Awards
ELITE GOLD - Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2013
BLUE-GOLD and TOP1OO - Sydney International Wine Competition 2014
GOLD - Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2013
Reviews
Michael Cooper - Michael Cooper's Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines - 5 STARS, February 2014
Estate-grown in Alexandra, this is typically a wonderful buy. Retasted in February 2014, the 2012 vintage (5*) is unfolding superbly. Matured in
French oak barriques (30 per cent new), it is highly scented, deeply coloured
and full-bodied, with rich, vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, well
integrated nutty oak, very fine-grained tannins, and excellent texture and
harmony. (A potential NZ classic wine)
Bob Campbell MW - Kia Ora, Air New Zealand in-flight magazine, April 2014.
Taut, elegant pinot noir from the goldfields of Alexandra. Wonderfully pure flavours of red cherry, mineral and wild thyme. Terrific value.
Jo Burzynska - Viva magazine, The NZ Herald, April 2014
Another consistently impressive release from Grasshopper Rock, with tangy black cherry fruit overlaid with notes of spice, savoury and florals.
Sam Kim - Wine Orbit - 95/100, 5 STARS
An outstanding pinot. The youthful and perfumed bouquet shows red/blueberry, floral, spice and elegantly infused cedary oak aromas. The palate is succulent and velvety with rounded mouthfeel, leading to a superbly long, silky finish. The wine is expressive and engaging while exhibiting restraint too. Very promising. At its best: 2016 to 2022. Sept 2013.
Raymond Chan – Raymond Chan Wine Reviews - 19.0/20, 5 STARS
Even, moderately dark ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues. The nose is elegantly proportioned with concentrated and densely packed, but refined aromas of dark cherry berry and raspberry liqueur notes. This has brilliant focus and purity, with very sensitive and integrated oaking. Medium-full bodied, rich and softly concentrated, but tightly bound fruit flavours of dark raspberries and cherries are the feature on palate. The fruit is supported by significant extraction, the tannins very fine and supple. Subtle, lacy acidity underlines the palate, enhancing the fruit richness and sweetness and provides energy and drive. Lifted, piquant flavours of dark cherries and raspberry liqueur flow to a very long, lingering, fine-textured finish. This is an elegant and concentrated Pinot Noir with focussed, piquant framboise flavours, a very fine mouthfeel and extraction, and subtle acid vibrancy. Match with roasted duck and pork, and with Asian cuisine over the next 6-8 years. 19.0/20Nov 2013 (Note: Raymond Chan was paid a review fee of less than $40 to review this wine) RaymondChanReviews
Charmian Smith - Otago Daily Times
A lively wine with spicy red fruits and herbs, suggestions of mineral and licorice, a savoury undertone, an exciting herbal edge and a fresh, crisp finish. Nov 2013
Roger Jones - Harpers.co.uk
Clean and delicate, rich intense Scottish raspberries, savoury and spiced, juicy long lingering aftertaste touch of perfume, great balance. (Nov 2014).
http://www.harpers.co.uk/opini...
Jamie Goode - Wineanorak.com
Sweetly aromatic with nice cherry fruit but also some savoury development. Notes of iodine, spice and earth with a bit of grip. Has nice brightness and focus. Hints of leaf decay add interest. Nice refinement, with a bright finish. Drink now. 91/100 - Feb 2019.
https://www.wineanorak.com/wineblog/new-zealand/central-otago-9-grasshopper-rock
Top 100 Sydney - Judge's comments when judged with pan fried duck breast and port, pear and grape sauce.
Ken Dobler: A deep cherry red colour. A generous nose with complex aromas of black fruits, earth and subtle stalky notes. A deliciously rich palate with an exceptional length and complexity.
Brent Marris: Richness on the nose, with beautifully lifted aromas and berry fruit characters. Lovely structure and depth with finely balanced oak. A lovely lifted wine with the duck dish.
Meg Brodtmann MW: Cherry red in colour. Vanilla raspberry and clove on the nose. On the palate it was a beautifully elegant wine, with raspberry, chocolate and sweet spice. It had great tannin structure and finish. With the food looked a little dryer and sort of had this sweet and sour characteristic as well.
Xenia Irwin MW: A vibrant rhubarb and cherry nose with integrated oak. A light sour cherry fruit style. Vibrant, clean and fresh. Light fruit with background oak, spice and structure which is acid based. A little lean and hard on the finish and shows the same when taken with the food.
Rob Geddes MW: Vanilla, butterscotch, oak and red cherry characters. Beautiful red fruit aromas. The palate had complexity of stem and spice that adds complexity to the red berry fruit flavours. Good depth in the middle and persistence to the finish. There is a very slight green thread that was obvious without food and remained there with the food.
Stephen Fang: Ruby red in colour. Blueberry on the nose and onto the palate. Well textured, good acidity and finish. This wine worked well with the duck.