Riverby Estate

Riverby Estate isn't a winery with a huge profile in New Zealand. Their Marlborough operation sits next door to Cloudy Bay.  We had the opportunity to try a line up of current releases.  Overall they are good solid wines that really have a "well made" feel about them.  It is fair to say though that the Noble Riesling's stole the show and we fell in love!

2008 Riverby Estate Picnic Paddock Sauvignon Blanc.  This is quite an unusual Marlborough style, and in many ways more reminded me of a Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc.  It isn’t your wham, bam, razzle, dazzle style. The nose displays aromas of straw and peach stone.  The palate, although powerful, also exhibits restraint and direction.  Flavours include gooseberry, sugar snap pea and peach stone.  It is a carefully constructed and linear wine which would go beautifully with seafood, without risking overpowering the flavours. $20 90/109

2008 Riverby Estate Pinot Gris.  It is well known that I am not the world’s biggest fan of NZ Pinot Gris.  There are however exceptions.  This wine avoided the sins of many wines which have created my attitude.  It is not flabby orover spirity and it isn’t wishy washy directionless fare.  The nose displays delicate nashi pear flavours.  On the palate we detected cloves, gingerbread, nashi and nutmeg.  It is a textural wine, relaxed and silky in the mouth.  The wine has a gentle structure, it is reserved, restrained and displays deft balance. Enjoyable! $22 92/109

2008 Riverby Estate Riesling.  This is the drier of the Rieslings.  New Zealand really does not have many memorable dry Rieslings.  More and more it seems the Splatlese style wine is taking hold.  Most of the drier styles are too “four square”, too chunky and too boring.  This example by Riverby certainly raised some eye brows. The nose displays fine citrus and mineral notes.  The palate is clean and pure with crisp minerally acids providing a fine boning to the wine.  The citrus and mineral flavours follow from the nose, building on to a long finish.  There is a real sense of detail and delicacy here.  Once again thoughts turned to its suitability to pair with seafood. Given, I haven’t tried too many, but this is the best dry styled NZ Riesling I have had in a long, long time. $20 93/109

2008 Riverby Estate Salis Block Riesling.  A nudge more residual sugar exists in this wine, not a full Spatlese style but it is what I would term in the kiwi language “off dry”.  It was a bit of a hard wine to get a handle on.  Some loved it, some were not so taken. Notes jotted down include descriptors such as citrus peel, white peach and sherbet.  It is a long gentle wine with a creamy texture.  To start with I thought it lacked a bit of focus, but as the night progressed it came out of its shell and really shone.  Next day it was even better.  Perhaps even a wine to hold for a year or two. $20 92-93/109

2008 Riverby Estate Chardonnay.  I love chardonnay, and very seldom is it I buy any at the sub $30 price point examples and to be honest I usually don’t venture far from three or four favourite labels.  Chardonnay, in the majority of cases can become so homogeneous.  Its like a kid with a Hannah Montana T Shirt, you have seen them all before!  It is only the best labels that develop a real house style and identity.  Now back to the task at hand.  Riverby’s chardonnay did impress many of our tasters, even those who do not drink chardonnay.  It is a very gentle and understated wine with a nose of caramels and cream.  The palate displays subtle spice, and stone fruit. It sits nicely on the palate, drinks well alone and doesn’t whack you about the head with forests of oak. It is a careful and understated wine. $25 92/109

2008 Riverby Estate Pinot Noir.  Although Marlborough Pinot Noir was applauded at the recent Pinot conference, I am one who still needs convincing that extremely varietal Pinot Noir can be made more often than not in Marlborough. This is very much a new world style Pinot Noir. It is a saturated ruby in the glass with a garnet rim.  It seems already well into its development. The nose initially throws up wood smoke, hints of bacon and ripe red cherry.  The palate invokes flavours of vibrant sweet red cherry fruit and poached yellow tammarillo.  It is sweet fruited, soft, full bodied Pinot noir displaying plenty of richness and warmth. Well priced at below $30. 92/109

2008 Riverby Estate Noble Riesling.  At this stage the game ramps up and we move from pleasant wines to amazing wines.  The 2008 vintage sparkles pale gold in the glass. The nose is full of mango, currants, nectarine and pineapple.  Against the 2009 version this vintage is slightly more integrated and textural with a silky, creamy texture, a plump mouth feel, gentle acid focus and gorgeous balance.  Flavours follow on from the palate, clean, fresh and in no way cloying. Second glass samples were fought over and the bottle evaporated in no time. It is a value for money here and a head turner of a wine. $25 97/109

2009 Riverby Estate Noble Riesling.  This luscious wine has a seductive nose of fresh mango and tropical fruit salad.  The palate is gorgeously fresh, smooth and silky with flavours of mango, papaya and passionfruit.  Three is a lovely thread of fine, fresh, ripe green apples giving fantastic backbone and acid-sugar balance. It is a very clean, concentrated and focused wine which is just gorgeous.  The price also makes it good buying.  A sweet wine of this quality at $25 is a rare find.  99/109