Reviews & Awards for 2010 Vintage
2009 Bird Big Barrel Pinot Noir
“A beautifully fragrant nose showing red cherry, vanilla and thyme notes. An engaging palate with rounded texture and a firm finish.” – Pure Gold, judges tasting notes 2010 Air New Zealand Wine Awards
Silver medal and Best in Class - London International Wine & Spirits Competition
“What a beauty! The bouquet is beautifully perfumed displaying red/black cherry, spice and vanillin oak with a hint of dried herbs. It’s silky smooth and generously textured on the palate with a rounded mouthfeel and gently firm finish. The wine is immensely appealing and drinkable with excellent fruit intensity and lovely complexity. At its best: now to 2014.” – 5 stars, Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz
“This youthful Pinot Noir is already showing complexity in its fragrance and flavour. The fruit is impressively pure, both in terms of variety and region with ripe, refined flavours of cherry and dried herbs underpinned with notes of chocolate and oak. The palate expresses Pinot Noir’s captivating ability to show masculine power along with feminine grace and elegance – all in one glass. The influence of oak is perfectly integrated and the tannins are soft, smooth and inviting. A lingering mineral note is apparent on the finish.
Occasionally a wine comes along that shows just how well a region can express a variety and this is one of those wines. Buy this wine now – it is destined to become a classic!”
- Colin Ford, Winetradeonline.co.nz“Light ruby-red with youthful purple hues to the colour, this has a full, lovely aromatic nose of bright, fresh raspberry and dark cherry aromas. The bouquet is enveloping and complete, with an ethereal aspect. The palate features a fine-textured core of silky tannins that form a refined structure housing ripe raspberry and black berry fruit flavours. Delicate strawberry and floral nuances are carried on the long, sustained finish. A wine to match salmon, poultry and pork dishes over the next 5-7 years. Fruit from the ‘Old Schoolhouse’ vineyard in Omaka, given a cold soak and fermented to 14.0% alc. The wine was aged 9 months in oak. Large 900L barrels were used for fermentation and maturation.” 5 stars, 18.5+/20, Raymond Chan www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz
“Full-bodied, moderately rich red with ripe cherry, plum and slight herb flavours, a gentle oak influence, and plenty of drink-young appeal” 3.5 stars, Michael Cooper, Winestate Magazine
“Red cherry fruit flavours with a little rhubarb and a note of smoky bacon from quality oak. There’s a reasonable concentration on the palate and the oak is very well integrated. Tight grained tannins.” – WineNZ
2010 Bird Sauvignon Blanc
“This is so succulent and tasty with lime, stonefruit and herbaceous flavours. The palate is powerfully flavoured and fruity showing refreshing acidity and excellent mid palate weight. Fabulous drinking. At its best: now to 2013.” 5 stars, Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz
“An exceptionally refined Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that exudes finesse. Very pale straw-yellow in colour with suggestions of green hues, this has a tightly bound nose of English gooseberries, citrus fruit and minerals, lifted with an attractive tropical fruit nuance. Dry on palate, this has subtle, restrained flavours of gooseberries with lime flowers. The acidity is soft and fine and contributes to the beautiful purity.” 5 stars, 18.5/20, Raymond Chan, www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz
“A classically fruit forward dry Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Tropical, with sweet herbs and firm acidity, it is a bright and lively wine.” 4 stars, www.Tizwine.com
Pure silver medal - Air New Zealand Wine Awards
“A funky wet-stone note harmonises with white peach flavours.” – 4 stars, Cuisine Magazine
2010 Bird Pinot Gris
“A gently expressed Pinot Gris showing ripe peach, citrus and pear characters on the nose. The palate is well fruited and lively with nicely integrated acidity and a lingering tasty finish. A well balanced and smooth wine with a wide appeal. At its best: now to 2012.” 4 stars, Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz
2010 Bird Riesling
Gold medal - New Zealand International Wine Show
Blue Gold medal – Sydney Top 100 International Wine Competition
“A beautifully crafted Riesling with a pure varietal expression. The nose is youthful and fragrant, displaying floral, stonefruit and lemon/lime characters. It’s tightly structured on the palate, yet generously flavoured, showing a touch of sweetness (6 g/l), racy acidity and a fabulously long crisp finish. The wine has an immediate appeal but should age nicely too. At its best: now to 2018.” 5 stars, Sam Kim, www.wineorbit.co.nz
“Very pale straw-yellow with a pale edge to the colour, this has an elegant, very fine and tightly expressed nose of acacia florals and minerals. This has delicacy and a range of beautiful aromatic nuances that emerge in the glass. Dry on palate, this has lovely, intense, focussed, fresh lime, floral and mineral flavours with superb, fine acidity. This wine exudes sheer class.” 5 stars, 19.0/20 Raymond Chan www.raymondchanwines.co.nz
