Tuesday, 3 September 2013

Knowing Newton

This tasting involved 3 vintages of Chardonnay – beautiful, beautiful Chardonnay. I was in love. There was Pinot Noir too.


WHITE:

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay (2010): Orange marmalade baked into a scone, soft, jasmine, marmeladey freshness, BIG!, flapjacks & marmalade, peach peel mouth feel,  in its post-teenage years. 100% oaked, 25% new oak. (**/)

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay (2011): Caramel Swiss roll, Treat caramel on shortbread with jasmine, smells SO good, sharper marmalade, like eating  teaspoon of marmalade, mouth watering. (**)

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Chardonnay (2012): Tasty, buttered popcorn, almost MCC-ish nose, pears & litchis, fresh nose, runny marmalade, very light but big flavour, mouth watering, “moet nog mens word”. (*)

RED:

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir (2012): Slightly bitter, biltong & jam, caramelized Brie & jam, vaguely spicy, cheese & plum tomatoes with pepper, chewiness, richness from vintage, “needs to age like Chad le Clos – lots of talent but needs some time to develop”. Manual punch-down twice daily. Bottled 4 months prior to tasting.

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir (2011): Smokey green peppercorns, banana, stew & mushrooms, homey, vague mocha-chocolate. Serve with duck. (*)

·         Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir (2010): Carrots & potatoes in stew, meaty, bitterness of too much cumin.

News from Newton:

·         Lost 40% of Chardonnay & Shiraz crop in 2010 due to hail

·         2012 is the perfectly balanced vintage

·         Cooperage customises barrels for Newton Johnson since 2008, barrels are made specific to each vineyard block.

·         Pinot Noir is a high maintenance wine

·         “What pairs well with this wine? More Wine”

·         Pinot Noir is the “bad decision wine”  - too easy drinking

·         Pinot is a gateway wine to reds

·         Barrel = the base of a pizza – you need a good base but it must not dominate the other flavours – it needs to carry the flavours.

·         Lees = the settlement from the juice – like orange juice separating

·         “This was the stripper of wine tastings – I want it all but I can’t buy any of it”


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