Single Vineyard: McKee Vineyard
Subregion: Blind River
Region: Marlborough
Vintage: 2017
Soil Type: Complex silt loams and gravels
Viticulture: NZ sustainably certified
Grower: Robyne McKee

Winemaker's Notes:

Full-bodied richness, brilliant orange citrus, white pepper aromatics and a savoury, textural palate exemplify this single-vineyard Marlborough Gruner Veltliner. With the variety originally hailing from Austria, we feel our rendition takes on the best of European structure and New Zealand fruit opulence. The fruit was hand-picked from the McKee Vineyard in the Blind River subregion, gently pressed and fermented in both stainless steel and 500L French oak puncheons. It spent 11 months maturing on fine lees which has given increased texture and complexity. We have held the wine in bottle for four years prior to release and we’re confident this is a wine to cellar. We like to call it G.V. or Gruner - you can call it anything you like!

Reviews:

5 STARS ***** - "Currently on sale and drinking superbly, the 2017 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Blind River. Hand-picked, it was fermented and matured on its yeast lees for 11 months in tanks and seasoned French oak puncheons. Full of personality, it is a bright yellow/green, invitingly aromatic wine, with deep, vigorous, peachy, slightly toasty flavours, bottle-aged complexity, good acid spine and a long, dry finish. Ready; no rush." Michael Cooper, October 2022.

93 Points - Excellent "Varietal with a gentle herbaceous quality transitioning into ripe white fleshed fruits of apple and lemon, a touch of pineapple then a light white vegetable quality. Crisp, taut, fruity, refreshing and dry with complexity from bottle development and a whisper of toastiness, there is plenty to admire, but this wine is also young with acidity and energy as well. As the wine becomes more ambient the flavours and textures grow and develop. A thoroughly interesting example, balanced and well made. Best drinking from today and through 2029."

93 Points - "Fleshy, full-bodied wine with classic citrus/mandarin, orange blossom and subtle spicy flavours supported by a backbone of gentle acidity that leads to a mellow finish. Single vineyard wine from the coastal Blind River sub-region." 15/9/2022 Bob Campbell MW - The Real Review

92 Points - top equal scoring NZ Gruner Veltliner - "The nose shows just the bit of age with lovely aromas of baked pears, wet stone, beeswax and dried herbs. Medium-bodied with mineral notes playing against the slowly maturing fruit. Silky texture. Fresh acidity keeps things lively. Nicely done. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap." JamesSuckling.com September 2022

Blank Canvas Gruner Veltliner 2015

95 Points – “Weighty, richly-textured grüner that was fermented in oak puncheons and aged on the lees for 10 months. Mandarin, orange zest, root ginger and nutty lees. One of the best local examples I've tasted." 16/7/2018 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review

Best Buy Under $30 - 'From a two-hectare vineyard on free-draining alluvial soils in Rapaura. This is one of the best local examples I've tasted to date. It's a weighty, richly textured wine with mandarin, orange zest, root ginger and nutty lees flavours. Fermentation in oak puncheons and maturation on the yeast lees for 10 months has given the wine extra weight and complexity.' Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine | Dec/Jan 2019

5 STARS ***** “Currently on sale and drinking well, the 2015 vintage (5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown at Rapaura. Hand-picked, it was partly handled in tanks, but 60 per cent of the blend was fermented in French oak puncheons (20 per cent new). Bright, light lemon/green, it is highly fragrant, with substantial body and strong, peachy, slightly spicy, vaguely toasty flavours, complex, dry (2 grams/litre residual sugar), rounded and long.” Michael Cooper, Buyer’s Guide 2019.

Best New/Minor Varieties, Top Wine Awards, Taste Magazine, Autumn 2019

17 Points "Pale gold. Ripe, golden aroma of yellow fruit and spicy orange pith. Definitely reminds me on the nose of an aged Wachau wine. Full in the mouth without loss of freshness, complex, developed yellow fruit flavours with a tiny hint of toast and hazelnut. Doesn’t have quite the intensity of the Wachau but this is a very impressive wine and even better than the 2013." Julia Harding MW | JancisRobinson.com 27/01/22

92 Points - "Really lovely bouquet of Gruner with aroma suggestions of pineapple and apple, sweet Meyer lemon and white flowers, a light white spice fragrance emerges as does a gentle dried herb note, all well integrated. On the palate - a medley of flavours and textures, harmonious, balanced and ready. Acidity contrast the fruit as well as keeping the palate light and refreshed, the non-fruit attributes show off the variety with classic white pepper and radish - all leading to a lengthy dry finish. Balanced and well made, ready. Best drinking from today and through 2022." Cameron Douglas MS, 12/12/19

90 Points "This has a rich, developed feel with round peaches and mangoes, delivered in a textural, full-ish style with some grilled-banana notes to close. Drink now. Screw cap." Nick Stock - JamesSuckling.com 16/10/19

View Tasting Notes - 2017 | 2015 | 2013

Contact us

Follow

McKee Vineyard Gruner Veltliner 2017

Your Cart