5 Stars - Raymond Chan Wine Reviews

5 Stars - John Martin Chardonnay 2015 / Runholder Pinot Noir 2015 / John Martin Pinot Noir 2015

Te Kairanga ‘John Martin’ Martinborough Chardonnay 2015 - 5 stars

Bright, light golden-yellow colour with some depth, lighter on the rim. The nose is full and voluminous with a firm heart of ripe yellow stonefruits harmoniously entwined with mealy and creamy barrel-ferment notes, and nutty oak, unfolding complexing lemon-curd and buttery MLF detail and oak toast. Medium-full bodied, the palate is rich with elegantly concentrated flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits and citrus fruit, layered with creamy and nutty oak in an amalgam of butterscotch and toast. The richness is enhanced by fresh, lacy acidity and balanced by fine-grained phenolic textures. The flavours are carried by the structure to a long, lingering mealy, nutty and toasty finish. This is a rich, but fresh Chardonnay with a tight core and layers of stonefruit, creamy, nutty and toasty flavours. Match with creamy seafood and poultry dishes and roast pork over the next 4-5 years. 100% Mendoza clone from the ‘Home’ vineyard, WBP and indigenous yeast fermented to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 12 months in seasoned French oak barriques and new French oak puncheons, the oak 15% new, with 100% MLF. 18.5+/20 Nov 2016

Te Kairanga ‘Runholder’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2015 - 5 stars

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the edge with youthful purple hues. This has a soft and finely presented nose with well-concentrated aromas of dark-red cherry and berry fruit with suggestions of plums and liquorice melded with red florals, dark herbs, oak spice and nuances of minerals. Medium-full bodied, the palate features bright, juicy and plush flavours of dark-red berry fruits and plums with layers of liquorice, herbs and spices lifted by red floral elements. The fruit forms a concentrated core with sweetness and richness, and is supported by fine-grained tannin extraction with subtle background acidity providing energy and tension. The wine carries to a rich and juicy, fine-textured finish with lingering flavours of ripe berry fruits and plums. This is a rich and plush, dark berry fruited Pinot Noir with plum and liquorice notes and a fine-structured palate. Match with lamb, beef and venison dishes over the next 6+ years. 36% Abel, 22% 777, 17% clone 6, 11% 10/5, 6% 115 and 4% each 667 and clone 5 fruit, fermented with 5% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 25% new French oak barriques. 18.5/20 Nov 2016

Te Kairanga ‘John Martin’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2015 - 5 stars

Dark, even ruby-red colour with some depth and youthful, light purple hues on the edge. The nose is full with rich and deeply concentrated aromas of black cherry and dark-red berry fruits entwined with dark plum notes, savoury herbs, a hint of stalk fragrance and violet florals, and nuances of game and earth. Medium-full bodied, the palate is broad and mouthfilling with flavours of ripe dark cherry and berry fruit, and plums, melded with dark herbs, unfolding piquant stalk and floral aromatics and nutty oak. Some game and earth detail adds complexity. The fruit is underlined by fine-grained, flowery tannins and integrated acidity providing plenty of structure and presence. The structure carries the wine to a full, gently aromatic, sustained finish with nutty and herb nuances. This is a full, gently mouthfilling Pinot Noir with ripe dark berry and plum flavours with complexing layers of herbs, oak and a little savoury detail on a fine-grained, well-structured palate. Serve with game meat and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8 years. Hand-picked fruit, 64% Abel, 16% clone 5, 14% clone 13 and 3% each clone 6 and 115, from 66% ‘McLeod’, and 34% ‘Home’ vineyards, fermented with 12% whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 12 months in 25% new French oak barriques. 18.5+/20 Nov 2016

Te Kairanga official partner of the Auckland Writers Festival

Auckland Writers Festival 16 - 21 May 2017

Every year the Auckland Writers Festival stage over 140 public events, gathering together 160 of the world’s best writers and thinkers with over 24,000 Festival goers and up to 6,000 young people to celebrate the world of books and ideas.

For the past 15 years the Festival has enriched the culture of our city and established itself as a major Australasian festival, characterised not only by the calibre of our guest authors but also by the enthusiasm and engagement of our audience and the warmth and welcome provided by Auckland as our setting.

For more information click here

Lighthouse Gin Garden Party

Saturday November 18, 2018

Lighthouse Gin will be settling in for an afternoon in Te Kairanga’s shady cottage garden for the Lighthouse Gin Garden Party on Saturday November 18.

Revelers can expect Lighthouse G&Ts and other inspired libations expertly mixed by Distiller Rachel Hall, Lighthouse sorbet, Lighthouse fudge, and lunch and tapas by Beat Kitchen and The Crab Shack, all to the sound of live summer tunes by Uncle Monkey. Te Kairanga wines will also be served for those more vinophile than ginophile.

Tickets are $33 via Eventfinda and include:

• Entry
• Entertainment
• A shatterproof Lighthouse collectors glass to keep

A special price of $28 per person is available to group booking of 5 or more.

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/lighthouse-gin-g...

We look forward to welcoming you to this beautiful pocket of Martinborough!