was lucky enough to join in a vertical tasting of Wither Hills Pinot Noir, from its debut vintage in 2007 right up to the then just-released 2007. It was fascinating to see how the style of the wine has changed over the years. Obviously, vintage variation has a big part to play but it was clear that winemaker Ben Glover and his team were also making a conscious effort to make the wines paler, fresher and brighter.
The early vintages were quite muscular and rich with plush oak enhancing the fruit, the later vintages were more fruit-focused and elegant with the power turned down in favour of finesse. In Ben’s words, they have been trying to make the wines less like those of Pommard and more like those of Chambolle.
The 2008 which has just hit the shops in the UK is another step in that direction – the wine is fresh, crisp and focused with oak playing second fiddle to the pure red cherry fruit. Ben has used just 25% new oak on this vintage, a far cry from the 60% plus that he used seven or eight years ago.
But what is really interesting is the two new single vineyard wines that Ben is showing off on the Lion Nathan stand. Taylor’s River and Benmorven are the vineyards that provide the bulk of the fruit for the Wither Hills Pinot and 2007 was the first vintage they bottled a part of the crops separately. But rather than being super-cuvees at sky-high prices, Ben is adamant that the wines are about showcasing the different terroirs in Marlborough.
The 2007 Taylor’s River comes from (as the name suggests) an old river bed and has silt and loam soils. The wine is structured, full and firm with more black fruit than red and plenty of supple tannins. The Benmovern by contrast is lighter, gentler, and more feminine. Perfumed and floral with delicate cherry and strawberry fruit, it hails from clay soils that have been eroded from the Wither Hills themselves. Tasted side-by-side the wines show the two faces of Wither Hills Pinot, linked by classic Marlborough purity of fruit, but separated by their soils.
Personally, my favourite is the Benmovern – I’m a sucker for pale, pretty fruit on my Pinots but there were also plenty of votes for both the masculine Taylor’s River and the regular cuvee which brings the two vineyards together. Pop along to stand N40, ask for Ben and find out which one is your favourite.
Find out more about Wither Hills and watch some videos from the vineyards on its Facebook page.
Tags: new zealand, Producer profile, Wither Hills