Another stunner from Nautilus

BY DEBORAH WALTON AND PETER MORICE

Chardonnay: the word seems to ooze tragedy these days, and for the life of us, we can't understand how this has come to pass.

One glass of chardonnay delivers more flavour than a whole bottle of pinot gris (that'll ruffle a few feathers!). It has the ability to go with more food matches than most other white varieties and it has the most extraordinarily appealing mix of flavours and texture. It's staggering to think that trendiness can be more important than actual drinking pleasure, but as the saying goes, "there's nowt as strange as folks".

When Nautilus Estate sent us the newly released Nautilus Chardonnay 2007 the accompanying media release had us saying "about time, too!"

To quote, "Chardonnay from Marlborough may sometimes get overshadowed by its more trendy siblings, as recent sales figures for Marlborough sauvignon blanc show.

"Nautilus Estate has resolved to give chardonnay the respect it deserves and is determined that its customers should, too."

Clive Jones, senior winemaker, says the company has tried to take the lessons learned from growing pinot noir, and apply them to chardonnay.

Clive has used white burgundy as his template for the 07 chardonnay.

"It was visiting some top producers after vintage in burgundy in 2004 that really got me refocused on chardonnay," he said.

"It's exciting to see the release of the 2007 vintage which I see as the first of a new generation of Nautilus chardonnays."

Clive says changes in approach were made both in the vineyard and the winery. The yield was reduced and an intensive canopy management programme was put in place. The grapes were all hand-picked (hand-picking is seen as an important factor in enhancing a wine's ability to mature well) and then chilled overnight before pressing, to preserve the aromatics. The wine was fermented in French oak barriques; lees stirring and indigenous fermentation were used to introduce complexity and heralded a move away from malolactic fermentation.

Clive says a ruthless barrel selection took place at the tasting bench to ensure only the best parcels were chosen.

As a result of this increased focus on chardonnay production, the Nautilus team has planted small parcels of new Burgundy clone chardonnay in the Renwick and Awatere vineyards in the belief the fruit will further improve the wine in years to come.

Nautilus 07 Marlborough Chardonnay

Aroma: Very lifted peaches-and-cream aromas, biscuity with lashings of butterscotch. Given a shake-up, there's a dollop of ripe apple teamed with some heavenly hot buttered toast.

Taste: Some firm acid supports the rich, creamy, fruity flavours beautifully. Toffee apple, peaches, cream, short pastry and some fruity sweetness combine in one glorious, complex taste sensation. The acids keep things in check the finish is creamy and fruity, but there's also an appealing crispness about it.

The aftertaste is intense, yet refreshing in perfect balance.

Price: Buy this and reconnect with your tastebuds. Tremendous value at $30.

Matakana Estate 07 Elingamite Limited Edition Merlot Cabernet franc, Hawke's Bay

Blend: Merlot 60 per cent, cabernet franc 40 per cent. This wine is made from only exceptional vintages, the fruit is sourced from Matakana's best-performing vineyard block.

This stunning Bordeaux-style red is named after the Elingamite, a 2585-ton steel steamer in which Matakana Estate proprietor and managing director Peter Vegar's great-grandfather, Luka Lunjevich, sailed from Croatia to New Zealand in 1902.

Peter's great-grandfather's dreams were almost dashed when the Elingamite hit rocks in heavy fog and sank close to the Three Kings islands. The lifeboats did not have enough room for all the passengers and many, including Luka, had to swim for their lives.

Twenty-eight passengers and 17 crew died, but Luka was a survivor, and went on to realise his desire for a better life. He also achieved his goal of creating his own vineyard and making his own wine.

This is the story behind the naming of Matakana's very special Elingamite wine. For many New Zealanders the name Elingamite will also conjure images of unregistered gold bullion and one of our most famous divers, Kelly Tarlton, searching for treasure. We think this wine is a treasure.

Colour: Deep, dark, grainy red.

Aroma: Blackberries, boysenberries, violets, spice and oak with some appealing notes of vanilla and shoe polish. This wine's aroma is so concentrated it's like a conserve.

Taste: So gorgeous it's hard to know where to start. Rich ripe blackberry and sweet plum flavours abound; the tannins are rich and supple and there's some well structured acid that never intrudes. Towards the finish a hint of spice becomes more obvious and there's a lovely chocolate and fruit flavour that heads off into the lingering aftertaste. A smooth, supple, complex wine that oozes class.

Price: $59 and available only by mail order. Contact Matakana Estate on 094251100 or email on cellar@matakanaestate.co.nz to place an order. Our bottle came from case No1; there are only 67 cases available, so be in quick.

- The Marlborough Express