The Central Otago Wine Cellar -

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Felton Road is situated on warm, north facing slopes of glacial loess soils close to Bannockburn township in the heart of Central Otago. The gravity fed winery receives 100% Estate grown fruit from various sites with a diverse range of clones and rootstocks. Minimal intervention in the winemaking allows the unique vineyard characters to express their considerable personality.

Since the first vintage in 1997, Felton Road has acquired a formidable worldwide reputation for Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir which combines the region's reputation for vibrant fruit with the complexity only the finest vineyard sites can offer.

FELTON ROAD
Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2009 NZ$52.95

Already starting to let its perfume emerge. This vintage is spicier, with chocolate and violets overlaying dark cherry and raspberry. The palate is seamlessly plush and richly textural, with significant very fine dusty tannins constructing a framework through the finish. While concentration is abundant, the wine still holds on to its precision. A candidate for long haul keeping as well as enjoying its exuberance in the first few years. In short, a benchmark Felton Road.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2009 Cornish Point NZ$61.95 (limited)

As we so often see with Cornish Point, the nose starts with spice and florals: the classic violets, dark rose petals, hints of cinnamon. The palate is voluptuous dark fruit, with a gorgeous open texture, welcoming rather than brooding. The spices dance through the palate with the chunky structure only emerging in the finish of the wine, showing its considerable ageing potential. A classic Cornish Point.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2008 NZ$50.95

Deep garnet with purple hints. A rather brooding nose of ripe raspberry countered with earth, toast and dark perfume... maybe deep red rose petals. The palate displays a plush, cushioned silkiness, with interplay of juicy, mouthwatering acid and ripe, rich raspberry and boysenberry fruit, offset with dusty bramble leaf. The finish is long and relatively complex for such a youthful wine, displaying minerals with dusty tannin and a kick of mocha.

FELTON ROAD
Bannockburn Chardonnay 2009 $34.95

At this early stage of its life the wine is pert and lively with spring flowers and citrus blossom on the nose and a hint of hazelnut. The palate is smooth, racy and seamless, with a full texture, but a lithe and taught structure. It is clean and long in the finish and while delicious now, will take some bottle age to start to evolve the evident complexity that lies in wait.

FELTON ROAD
Elms Chardonnay 2009 $29.95

A delicate nose of fresh flowers, apple and a hint of pineapple leads to a full and rounded palate that is uncomplicated by oak. Crisp and refreshing with a very clean, pure finish. This wine is so often compared to Chablis, especially true in this vintage

FELTON ROAD
Chardonnay 2008 $32.95

A nose of pink grapefruit, with hints of florals and white peach. The palate is both crisp and very textural, broad and plush but with no hint of fatness. The ripe fruit is held in check by crisp acidity, with both being overwhelmed by a rich minerality in the powerful finish of the wine. This wine continues the recent trend for our Chardonnay to become broader and less austere, yet maintaining tension and minerality.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2009 Block 3

As always, the nose is dancing between crushed herbs, florals of rose or violets, musk and dark fruits. The palate is inviting, seamless, with deep, sweetly textured, firm but welcoming chocolate-mocha coated tannins. The wine has great breadth and the promise of power, but without any overt muscularity. Finishes with firm structure: clean, long and hinting of a lot more to come with time in bottle.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2008 Block 5

A fairly muted bouquet of primary fruits and spice with the subtle intricacies of Block 5 simmering in the background: an early hint of the potential in a few years time. By contrast the palate is dramatic: very plush and textural, with concentrated boysenberry, spice, cherry jam and buttered toast. In its youth the flavours compete rather than complex and this wine will need some years to open and fully integrate. There is more than enough structure to elegantly frame the wine for those with enough patience.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2008 Block 3

As is often the case, the initial entry of the wine is the lightest of all the 2008 Pinot Noirs: expressing crushed herbs and minerality. Then the wine starts to build through the palate as earthy raspberry and cherry kick in, stepping up a gear as chocolate, mocha and minerality combine with rich, fine tannin to overwhelm the fruit in a long and very powerful finish. Textbook Block 3.

FELTON ROAD
Pinot Noir 2008 Calvert NZ$62.95 (limited)

This is a wine that is all about precision and purity. The nose leads with florals: rose petal and spice, with the palate concentrated, yet with such elegance and focus that it is at the same time textural and rich but almost weightless. Fine grained tannins and evident minerality carry the wine through a long clean finish. A very restrained expression of power; the very essence of Pinot Noir character.

FELTON ROAD
Riesling Block 1 2009 $38.95 (limited)

The bouquet has an arresting interplay of apricots and florals with a complexing hint of 'background noise'. This year the three Rieslings are closer in profile, with the distinction being on the body and plushness of the wine. The Block 1 displays rich stonefruits but with an extra harmonic of complexity and structure.

FELTON ROAD
Riesling 2009 $30.95

A bouquet of intense florals and apricot leads to an explosive palate: a near perfect harmony of fruit, acid, residual sugar and mineral which somehow combines great intensity with poise. Although 53 g/L of residual sugar, the palate tapers into a dry finish leaving the mouth refreshed with hints of mineral and flowers.

FELTON ROAD
Riesling 2008 $27.95 limited stock

Delicate floral and mineral characters on the nose introduce this boldly sweet fruited wine. Pure citrus flavours coat the palate and integrate well with the residual sweetness. The crisp acid and low alcohol balances the sweetness giving the wine great presence, harmony and length.

FELTON ROAD
Dry Riesling 2009 $30.95

This Dry Riesling displays a wonderful array of stone-fruit and passionfruit, with a hint of ginger spice. The wine is full and textural with a concentrated core of fruit but this gently tightens to a long, clean, mineral and dry finish. A vibrant and racy wine showing real poise.

CALVERT SERIES - PINOT NOIR WINE TASTERS 3-PACK $165.00

Compare 3 pinot noirs made from grapes sourced from the same block in this Bannockburn vineyard - made by three highly respected New Zealand winemakers - Blair Walter (Felton Road), Mike Weersing (Pyramid Valley Wines), Adrian Baker (Craggy Range) - tasting notes included - the perfect gift for a pinot lover or wine tasting group member.

1 bottle Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir 2008
1 bottle Craggy Range Calvert Pinot Noir 2008
1 bottle Pyramid Valley Calvert Pinot Noir 2008