2011 was a warm vintage and produced an elegant and refined expression of Grasshopper Rock.
Awards
GOLD – International Wine Challenge 2013
BLUE-GOLD and TOP100 wine - Sydney International Wine Competition 2013
SILVER - Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2013
SILVER - Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2013
Reviews
Bob Campbell MW - Gourmet Traveller Wine, Oct 2013 - 95/100 & 5 STARS
Deeply scented pinot noir with floral, mineral, raspberry, and savoury/fresh herb flavours. Fine focused wine with a lengthy finish. The wine shows plenty of power delivered with great subtlety.
Bob Campbell MW - July 2012 - 90/100 & 4 STARS
Very attractive nose - aromatic with cherry and floral characters. Bright, focused flavours supported by drying, sappy. tannins. Velvet textured with a drying finish. Elegant Pinot Noir with a "young burgundy" feel about it. Good food wine. Appealing minerality. Has power. www.bobswinereviews.com
The Wine Advocate #209 Nov 2013– Lisa Perotti-Brown - 91+/100s
Pale to medium ruby-purple in color and exuding fragrant violet, cinnamon and lavender notes over a core of black and red cherries, the medium-bodied 2011 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is delicately styled and fills the palate with red berry and earthy flavors supported by a low to medium levels of finely grained tannins and refreshing acid through the finish with great length. Drink it now to 2017+.
Emma Jenkins MW – Fashion Quarterly, Oct 2013
This purely pinot-focused Alexandra label is carving out a stellar reputation (Champion Wine of the Show at the 2012 Air NZ Wine Awards) yet remains an absolute bargain. Consistently offering intense ripe fruit —strawberry, succulent cherry and exotic spices— with a subtle backbone of oak and fresh acidity, it’s not only delicious now but will also amply reward patience.
Michael Cooper – Buyer’s Guide to NZ Wines- 4 STARS
The ruby-hued 2011 is slightly less intense (than 2010), but still very graceful, with strong, ripe cherry/plum flavours, vibrant, supple and youthful.– July 2012 www.michaelcooper.co.nz
Winestate Magazine – Michael Cooper - 4 STARS
Bright, youthful ruby. Vibrantly fruity and supple, single-vineyard Alexandra red with fresh cherry and plum flavours in a graceful, moderately concentrated style, finely poised. Well worth cellaring. – Feb 2013
Raymond Chan – Raymond Chan Wine Reviews - 18.5/20.0, 5 STARS
Moderately deep, dark ruby-red, lighter on rim with some purple hues. The nose is full and even with elegantly presented dark cherry fruit, revealing violetty florals, subtle dark herbs and sensitive oak spices in the glass. Medium-full bodied, intensely concentrated flavours of dark plums and liquorice are laced with notes of dried herbs, liquorice and spicy oak. The fruit is enlivened by racy acidity and framed by soft, grainy tannins. The textures carry the flavours with acid tension to a very long, lingering dry, textural finish with plum and spicy oak featuring prominently. This is a concentrated Pinot Noir with oak spiced fruit, grainy tannins and racy freshness to make it a match with Middle Eastern fare over the next 4-5+ years. 18.5/20 - January 2013 (Note: Raymond Chan was paid a review fee of less than $40 to review this wine)
http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/features/grasshopper-rock-pinot-noir-2011
Sam Kim - 94/100, 5 STARS
From the Alexandra district, this is youthful and full of charm, and the gorgeous bouquet shows red/black cherry, plum, spice and subtle vanillin oak characters. It's succulent and beautifully weighted on the palate with silky texture and polished tannins. The wine flows seamlessly to a superbly long, elegantly dry finish. It's great to see Grasshopper Rock continuing to achieve excellent quality and style. At its best: now to 2020. 13.6%. Jan 2013. (Note: Sam Kim was paid a review fee of less than $40 to review this wine)
John Hawkesby – NZ Herald, Canvas, 24 August 2013 – Top three pinot noir picks for the week.
From Alexandra and one of the southernmost vineyards in the world, the vines here are now 10 years old, producing excellent pinot noir at a reasonable price. It has a medium-bodied style, with concentrated sweet fruit flavours and an underlying dried herb complexity, silky tannins, and big aromas of violets, cherry and ripe plum. http://nzh.tw/11112732
Jo Burzynska – NZ Herald, VIVA, 23 January 2013
Following on from the trophy winning 2010 vintage, Grasshopper Rock’s latest release is another impressive pinot with a silky palate threaded with red cherries, spice and pretty florals.
Joelle Thomson -Top 5 best buys: Central Otago pinot noirs under $40
It’s not just the name that rocks; this pinot noir was one of my top new Central Otago pinots in September this year. Its silky style is a stand out bargain from an eight hectare vineyard in Alexandra; planted in 2003 by five farming families who make this one sensationally silky pinot. – November 2012
www.joellethomson.com/The-Dominion-Post-wine-column.html
Stephen Tanzer - 87/100
Pale amber-edged red. Liqueur-like raspberry and strawberry aromas are lifted by a floral topnote. Supple and pliant in the mouth, with a lightly stewed quality to the red fruit and spice flavors. An easy-drinking wine of moderate intensity and length. 87 http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/index.html
International Wine Challenge 2013 – Judges comment:Light dry autumn leaf with cranberry and guava. Succulent and juicy ripe red fruits with charry note underpinning palate. Gentle velvety tannic squeeze. Lovely restraint and elegance.
http://www.internationalwinechallenge.com/canopy/beverage_details.php?wid=53901
Sydney International Wine Competition 2013 – Judges comments:
Marian Jansen
A violet nose, with pomegranate and berry fruits. A touch of white pepper and fresh oak on a medium finish. Elegant with the food.
Tom Hogan
Medium ruby in terms of appearance. The nose showing some earthy savoury notes, with a little bit of barnyard. The palate is pretty fresh, complex, really structured, long and mineral.
Adrian Atkinson
Some nice lifted fruit characters with elegance. A bright acidity and elegance with the fruit flavours coming through on the palate. Very bright and bouncy with the food.
Xenia Irwin MW
A closed nose, restrained fruit. Medium toast oak is evidence. Some Morello cherry character. Big, ripe black fruit palate, with fine elegant tannins that integrate neatly with acids for a gentle slow finish. The oak becomes more pronounced with the food and provides a good finish.
Warren Gibson
Lifted pure attractive. Lifted again on the palate. Berry fruit strong with good acidity. Very pure Pinot Noir statement. Relatively simple, but a good match of intensity with the duck.
Brent Marris
A very perfumed nose which follows through onto the palate. Soft and elegant. The tannins structure was very good with a great acid balance and beautiful integrated oak. A gentle wine, enhanced with this duck dish.
Wilfred Wong
A medium red garnet colour. Dense stalky green stems in the aroma. A little too herbal. Okay. Medium bodied. A bit dull on the palate. A little bit of a high pH texture as well. A balanced medium acidity. A pretty good wine.
Awards
GOLD – International Wine Challenge 2013
BLUE-GOLD and TOP100 wine - Sydney International Wine Competition 2013
SILVER - Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2013
SILVER - Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2013
Reviews
Bob Campbell MW - Gourmet Traveller Wine, Oct 2013 - 95/100 & 5 STARS
Deeply scented pinot noir with floral, mineral, raspberry, and savoury/fresh herb flavours. Fine focused wine with a lengthy finish. The wine shows plenty of power delivered with great subtlety.
Bob Campbell MW - July 2012 - 90/100 & 4 STARS
Very attractive nose - aromatic with cherry and floral characters. Bright, focused flavours supported by drying, sappy. tannins. Velvet textured with a drying finish. Elegant Pinot Noir with a "young burgundy" feel about it. Good food wine. Appealing minerality. Has power. www.bobswinereviews.com
The Wine Advocate #209 Nov 2013– Lisa Perotti-Brown - 91+/100s
Pale to medium ruby-purple in color and exuding fragrant violet, cinnamon and lavender notes over a core of black and red cherries, the medium-bodied 2011 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is delicately styled and fills the palate with red berry and earthy flavors supported by a low to medium levels of finely grained tannins and refreshing acid through the finish with great length. Drink it now to 2017+.
Emma Jenkins MW – Fashion Quarterly, Oct 2013
This purely pinot-focused Alexandra label is carving out a stellar reputation (Champion Wine of the Show at the 2012 Air NZ Wine Awards) yet remains an absolute bargain. Consistently offering intense ripe fruit —strawberry, succulent cherry and exotic spices— with a subtle backbone of oak and fresh acidity, it’s not only delicious now but will also amply reward patience.
Michael Cooper – Buyer’s Guide to NZ Wines- 4 STARS
The ruby-hued 2011 is slightly less intense (than 2010), but still very graceful, with strong, ripe cherry/plum flavours, vibrant, supple and youthful.– July 2012 www.michaelcooper.co.nz
Winestate Magazine – Michael Cooper - 4 STARS
Bright, youthful ruby. Vibrantly fruity and supple, single-vineyard Alexandra red with fresh cherry and plum flavours in a graceful, moderately concentrated style, finely poised. Well worth cellaring. – Feb 2013
Raymond Chan – Raymond Chan Wine Reviews - 18.5/20.0, 5 STARS
Moderately deep, dark ruby-red, lighter on rim with some purple hues. The nose is full and even with elegantly presented dark cherry fruit, revealing violetty florals, subtle dark herbs and sensitive oak spices in the glass. Medium-full bodied, intensely concentrated flavours of dark plums and liquorice are laced with notes of dried herbs, liquorice and spicy oak. The fruit is enlivened by racy acidity and framed by soft, grainy tannins. The textures carry the flavours with acid tension to a very long, lingering dry, textural finish with plum and spicy oak featuring prominently. This is a concentrated Pinot Noir with oak spiced fruit, grainy tannins and racy freshness to make it a match with Middle Eastern fare over the next 4-5+ years. 18.5/20 - January 2013 (Note: Raymond Chan was paid a review fee of less than $40 to review this wine)
http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/features/grasshopper-rock-pinot-noir-2011
Sam Kim - 94/100, 5 STARS
From the Alexandra district, this is youthful and full of charm, and the gorgeous bouquet shows red/black cherry, plum, spice and subtle vanillin oak characters. It's succulent and beautifully weighted on the palate with silky texture and polished tannins. The wine flows seamlessly to a superbly long, elegantly dry finish. It's great to see Grasshopper Rock continuing to achieve excellent quality and style. At its best: now to 2020. 13.6%. Jan 2013. (Note: Sam Kim was paid a review fee of less than $40 to review this wine)
John Hawkesby – NZ Herald, Canvas, 24 August 2013 – Top three pinot noir picks for the week.
From Alexandra and one of the southernmost vineyards in the world, the vines here are now 10 years old, producing excellent pinot noir at a reasonable price. It has a medium-bodied style, with concentrated sweet fruit flavours and an underlying dried herb complexity, silky tannins, and big aromas of violets, cherry and ripe plum. http://nzh.tw/11112732
Jo Burzynska – NZ Herald, VIVA, 23 January 2013
Following on from the trophy winning 2010 vintage, Grasshopper Rock’s latest release is another impressive pinot with a silky palate threaded with red cherries, spice and pretty florals.
Joelle Thomson -Top 5 best buys: Central Otago pinot noirs under $40
It’s not just the name that rocks; this pinot noir was one of my top new Central Otago pinots in September this year. Its silky style is a stand out bargain from an eight hectare vineyard in Alexandra; planted in 2003 by five farming families who make this one sensationally silky pinot. – November 2012
www.joellethomson.com/The-Dominion-Post-wine-column.html
Stephen Tanzer - 87/100
Pale amber-edged red. Liqueur-like raspberry and strawberry aromas are lifted by a floral topnote. Supple and pliant in the mouth, with a lightly stewed quality to the red fruit and spice flavors. An easy-drinking wine of moderate intensity and length. 87 http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/index.html
International Wine Challenge 2013 – Judges comment:Light dry autumn leaf with cranberry and guava. Succulent and juicy ripe red fruits with charry note underpinning palate. Gentle velvety tannic squeeze. Lovely restraint and elegance.
http://www.internationalwinechallenge.com/canopy/beverage_details.php?wid=53901
Sydney International Wine Competition 2013 – Judges comments:
Marian Jansen
A violet nose, with pomegranate and berry fruits. A touch of white pepper and fresh oak on a medium finish. Elegant with the food.
Tom Hogan
Medium ruby in terms of appearance. The nose showing some earthy savoury notes, with a little bit of barnyard. The palate is pretty fresh, complex, really structured, long and mineral.
Adrian Atkinson
Some nice lifted fruit characters with elegance. A bright acidity and elegance with the fruit flavours coming through on the palate. Very bright and bouncy with the food.
Xenia Irwin MW
A closed nose, restrained fruit. Medium toast oak is evidence. Some Morello cherry character. Big, ripe black fruit palate, with fine elegant tannins that integrate neatly with acids for a gentle slow finish. The oak becomes more pronounced with the food and provides a good finish.
Warren Gibson
Lifted pure attractive. Lifted again on the palate. Berry fruit strong with good acidity. Very pure Pinot Noir statement. Relatively simple, but a good match of intensity with the duck.
Brent Marris
A very perfumed nose which follows through onto the palate. Soft and elegant. The tannins structure was very good with a great acid balance and beautiful integrated oak. A gentle wine, enhanced with this duck dish.
Wilfred Wong
A medium red garnet colour. Dense stalky green stems in the aroma. A little too herbal. Okay. Medium bodied. A bit dull on the palate. A little bit of a high pH texture as well. A balanced medium acidity. A pretty good wine.