As the name suggests, Hans Herzog's roots lie in Switzerland where the family has grown wine since 1630. Looking for a new challenge, in the mid-1990s they planted an 11-hectare vineyard bordering the Wairau River here in Marlborough. Hans specialises in making varieties that you would least expect to see in New Zealand, and this wine made from the Austrian Zweigelt grape is no exception.

This wine is full of blackberries and blueberries but the nose is also very herbal, as you would expect from Zweigelt, with aromas of thyme and sage accompanied by a lifted, subtle note of pot pourri. The palate has a good intensity of dark blackberry fruit with a grainy, earthy note reminiscent of blackberries freshly picked in the garden. The tannins are firm but fine and the wine is very balanced overall, with an herbaceous freshness offsetting the ripe fruit.

New Zealand’s Doctors Flat is a genuine artisanal wine, produced from a small organic vineyard in Central Otago. It appears that the 2012 vintage was a huge success in the region – an area rapidly developing into one of the world’s finest for the Pinot Noir grape variety.

The first release was 2008. Since then, and as the vines have developed, Doctors Flat has begun to develop great character, described as "a slightly spicy, violet, blackberry component” evident in all the releases to date. Production is very limited to around 1800-2000 bottles annually.

This wine is developing a cult following over the past few years and has gained praise from the trade and wine critics the world over : “Steve Davies makes one of Central’s loveliest Pinots…” according to Jane Skilton MW. This will be a lovely wine to keep for the next 3+ years and is one of the best expressions of Central Otago Pinot Noir we have come across.

"A beautiful mid red, glowing with fruit. Very fine balanced bouquet, a little touch of raspberry with some ripe cherry notes. Very suave yet energetic rather than smooth, this is brilliant! Mouth filling but discreet, ripe by not sweet, this is a coming of age wine for the region."
Jasper Morris MW, New Zealand Buyer

2012 was a cool vintage for the Marlborough region, this is evident in the crisp, well defined fruit characters on show here. Elegant and pure, with flavours of cherry and raspberry, hints of liquorice and herbs on the finish. Velvety tannins with just a hint of oak intertwined with the fruit. There’s much to admire here, a very fine New World Pinot Noir. 
Martyn Rolph - Private Account Manager

The chardonnay is the first to be picked. It is whole bunch pressed, fermented with wild yeasts, without any settling of the juice, given 12 months in barrel with very little new wood then 3 more in tank. Pure crisp and crunchy fruit with some lemony notes and excellent texture.
Jasper Morris MW - Wine Buyer

Always the most upfront, seductive and immediately delicious pinot in the Felton Road stable. The 2012 has a deep colour and a graceful touch of oak, think Arnaud Mortet style Gevrey-Chambertin, with a voluptuous juiciness.
Jasper Morris MW - Wine Buyer

This is entirely from the Mendoza clone which produces tiny berries and very concentrated wine.
It spends a total of 18 months in barrel, not new even at the start before being racked into old wood after 12 months. Pale lemon and lime colour, smoky yet sweet fruit on the nose. However it tightens up nicely on the palate and delivers a final kick of flavour right at the back. Lemon and pineapple notes throughout.
Japer Morris MW - Wine Buyer

Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, the 2012 Syrah has a great core of plums and blackberry preserves with black pepper, dried herbs and licorice accents. Medium-bodied with remarkable texture - both velvety and grainy - it offers mouth-filling pepper laced flavors and a lively acid backbone, finishing long.
Lisa Perrotti-Brown - Wine Advocate - eRobertParker.com - Jan 2015