2014 Tongue in Groove "Cabal Vineyard" Pinot Noir Waipara Valley North Canterbury

96BC

94JS

94SK

93RC

93RP

90VN

$29.99

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Bob Campbell

Reviewed January 2015

From a clay and fragmented limestone soils of a vineyard in North Waipara. Around 35% whole-bunches were used to give structure and intensity. An impressively complex wine, with a mix of cherry, plum and chalky/mineral flavors, with a more savory, baked earth, dried herb character. Nicely structured so the wine is accessible but promises to age well. *Five Stars*

Professional Reviews

James Suckling

Review Date: 12/2016

I like the florals to this dark, burgundy-colored pinot such as the rose and violet perfumes as well as crushed roses. This is a pinot with some earthy nuances too and a very attractive raspberry and blueberry mix on the nose. It's definitely focused on the fruit, and the oak is spicy but in check. Some chalky hints, too. The palate has a seriously powerful core of ripe and delicious dark-cherry-fruit flavors. Some bold tannin is carved into smooth lines with strength and poise. This truly treats you to all the elements of a great Waipara pinot. The finish fans out to a chalky, dark-cherry conclusion. I like the contrast between depth and grace here. Worth noting also the whole bunch impact (35-40%), which is seamlessly woven into the wine.

Sam Kim

Richly complex and engaging, the bouquet shows dark berry, cured meat, clove and nutmeg characters with lovely dried herb undertones. The palate is concentrated and focused, yet expansive, together with silky texture and fine, grainy tannins. This is thought-provoking and stylish at the same time, and delivers layers of delectable fruit and savoury flavours.

Raymond Chan

Full, very dark, purple-hued ruby-red colour, very youthful in appearance. The nose is finely proportioned with intensely concentrated aromas of ripe, dark-red berry fruits lifted by violet and lavender perfumes, nuances of dark herbs, and a little camphor. This has attractively intriguing detail. Medium-full bodied, the palate features elegantly concentrated flavours of red berry fruits entwined with exotic florals, herbs and spices. The fruit is supported by fine-textured tannin extraction that forms a positive core and line. Subtle acid zestiness lends tension and drive, and carries the stylishly restrained flavours to a long, lingering finish with delicate floral and red fruit nuances. This is an elegant, exotically fragrant Pinot Noir with soft, fine extraction and a supple mouthfeel. Match with Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine over the next 5+ years. Hand-picked fruit from the ‘Cabal’ vineyard, Waipara Valley, indigenous yeast fermented with 35-40% whole clusters to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 21-24 days cuvaison and aged 16 months in approx. 33% new French oak.

Staff Reviews

Ryan Woodhouse

Fantastic Pinot yet again from Tongue in Groove. These guys are on a tear right now making some of the most compelling and delicious Pinot in NZ. Fruit is hand selected from a vineyard with limestone rich clay soils. This has wonderful aromatic lift, floral tones, musk, woodsy spices and wet clay. The fruit is deep, rich and succulent, a broad texture, perfect extract and whole bunch derived structure and length elongating the whole thing on the palate and adding a wild "sauvage" character. Mineral inflections linger in the long, powerful finish with a kiss of French oak. This is very serious Pinot and a step up from last years more pure fruited, easy drinking Cabal that was already a huge hit with our staff and customers. This edition has all the fruit and purity the 2013 had but adds another layer of complexity and structure on top. Just awesome.

Notes

World Class Pinot Noir! Tongue in Groove's "Cabal Vineyard" Pinot Noir is from their home region in the Waipara Valley. The vineyard is farmed without the use of any pesticides, fungicides, herbicides or artificial fertilizers. Fruit is hand selected. The soils here are a complex mix of clay, alluvial gravels and most importantly fragmented limestone. Waipara's clay-limestone mix gives the wines of this region a lovely combination of lush, soft texture and fresh, lifted, vibrant aromatics. The Cabal vineyard lends all of this in spades. The 2014 is a bit more "serious" then previous renditions - meaning that is has more structure (likely from the inclusion of 35-40% whole clusters) and immense concentration from the low yielding 2014 season. The intoxicating perfume of Cabal is still there but there is a little more "umph" on the palate than is the two prior vintages we have carried. (Ryan Woodhouse - K&L NZ Wine Buyer) 94 points Wine Front: " Dark cherry, anise, blood orange - like Barolo - but with a smattering of bunchy spice and new oak. Medium bodied to full, slick of tannin, again savoury, earthy, and fruit sweet, dried herb and olive, rolling finish with thick tannin and fine length. A wine of personality, interest and intrigue. It certainly made a (good) impression on me."

Details

Origin	New Zealand
Type/Varietal	Pinot Noir
Alcohol Content	14%
SKU	1252074