Stonecroft Wines

Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Hawke’s Bay - 4½ Stars 91

An elegant nose displaying dried herb, capsicum and lime zest characters with a touch of chalky mineral notes. The palate is concentrated and beautifully textured with crisp acidity providing excellent structure and freshness. An elegant and stylish Sauvignon that should age gracefully. At its best: now to 2012. 12% Diam cork.

 

Old Vine Chardonnay 2007 Hawke’s Bay - 5 Stars 94 – 96

From a block planted in 1983, fermented in barrel and matured on lees for 12 months then another 12 months in bottle before release. The nose is intensely aromatic displaying peach, apricot and mealy characters. It’s succulent and powerful on the palate with bright acidity and creamy texture throughout the palate. The length is expansive and impressively long. A magnificent young wine with an exciting future. At its best: 2010 to 2017.

 

Old Vine Chardonnay 2006 Hawke’s Bay - 5 Stars 94

Another outstanding effort from one of New Zealand’s best Chardonnay makers. The nose is refined and complex displaying white peach, chalk and nutty/savoury characters. It’s powerful and concentrated on the palate with excellent weight and multi-layered texture. The acid balance is superb and seamlessly integrated. A wine of great presence reminding me of Giaconda Chardonnay from Beechworth, Victoria. At its best: now to 2014. 13.5% Diam cork.

 

Chardonnay 2002 Hawke’s Bay - 5 Stars 95

A remarkably youthful looking wine – smells and tastes like a two year old Chardonnay. The nose is beautifully fragrant showing peach, roasted nut and savoury characters. It’s superbly concentrated and weighted on the palate with succulent mouthfeel, silky texture and an outstanding length of flavour. The acid is seamlessly integrated providing a lovely frame for this exceptional wine. At its best: now to 2012.

 

A complex and matured nose displaying mixed nut, cream and mineral characters. The palate is sweet and juicy with refreshing acidity and fine silky texture. A beautifully matured and stylish Chardonnay.

Chardonnay 1987 Hawke’s Bay - 3½ Stars 82

This is the first wine Alan had released and we were tasting the very last bottle from his cellar. Made from the first crop (4 year old vines) the juice was tank fermented with no malolactic and matured in second-hand puncheon acquired from Te Mata Estate. Bright golden colour. The nose is toasty and waxy with some volatility. The palate shows broad mouthfeel and slightly drying finish. The wine has past its prime but still exhibiting lovely style and class.

 

Alan has dedicated this wine to Dennis Irwin of the famed Matawhero Estate which has been sold a few years ago. The vine cuttings for this wine came from the Matawhero Estate along with Chardonnay planting material. Stonecroft’s Gewürztraminer has been New Zealand’s best example for many years and this one is quite possibly the best one made to date in New Zealand. The nose is beautifully perfumed exhibiting fresh floral, spice and subtle mineral characters. The palate is succulent and full showing outstanding concentration and textured mouthfeel. The wine is immaculately balanced with refreshing acidity leading to an almost endless finish. At its best: now to 2022.

 

A gently fragrant nose showing apricot, spice and floral characters. The palate is concentrated and beautifully weighted with seamless texture and superbly balanced acidity. The wine has luscious mouthfeel but finishes crisp and firm with an outstanding length of flavour. At its best: now to 2015.

 

A complex and opulent nose showing savoury spice, apricot and nutty characters. The full and rounded palate has oily texture and is beautifully balanced once again. Rich and powerful yet with elegance and poise. At its best: now to 2010.

 

Gewürztraminer is often associated with high alcohol or high residual sugar levels. This wine was labelled at 13.5% at the time but the actual alcohol sits at whopping 15.5%. Yet I felt the wine was in balance and certainly didn’t have the alcohol ‘burn’ on the finish. Bright pale gold colour. The nose is complex and showing the bottle developed waxy, nutty and spice characters. The palate is ripe and lush with oily texture and well balanced acidity. The wine flows beautifully and feels like an old Sauternes. It’s starting to dry out a little at the end but an enormously satisfying wine. At its best: now to 2010.

 

This barrel fermented beauty exhibits lemon curd, beeswax, marmalade and honey nougat characters. The palate is lusciously sweet with decent acidity and richly textured mouthfeel. The wine has excellent intensity and a lingering finish. Very delicious. At its best: now to 2011.

 

This was the first vintage of Stonecroft Gewürztraminer and another last bottle from the cellar. The 1988 vintage was infamous for one of the worst cyclones (Bola) to hit New Zealand, in particular Gisborne and Hawke’s Bay where some of the low-lying vineyards were totally submerged under water. Grapes for this wine were picked in the middle of cyclone when the rain was flying horizontally. A remarkable wine considering the harvest condition. Deep-ish gold colour. The nose is opulent and layered showing honey, toast, spice and nutty characters. The palate is sweet and beautifully textured with good acidity providing a lovely frame to the wine. Excellent weight, length and poise. Stunning. At its best: now to 2010.

 

An elegant nose showing dark cherry, blueberry and cigar box characters. The medium-bodied palate has plenty of bright fruit with good acid balance and fine-grained tannins providing a gently drying finish. The wine is already showing lovely balance and harmony. At its best: 2010 to 2015.

 

Made from 60% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon and 11% Syrah, this outstanding red exhibits bright medium-deep red colour and lifted bouquet showing smoked game, dark plum and floral characters. The palate is succulent and beautifully flowing with excellent acid balance and fine tannins. Elegant yet concentrated and structured. At its best: now to 2020.

 

Medium red/brown colour. The nose is complex and evolved showing sweet berry, dried herb, cigar and leather characters. It’s juicy and rounded on the palate with finely textured palate and well integrated fine tannins. Lovely drinking now but it should hold for a while. At its best: now to 2011.

 

Medium red/brown colour. The nose is a little volatile showing game, leather and savoury spice characters. The palate still displays sweet fruity mouthfeel with rounded texture and medium weight. It’s a little drying at the end but an impressive 10 year old red showing grace and elegance.

 

Medium red/brown colour – slightly deeper than 1998 Ruhanui. A beautifully matured bouquet displaying cigar box, dried herb and game characters. The palate is ripe and luscious with good weight and fine texture. The wine shows lovely poise and balance with fine, supple tannins. It’s beautifully drinking now.

 

Medium brown colour. A nicely lifted nose showing leather, spice and floral characters. The palate shows a sweet fruit impression and rounded mouthfeel but the finish is a little short with fine dusty tannins. A fascinating look at a 20 year old Hawke’s Bay red from a disastrous year yet this wine is still holing up.

 

From New Zealand’s oldest Syrah plantings (part of the vineyard was planted in 1984), Stonecroft Syrah exhibits seamless mid palate texture and firm structure combined with fruit intensity without the overripe jammy characters. This vintage appears to be one of the best from this exceptional property on Mere Road. Bright medium-deep red/purple colour. The youthful and aromatic bouquet displays blueberry, red cherry and floral characters. There’s considerable weight on the palate (but not heavy) with creamy texture, fine acidity and compact tannins. Could this be better than the glorious 2007? Time will tell. At its best: 2012 to 2024.

 

From an outstanding vintage in Hawke’s Bay, Alan has fashioned a classically framed Syrah displaying medium-deep red purple colour, aromas of dark plum, floral and savoury game with a hint of spice notes. The palate is succulent and rounded with loads of polished tannins. Beautifully structured and impeccably balanced, this refined Syrah shows outstanding line and length. At its best: 2012 to 2024.

 

Medium-deep red colour. The fragrant nose is displaying dark plum, game and mixed spice characters. The palate is engaging with lovely textured mouthfeel and beautifully harmonised acidity. It finishes with sturdy tannins lengthening the intensity. A beautifully woven wine, still fresh and balanced. At its best: now to 2014.

 

Medium-deep red/brown colour. The nose displays bottle aged tertiary characters of leather, game, black olive and spice combined with ripe sweet fruit notes. The palate is impressively powerful showing lovely flowing mouthfeel, layered texture and gently firm tannins. The wine has matured gracefully and feels so supple and smooth. Very northern Rhône like. Lovely drinking now.

 

This was their first Syrah release. Alan was well ahead of his time as it’s only in the last few years Hawke’s Bay Syrah has been recognised as world class. There was just enough wine to fill one barrel and Cabernet Sauvignon was used to top it up. Medium-deep red/brown colour. The nose is fully evolved showing tar, savoury game and dried herb characters. The palate is remarkably alive with succulent fruity mouthfeel, rounded texture and supple tannins. An awe-inspiring wine and this is drinking history.

Ratings
5 Stars 100 pts

96 - 100 Exceptional quality exhibiting highest level of concentration and complexity.
93 – 95 Outstanding quality showing varietal purity and exemplifying regional type.
89 - 92 Excellent quality showing high level of concentration and balance.
85 - 88 Very good quality displaying attractive flavours and good balance.

81 - 84 Good quality, easy drinking with straightforward flavours.