Showing gold glints to the hue. At first the earthy scents are not particularly generous - a hint of sherbet perhaps. The palate is quite spicy and spritzy with sweet pear and apple notes. Weighty and rich and full of flavour with excellent mouthfilling length. Off dry and a little honeyed, the acidity balances the concentrated fruit and adds a zesty flourish. This wine is a perfect candidate for chilling - it adds juicy sweet citrus and a touch of ginger and becomes moreish and yum.
Woollaston and Tussock, owned by ex MP and former local Mayor, Philip Woollaston, is Nelson’s new landmark estate, perched on the highest altitude site in Nelson and now one of New Zealand’s most impressive wineries to visit. From a small start in 2000, Philip and Chan Woollaston set about an ambitious plan to turn their six hectare hobby vineyard into a top quality commercial venture. They linked with American entrepreneur, Glenn Schaeffer, and the venture now comprises 90 hectares alongside a stunningly designed gravity-fed winery on four inter-connecting levels. Today they are a closely watched estate – the move will see the company become the second largest winery in the region with newly planted blocks of predominantly Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir over four distinctive sites. Vineyards are sited in the Waimea Plains and Moutere Hills with distinctly different soil types. The plains are on free-draining alluvial terraces whose stony soils produce wines with intense aromatics and structure, while the rolling hills of Upper Moutere are deep clay gravels left by a retreating glacier which offer an exciting density of fruit with a mineral, often flinty, backbone. Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris, Rosé and Pinot Noir are produced under the signature
Woollaston label and the more commercially priced option,
Tussock. Alongside their growing reputation for premium wines, the estate is a must visit destination among art enthusiasts. The cellar and gallery, with its unique living-earth tussock roof, commissions art and sculptural works by reputed international artists, while also including paintings by Sir Toss Woollaston,
New Zealand’s only knighted artist, and father of Philip Woollaston.
Neil Hodgson, Nelson Mail, November 2008 Bursting with ripe pear and quince aromas and with intense pear and ginger flavours that punch their way out of a full, luscious mouthfeel, this is a powerful off-dry style wine that demands your full attention. A cracking good wine that you try at the arts festival or at the Wineart tasting at the Boatshed.
Vinoté Cellar Notes, Glenda Neil, October 2008
Lovely aroma of summer fruits, richly textured wine with good palate weight and plenty of body, a portion of the wine was given a little time in barrel which gives the wine a lovely creamy finish.
Bob Campbell MW, October 2008
Attractive Pinot Gris with impressive (for Pinot Gris) flavour concentration in a truly dry style. The wine has a good savoury (yeast, toasted nuts and hay straw) influence to subtle pear and mineral fruit flavours. Very impressive. 90 points.
00%