Second vintage of high-achieving wine released
May 2008 With the award-winning Mount Dottrel Pinot Noir 2005 now all but sold out, wine lovers will be pleased to know that the second vintage from this Central Otago family venture is now available.
Mount Dottrel Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 was released on 1 May 2008. Its predecessor – the first wine produced by this new vineyard – won a Top 100 Blue-Gold medal and was joint runner up for the trophy for best Pinot Noir at this year’s Sydney International Wine Competition.
Mount Dottrel wines are produced on the McCallum family’s Parkburn vineyard. The family has had many years experience in pastoral agriculture, and to get the best out of the land they had chosen for grapes, they sought the assistance of local experts including viticulturists, Robin & James Dicey, and winemaker Carol Bunn.
The McCallums’ 42 hectare vineyard lies at Parkburn, 10km north of Cromwell at the foot of the Pisa Range, overlooking Lake Dunstan. 22 hectares was planted in Pinot Noir grapes in the first stage of the development of the vineyard, in line with the family’s desire to specialise in this noble grape. Alluvial soils of glacial crushed schist rock combine with the cool climate extremes of this outstanding wine region – hot sun by day and cool mountain air by night provides perfect conditions for growing Pinot Noir.
According to winemaker Carol Bunn, the site has a telling terroir aspect that comes through in intriguing herbal and spicy characters, in addition to the typical cherry and plum flavours of this Central Otago region.
“The wine is getting better with every year,” she says. “The 2006 vintage was warm, so we got lots of big fruit, giving the wine immediate softness and appeal. It has a good tannin structure, so it will make a good food wine too.”
Tangy, lively and generous, the Mount Dottrel Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 is showing vibrant dark fruit and cherry characters. These are well supported by complex, ripe aromas of plums, with sweet spicy fruit, smoky oak and earthy notes. Silky tannins support a firm, textured, finely balanced structure.
Mount Dottrel Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006, which features the wine’s new label design, is recommended to retail at $34.95. It is available from selected fine wine stores nationally.
Two further Central Otago wines from Mount Dottrel are due for release later in the year from the 2008 vintage – a rosé to follow this year’s Sydney trophy winner as well as the first Mount Dottrel Pinot Gris. Both these wines will only be available in limited quantities.
Distribution enquiries can be addressed to Federal Geo, PO Box 87421, Meadowbank, Auckland, or contact phone 09 578 1823, email federalgeo@xtra.co.nz or website www.federalgeo.co.nz.
For more information or samples, please contact:
Cathy Hicks
09 412 5212 or 021 412 292
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