Tasting Note
A richness of aromas on the nose – everything is there, peaches and tropical fruit characters with an unmistakable nuance of coconut ice cream. The palate is intense for a sometimes-muted variety – dried fruits, peaches, apricots and the characteristic dried rose petals. A very expressive vintage, the seductive suggestion of feijoa fruit is tantalising… The power of this wine indicates further development to come over the next few years.
Accolades
“Nicely toned and structured wine, user-friendly and dry to suit food; a very enjoyable and accessible style suited to a wide range of courses. Isabel is one of the companies to have lifted the bar in Marlborough winemaking, showing what extra dimensions are available to wineries that take the trouble to focus on extra quality.”
Peter Saunders, Food & Beverage Magazine, New Zealand, April 2007
“… a very good wine, clean and fruity and, fortunately, suggestive of a salty savouriness, the dry finish carrying a certain shelly appeal.”
Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front, January 2007
“Woody and light-spiced nose. Fairly complex. Medium body and high acidity. Slightly expansive warm finish, grainy. Up to 3 year.”
Decanter Magazine, July 2007
“Knock, knock
Who’s there?
Isabel.
Isabel who?
Isabel necessary on a bike?
“Whenever I see the Isabel label I am always reminded of that school ground classic. But today the punch line should be changed to ‘Isabel Pinot Gris. Really good wine’. Especially now that the Isabel Pinot Gris 2006 has been released and continues the high standard set by the previous year’s vintage.”
“Isabel Marlborough Pinot Gris 2006 is gorgeously expressive pinot gris, a reflection of the very good 2006 Marlborough vintage. It’s aromatic and floral with a mealy, nutty yeast lees influence and hints of lemon sherbet and green grapes and a core of bright zesty citrus – think kumquat. Quite a dry wine, just 4 grams per litre of residual sugar, but the texture is full and fleshy, there is a vibrant spiciness and yeast lees flavours add complexity to the lingering finish. It’s rather exciting and shows that pinot gris can have flavour.
Do I like it? I answer an emphatic, ‘yes’. In fact I give it 5 stars.”
Sue Courtney, www.wineoftheweek.co.nz, April 26th 2007
