Stonyridge Larose Vertical Tasting. 23 May 2009

Stonyridge Larose Cabernets, as anyone with even a passing interest in New Zealand wine realises, is one of the truly iconic New Zealand wines. Many would regard it as New Zealand’s premier Bordeaux style red fighting the exacting sophistication and detail of Te Mata Coleraine with its own flamboyance, style and an uncanny knack to deliver upon reputation. Stonyridge has the abilty to attain perfect ripeness, purity of fruit expression, wonderful balance, and layered complexity. It also displays a touch of the exotic and the all important 'x factor'.

In recent times its achilles heel in its battle with NZ's other Bordeaux blend superstar; Te Mata Coleraine has been its asking price. Stonyridge Larose is keenly priced at $220 a bottle for the latest vintage from the Cellar Door. A bit silly though given it can be found for half that price retail on the mainland. In retail now it basically sits at double Coleraine’s price tag which really does affect the number of times we drink this wine in a social setting. It just doesn’t make sense in the value for money stakes. However you can’t live every minute of your life penny pinching. It’s just too boring. I have bought several vintages of Stonyridge Larose; a single bottle here and there picked up in opportunistic fashion at well below normal going price. Coleraine in comparison we seem to purchase by the six pack often at around the $60 a bottle mark.

Not withstanding this, over the years I have at least tasted many vintages. I have had the odd glass of this wine often at unpleasant cost just to keep abreast with this important label. Despite the usual bashing and tall poppy syndrome attracted to wines like this, I have always found it the real deal. Vintages such as 94, 96 and 99 especially live fondly in my memory as some of the best New Zealand red wines I have ever tried.

The winery itself gives off the vibe of being a little off beat, a little different. It is contemporary arty and a little outrageous. It has the reputation of being the party capital of Waiheke Island and boasts a great outdoor café. It is good however to see Larose at least available at the winery to try for those willing to pay the $15 for a slosh or $46 for a glass. Pilgrims willing to open the wallet are well catered for which you can’t say is the case with most icon wineries in terms of the availability of flagship wines for tasting.

Although I have attended several vertical tastings of Te Mata Coleraine, I have never had a similar pleasure with Stonyridge Larose. Those rare events I have seen advertised are usually constrained by commercial factors and the rarity of older vintages. They are either prohibitively expensive or involve only a pathetically small range of vintages. This sort of problem has led to the fact that I have never tasted even two vintages of this wine side by side. This tasting then is a once in a lifetime opportunity to go the full hog and experience basically a full vertical tasting including pretty much all of the great vintages of this wine. The concept was simple; gather a group of keen wine folk, each BYO a unique vintage and glasses. Financial outlay above the wine already purchased was basically nil, negating the usual prohibitive cost of setting up such an event or on the flipside, the shortcuts involved in making it affordable.

Stonyridge Larose, along with any tall poppy, has its fair share of knockers. It has its fair share of opponents purporting other labels as being at least as good. However, based on the results of this tasting the ball is firmly in the contenders court to prove so. This line up was superb. The wines showed a great level of finesse, an understanding of structure, and ideal levels of ripeness. They were all compelling wines. Any criticism was really only nit picking. The complexity and interest on show was also amazing. None of these wines seemed skinny or lacking, instead evolving and offering something different with every sip.

Thanks to all the other folk attending who supplied at least a vintage each! On to my notes:

1989 Stonyridge Larose. A detailed analysis of the evolutionary curve of Larose. Developed in colour with definite bricking evident. The 1989 revealed characteristics reminiscent of Bordeaux with a fragrant nose of graphite, currants and cedar. On the palate a soft warm and gently structured wine gave up flavours of currants, tea and cedar with plenty of fruit sweetness and composure leading on to a long dusty finish. A lovely complex and detailed wine holding together very well. An extraordinary introduction to this tasting. Drink now 97/109

1990 Stonyridge Larose. At a similar level of development to the 1989, revealing the same sort of colour in the glass. It seems slightly more regal in attitude than the 1989. It seems complete, aristocratic and long with a very linear palate lending its credentials more to balance and presence over charm and complexity. A compact palate still with good acids and a creaminess to its texture. Again currant like fruit dominates the flavour profile. Perhaps there are more legs on this as far as future development goes. Excellent Drink now – 2010 96/109

1991 Stonyridge Larose. There was a bit of debate among us whether this wine was slightly corked. My glass seemed more forgiving than others, and although there were certainly elements you could put down to slight TCA infection, it wasn’t enough for me anyway to totally dismiss this wine. The nose employed an oyster shell saline bent. There is certainly funkiness to the palate, a lot of complexity and a lovely encompassing structure of dry dusty tannins. It is similar to the 1990 in style and approach. Drink Now 94/109

1994 Stonyridge Larose. Here we begin the journey into the middle aged wines. Certainly the colour is a lot more youthful, in fact very youthful for its age displaying a deep purple and ruby. It appears a very classical Cabernet blend with elements from the oak apparent on the nose; black liquorice, shoe polish, antique furniture, fruit cake, and mocha surrounding dark plum fruit. The palate introduces blackcurrant, cassis, liquorice and dark chocolate. Monumental but fine tannins provide a cathedral like expansiveness on the palate. It certainly is a benchmark vintage capable of a few more years development. Drink now – 2015+ 99/109

1996 Stonyridge Larose. This is a vintage of detail, definition and poise. The nose is interesting with notes of menthol, blood, game meats, blackberry and cassis. The nose is finely knit, juicy and breezy. It is still compact and deliberate in its approach and built with class and sophistication. The fruit is sweet, multi-faceted and flooded with blackberry and cassis. It is perfectly ripe with dusty tannins carefully knit along a long complex finish. This really is a drinking wine which I feel would evolve and delight glass after glass. A beautiful drink now but should hold well. Drink now – 2011 99/109

1999 Stonyridge Larose. This wine that began by just showing a little more richness and texture than the 1996, the oak slightly more apparent. There is some toastiness on the nose which exudes rich black plum, cassis and spice. The palate reflects blackcurrant, cassis and blackberry with creamy round, fine and dusty tannins. This is a vintage drinking extremely well now. It is a star vintage which I have always rated highly. It is hard to decide but if pushed I would probably pick 1999 as my favourite from the star 94, 96, 99 trio. Drink now – 2011 99/109

2000 Stonyridge Larose. This is a vintage which appears slightly different to the imprint I have of it in my memory. Although a little dumb on the nose compared to most other vintages, it is a lot darker and a lot finer than I remember. It is an insanely rich wine, with concentrated layered fruit; cassis, coffee and chocolate. There is also underlying touches of brett influence with clove like spice, bacon fat and a funky undertone. It is borderline as far as being a put off, but at this stage it wrestles into acceptance. Certainly standing alone, I’m not sure anyone would comment aside from the technocrat geeks. It has quite monumental levels of concentration for such a finely boned wine. It is a wine that offers fantastic levels of ripeness. Drink 2010- 2016+ 95+/109

2002 Stonyridge Larose. This in many ways seemed to be the only pretender to me in the line up. The fruit is very dark and primary with dark plum and toffee and cream. It is breezy and open knit, very fruit driven. The acids and tannin don’t seem as firm or as important in the make up of the wine. It certainly doesn’t sing to the level of its price tag and I have no doubts at all that 2002 Te Mata Coleraine would eat this wine alive. However, remembering in this forum we can be over critical. Drink now – 2011 93/109

2003 Stonyridge Larose. This vintage was the genuine surprise of the tasting coming from a vintage that on paper is nothing to write home about. It certainly is slightly more granular and open knit but still shows lovely levels of concentration with dark plum and blackberry fruit cascading across sandy tannins. The fruit is breezy, the acids are fresh and there is a lot to suggest this wine will develop further and improve. Excellent. Drink now - 2014 95+/109

2004 Stonyridge Larose. The first wine of the final trio of very serious wines. This is a young wine awaken from its slumber early. The nose is compact, deep and haunting with notes of cassis and deep baking spice and dark chocolate. There is however a fantastic feel that this is a vintage that will go places. It is very powerful, dense, deep and textured with waves of fruit waiting to unfold. It has a complete feel to it, a brooding beast. Flavours include dense dark plum and blackberry with mouth coating dusty tannins. Drink 2012 – 2020+ 98+/109

2005 Stonyridge Larose. Almost falling under the weight of its own potential this is the mother of them all. It is a supercharged wine of insane weight and proportions. Dense purple in the glass, the nose is riddled with spiced fruitcake, pure blackberry and dark plum. It is a modern wine and is very ripe reflecting a stunning set of vintage conditions. On the palate is an immense concentration of deep, layered and exotically rich fruit. Mouth coating tannins provide presence and length. It is immensely dense and brooding but with precision and detail at the same time. This will be a great vintage in time. In fact it already is. It is a vintage that has not had enough talk or attention. Easily a 20 year wine. Drink 2014 – 2025. 101+/109

2007 Stonyridge Larose. This is a wine in its infancy, still getting itself together a bit, especially when just poured. The nose does seem a little simple with a boysenberry and BBQ char element to begin with. It does settle down though and gain some substance with time in the glass. It is a slightly more open knit and approachable vintage with beautiful levels of detail. It will provide an immense amount of pleasure as people wait for the 2004 and 2005 to mature. On show are lovely dark plum and fresh boysenberry fruit with creamy and dusty tannins completing a very attractive and stylish package. It is certainly a pretty and successful vintage of Larose. Drink now - 2020 97/109

At the end of the event we took a survey of favourite and second favourite vintages. Consensus saw the 2005 vintage come in first followed by the 1999 and 1994 vintage. What a great tasting! It will be a hard act to follow up such a hedonistic event next time. So those that have a bottle or two of this wine in your cellar, please treasure them and drink them on a special occasion. Stonyridge Larose deserves its iconic status and this tasting was one of the highlights of my wine journey.