The Auswine Forum

Bilancia la collina Syrah 2005 – New Zealands most expensive Syrah?
I was wondering this when I handed over the spondoolies, a whole 36 quid for a single bottle of NZ Syrah. But I’d heard nothing but great things about this wine and it is über rare in the UK and curiosity took the better of me. Two hours in the decanter…

Gotta say the nose is slightly disappointing (dumb?) to start with and you really have to work it to get what the liquid is all about. Perhaps a model of restraint but then some wow… out pops some ethereal perfume of cherry stones, framboise, herbal notes, crushed white pepper and then in the background winter frost (??!! seriously), rose petals and a mineral tint – quite extraordinary. The medium bodied palate is even better with the most wonderful tapestry of texture, tannin, acidity, fruit purity, structure & amazing complexity for this to live for many years. Finishes very, very long. A wine all about finesse rather than all about power. 14%vol. 94+pts

Although very pricy I would buy again and cellar for a few years. A unique wine which is now my benchmark NZ Syrah for the moment. Glorious.

Kumeu River ‘Hunting Hill’ Chardonnay 2006
Managed to buy two bottles of this NZ rarity, so why not crack one. In screw cap FWIW and the first vintage produced…

Pale yellow to the eye. The nose shows a powerful mineral component then candied lime, pear, nutmeg, gravel & oak hints. Follows nicely to a ripe, gorgeously detailed medium bodied palate with amazing fruit purity, beautiful freshness and exquisite balance. Finishes long and savoury. Drinking now & over the next 5 years. 14%vol. 91pts

Kumeu River ‘Mate’s Vineyard’ Chardonnay 2006
Twenty quid for a NZ Chardonnay! Surely it can’t be worth the £££ I ask myself. But 30 minutes in the decanter (handcuff me Jane MacQ!*) it slowly starts to show it’s beguiling fineness!

Tightly wound on the nose with yellow stone fruit, crushed lemongrass and melon with peach tea & a feint nutty character. Once you bathe your palate with this delicious liquid the exceptionally clean, pure & harmonious fruit hits you which follows with handsome acidity and a texture to die for. The oak is so balanced you would hardly know it’s there but there is a spice hit from it. This ideally needs 3-5 in the cellar & well worth the £££! Can Chardonnay get any better? In screw cap. 13.5%vol. 94+pts

* http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_a ... 676176.ece

www.kiwiwinefanclub.co.nz white wine of the year 2007 = 2006 Kumeu River Mates Vineyard Chardonnay. Super wine though have to admit last time I tried it it seemed to be in an awkward phase.

Hunting Hill was good. It will be the "new Mates" in years to come as the Mates Vineyard is dying out slowly. I seem to prefer the fatter Coddington bottling over Hunting Hill

La Collina is fantastic. I think the 2006 version is even better than 2005. Not quite NZ's most expensive Syrah; Craggy Range Le Sol, Trinity Hill Homage and Providence come to mind.

Good to see you posting here, Phil.

I agree with Craig; the 2006 is even better - all those lovely, delicate, ethereal elements in a medium bodied wine, but a broader spectrum and slightly greater concentration. Special wine.

I agree with Craig; the 2006 is even better - all those lovely, delicate, ethereal elements in a medium bodied wine, but a broader spectrum and slightly greater concentration. Special wine.

my impressions from kwfc

2006 Bilancia La Collina Syrah (Hawkes Bay). La Collina is a captivating and ethereal wine. It is dark, haunting, multi faceted and exciting. You really get the sense of “the next step up” when tasting it. It is expensive as is the norm now with top Hawkes Bay Syrah, but it sure delivers. Perhaps this is the dark horse of kiwi Syrah, definitely it is one of our best labels. $85[/quote]

Generally speaking i think HB 2005 was a bit overrated in the Hawkes Bay. I know a couple of producers had raised eyebrows at the press it got as a vintage as it was pretty wet at the end. I think many 2005's lack substance and alc is a bit dominant - a bit wishy washy. Obviously exceptions exist but side by side with the 06's (or even 04's) you can see what im getting at

Craig(NZ) wrote:www.kiwiwinefanclub.co.nz white wine of the year 2007 = 2006 Kumeu River Mates Vineyard Chardonnay. Super wine though have to admit last time I tried it it seemed to be in an awkward phase.

Hunting Hill was good. It will be the "new Mates" in years to come as the Mates Vineyard is dying out slowly. I seem to prefer the fatter Coddington bottling over Hunting Hill

La Collina is fantastic. I think the 2006 version is even better than 2005. Not quite NZ's most expensive Syrah; Craggy Range Le Sol, Trinity Hill Homage and Providence come to mind.

Craig

What is happening to the Mate vineyard as I knew the old man. It would be sad to see this piece of West Auckland history die out.

Mark

Craig

What is happening to the Mate vineyard as I knew the old man. It would be sad to see this piece of West Auckland history die out.

Mark

Its still there and still producing but the vineyard is slowly dying from some disease (cant remember what). Mates will not always be and from what I have heard from Melba, Hunting Hill (which is just above Mates vineyard) may well be the 'new mates' vineyard in time/ the one used to create the flagship. Still a number of years away