GENERAL INFORMATION
Estate / Producer / Brand: Clos Henri
Region: Wairau Valley, Malborough, New Zealand
Appellation: Wine of New Zealand
Type: Dry red wine, non-sparkling
Vintage: 2017
Date of Tasting: April 2023
Type of viticulture: organic (certified)
Grapes used: 100% Pinot Noir
Vintage Blend: 100% grapes from 2017
Winemaking details: dry-farming, hand-harvested, 80% destemmed grapes + 20% whole bunch, post ferment maceration for 3 weeks
Aging: aged for 12 months in 100% French oak barrels (20% of which is new oak)
Sugar level: low (level of residual sugar not communicated)
Sulphites: contains sulphites
APPEARANCE
- Colour = Ruby
- Intensity = Medium+
NOSE
- Intensity = Medium+
- Aromas Characteristics = Primary + Secondary + Tertiary
- Aromas = Rapsberry, cassis, currant, black pepper, notes of violet, cinnamon
PALATE
- Sweetness = Dry
- Acidity = Medium+
- Tannins = Medium+ (fine and well integrated)
- Alcohol = High (14%)
- Body = Medium+
- Flavour Intensity = Medium+
- Flavour Characteristics = Primary + Secondary + Tertiary
- Flavour details = Rapsberry, wild strawberry cassis, currant, black pepper, notes of violet, cinnamon
- Other = bright acidity
- Finish = Long
GENERAL ASSESSMENT (1)
- Overall Quality = Very very good
- Bottle Aging =
- Can be kept at around 10°C for up to 10-12 years
- Will gain complexity from aging
- Retail Price = 35 euros for a 75cl individual bottle (France retail price, incl. taxes)
- Value for Money = Top-notch
- Comparison with same price competition = Top-notch
- Suitability for Diabetics = suitable (level of residual sugar not communicated)
- Service Temperature = around 15°C
- Suggested Food & Wine Pairing = capon, quail, duck, fillet of New Zealand salmon, pork, veal, lamb, venison, herbed crusted lamb cutlets, chargrilled venison
- Comments = I really like the price-quality ratio offered by this wine. A bright acidity, a complex palate and a long finish. A prime example of what a very very good Pinot Noir from New-Zealand can be. All this at a very affordable price given its great quality. I really advice you to try it (especially if you never had any New Zealand’s Pinot Noir in the past).
- Final Grade = A-
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None of this content has been sponsored
I did not receive any gifts or free samples that could be related to this article
Wine is a gourmet treasure, do not abuse alcohol!
None of this content has been sponsored
I did not receive any gifts or free samples that could be related to this article
(1)GENERAL ASSESSMENT GUIDE
Please note that although all efforts have been made to be as objective as possible, the general assessment inherently involves a degree of subjectivity based on a personal evaluation of the wine.
- Overall Quality scale
- Poor < Acceptable < Good < Very Good < Outstanding
- Bottle Aging
- Will it beneficiate from additional aging?
- Retail Price
- Usually the retail price for one bottle including taxes
- Value for Money
- Quality offered compared to the price paid
- Comparison with same price competition
- where does it stand compared to average competition of the same price range
- Suitability for Diabetics
- Evaluation of the level of final sugar for early stages diabetics
- Comments
- Any additional elements worth noting
- Final Grade Scale
- A++ = Out of the Charts Wine (Stellar, Hors Classe, Fuori Classe)
- A+ = Outstanding Wine
- A = Great Wine
- A- = Very Very Good
- B+ = Very Good
- B = Good
- B- = Noteworthy
- C+ = Acceptable
- C = Poor
- F = The worst grade of this scale
