The Auswine Forum

As I won't be able to make it to the NZ roadshow this year in Sydney it was fantastic to catch up with the Dog Point new releases in a liquor store.

2007 DOG POINT Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Fresh but noticeably fruity forward palate with some alcohol heat on the finish. Silky and very pleasant but not a serious wine at all. Drink now. 90 points for drinkability. Not a bargain at AUD $25 because it is in the league of the sea of other $17 NZ sauvignons.

2006 DOG POINT Section 94 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc

Interestingly bottled under cork.
Amazing powerhouse of a wine that spent 18 months in older French oak.
Beautiful and varietal Sauvignon nose with citrus, a bit of asparagus and white stone fruits. Massively complex FULL bodied palate of amazing complexity. Seriously tasty and captivating. Remarkable power structure and superb acid on the finish. Wow!
This wine shows what the grape variety can do. Magnificent.
Now to 5-8 years.
95-96 points. A bargain at AUD $30. Buy it before it's too late!

2006 DOG POINT Marlborough Chardonnay

Under cork.
Varietal nose with melon and fresh grapefruit. Tight well structured palate. Nice toasty oak on the finish. Good drinking for now to 5 years. 92 points. AUD $33

2006 DOG POINT Marlborough Pinot Noir

Under cork.
Fragrant, beautiful morello cherry nose. Very Burgundian aromas follow on to the medium bodied palate. Nice sweet cherry and red berry fruits leading on to a pleasant savoury finish. Delightful. Now to 8 years. 92 points. AUD $35

Cheers,
Attila

I'm a fan of the oak aged sauvignons from New Zealand. The 05 version of the Section 94 is drinking well and I've tried the 01, 02, 03 and 04 in the last year and they are drinking well.

I actually tried the 2005 with the superior '06 on the day. More body, more complexity and more power. While the 05 was very good, the 06 is simply exceptional.
Cheers,
Attila

I know what you mean...easy to fall for the sweetness of the 2007 but the 2006 Section 94 is a whole new world.
I hope they'll like that too....
Cheers,
Attila

I actually tried the 2005 with the superior '06 on the day. More body, more complexity and more power. While the 05 was very good, the 06 is simply exceptional.

i tried the 05 a few weeks ago, reminded me of the craggy prestige sauvignon blanc (forget its name) lots of apple, cloves, cream and spice. good wine but i think the 05 is starting to tire

Does the section 94 drink like Cloudy Bay Te Koko? i.e. does it go through ML fermentation or is it just oak aged? Wondered how similar they are. I'm certainly tempted try it based on your TN, but I'm not that familiar with oaked sauv blanc. Cheers.

section 94 is good wine. i have a feel it could be a love it or hate it style though just as te koku is. cape crest is the dogs bollucks though at the mo!! Is the new section 94 on the machines at fwdc???

Bick wrote:Does the section 94 drink like Cloudy Bay Te Koko? i.e. does it go through ML fermentation or is it just oak aged? Wondered how similar they are. I'm certainly tempted try it based on your TN, but I'm not that familiar with oaked sauv blanc. Cheers.

Yes - Dog Point is like Te Koko, but Te Koko gets an extra year of age before release. Te Koko 2005 is just out - and it is a truly stunning Te Koko. It is the 2006 Dog Point Section 94 that has just been released.

You have to remember that James Healy at Dog Point was the catalyst for Te Koko back in the early 1990's and made Te Koko for many years before leaving Cloudy Bay to start Dog Point with Ivan Sutherland.

Attila wrote:I know what you mean...easy to fall for the sweetness of the 2007 but the 2006 Section 94 is a whole new world.
I hope they'll like that too....
Cheers,
Attila

Atilla,
I'm not sure what you mean by the 'sweeter' 2007. Dog Point Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is made in a different style with stainless steel ferment and maturation. It has just 2.6 grams per litre of residual sugar and reasonably moderate 6.6 grams per litre of total acidity, so it is one of the drier Marlborough sauvignon blancs around. When I tasted it in October last year, I thought it austere, flinty, steely, just a little funky and very tight.

The Section 94 2006 is barrel fermented and barrel matured, but is technically the 'sweeter' wine with 5.9 grams per litre of residual sugar although acidity is higher at 7.4 grams per litre. Overall, this is softer and rounder because of the barrel and lees work.
www.dogpoint.co.nz

I'm a simple guy Sue.
Just talking about apparent sweetness in my glass....
Cheers,
Attila

Heres my notes from a quick taste last week

2006 Dog Point Section 94 Sauvignon Blanc. This is a classy wine with a nose of apple pie, cape goosberry and red cutrtant. The palate is silky and suave with notes of gooseberry, red currants and a dash of clove like spice. Seems more elegant and refined than the 2005 version I tasted a month or so back. Another example of a great alternative NZ style which should go down with non Sauvignon Blanc drinkers very well. 97/109

Bick wrote:Does the section 94 drink like Cloudy Bay Te Koko? i.e. does it go through ML fermentation or is it just oak aged?

Checked with the winery on this q and there is no mlf in the Section 94, although it does undergo full barrel ferment (no new oak used) with indigenous winery yeasts.

I suggest you try it for the experience, if nothing else.

Thanks Sue. You're right - I must try it. Will pick up a bottle today for a picnic planned for the weekend.

I had the 06 Section 94 last night on these recommendations and was very impressed. The oak character gives it a beautiful mouthfeel and complexity in the finish that's a great counterpoint to the crisp sauvignon flavours. I'll add my thumbs up for this wine.

Bick wrote:I had the 06 Section 94 last night on these recommendations and was very impressed. The oak character gives it a beautiful mouthfeel and complexity in the finish that's a great counterpoint to the crisp sauvignon flavours. I'll add my thumbs up for this wine.

I've just reviewed these on my blog, the Section 94 is quite superb.
"Light honey-gold coloured, smoky and just a little earthy with a very subtle steely character and funky wild yeast scents. It's impressively ripe and fruit-sweet in the palate yet earthy, nutty and savoury with sizzling intense fruit reminiscent of tropical guava and kiwi berry and always sauvignon’s distinct pungency. It finishes dry, funky and steely with the satisfying glow of after love."

The wine was opened Sunday night, however a glass poured and put on the table last night had a very strong scent of wheat beer - so strong that you didn't need to put your nose to the glass to smell it.

Cheers,
Sue