Our Wines
Poverty Bay Wine Estates currently produces two wines from its Bridge Estate vineyard. The 2008 Rose was our first wine in the market and subject to discerning interest, the 120 cases sold out by August 2009. The 2008 Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec, after gently resting in Radoux oak barrels was bottled in March 2009 with a release date of 1 October 2009.
Comments to date have been favourable, most notably from Michael Cooper (he who needs no introduction) who noted it was a wine ‘with a strong personality'.
We've been accused of that before.
Now to the 2009 wines... the 2009 Rose was launched also on 1 October 2009 and is magnificent.....Michael Cooper observed it was "one of the most satisfying New Zealand Roses I have tasted.."
Still this isn't all about Michael Cooper.
The mother lode will be the 2009 Bordeaux blend which we can confirm will be bottled under the traditional and historic Bridge Estate label. The fruit in 2009 was the ripest for 25-30 years according to the walnut-faced locals and needless to say we have huge expectations on this wine which is currently ‘gently resting'...you get the hang of it.
En Premeur offers will be sent to aficionados in the New Year. We expect to produce around 400 cases of this wine which will be true to the traditions of the old Bridge Estate, the last of which was produced in 1999. Both 2008 and 2009 wines show the clear benefits of vine age and the quarter century of vine development comes through unmistakeably in the final product.
The 2009 will be twice the price of the 2008. Just letting you know.
Riverpoint Semillon 2010
This Semillon has a wonderful citrus blossom and pear perfume, which is the perfect introduction to the exceptionally elegant palate. Flavours of ripe lemon, lime sherbet and lemon grass burst onto the palate, while the lovely fresh acidity ensures a bright lengthy finish. A superb partner for anything seafood or poultry during the sunny summer months.
Viticulture
The Semillon grapes for this wine were carefully hand harvested from some of the oldest Semillon vines in the Gisborne region. Situated at Opou Road, Manutuke, these vines experience the fresh sea breezes and night air from being so close to the sea. This assists with the retention of vibrant citrus and floral aromas and flavours.
Hand harvested 4 April 2010 with the following statistics:
Brix: 20.3
pH: 3.17
TA: 8.025g/L
Winemaking
Once harvested, the fruit was destemmed and slightly crushed to 400kg containers to cold soak overnight at 4 degrees. This enables the full expression of Semillon's flavour and aroma to be extracted from the skin. After cold soaking, the must was gently pressed and the juice lightly settled before putting to mature French barriques for fermentation. A range of aromatic and texture enhancing yeasts were used to maximise the complexity of the final wine.
Analyses at bottling:
pH: 3.20
TA: 6.9g/L
RS: 0.5g/L
Alcohol: 12%
Riverpoint Rosé 2010
This Rosé is comprised of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet franc.
Shiny pale peachy pink, this wonderfully aromatic blush has the unmistakable aromas of strawberries and cream with violet notes. The palate bursts with flavours of wild strawberries laced with light cream, and finishes with a memory of fresh peaches.
Ideal to sip with friends in the summer sun.
Viticulture
The vines of the Riverpoint Bridge Estate vineyard are the oldest vines in the Gisborne region. The varieties are the traditional reds of Bordeaux, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, and Cabernet franc. Careful attention to nutrition and canopy management ensures that these Gisborne vitis icons continue to produce excellent fruit. Balanced spur pruning maintains even budburst and fruit ripening.
Hand harvested 26 April 2010 with the following statistics:
Brix: 23
pH: 3.53
TA: 7.8g/L
Winemaking
After careful hand harvesting the grapes were destemmed and partially crushed to 400kg bins to be cold soaked overnight to ensure extraction of flavour and aroma without excessive tannin. After 18 hours on skins, the juice was gently pressed to tank and lightly settled before a cool fermentation with aromatic yeast. Once the perfect balance of sweetness was achieved the fermentation was terminated to retain sufficient sugar to support the fruit flavours of the wine. The wine was gently fined prior to filtration and bottling.
Analyses at bottling:
pH: 3.60
TA: 7.05g/L
RS: 2g/L
Alcohol: 13.2%
Riverpoint Rosé 2009
This violet pink Rosé from the grand old Bordeaux varieties of the Bridge Estate Vineyard shows enticing aromas of red currant, cranberries and hints of sweet citrus blossom and cream. Ripe full flavours of cherry and cranberry greet the tastebuds, and these sweet flavours continue throughout the palate, which finishes refreshingly spliced with spice from a generous addition of juicy Malbec.
Viticulture
The vines of the Riverpoint Bridge Estate vineyard are the oldest vines in the Gisborne region. The varieties are the traditional reds of Bordeaux, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, and Cabernet franc. Careful attention to nutrition and canopy management ensures that these Gisborne vitis icons continue to produce excellent fruit. Balanced spur pruning maintains even budburst and fruit ripening.
Hand harvested 11th and 12th April 2009 with the following statistics:
Brix: 23.5
pH: 3.47
TA: 5.7g/L
Winemaking
After 15 hours of cool skin contact in the press overnight, juice was gently extracted from the Merlot and Malbec ferments to give a blend of 75% Merlot and 25% Malbec. This was transferred to a refrigerated tank, where the juice was cooled and clarified before being inoculated with an aromatic yeast. Slow steady fermentation at cool temperatures has ensured the retention of delicate flavours and aromas. Prior to bottling this wine was delicately enhanced using fresh skim milk.
Analyses at bottling:
pH: 3.45
TA: 6.6g/L
RS: 9g/L
Alcohol: 13%
Poverty Bay Matawhero Merlot Cabernets - Bordeaux Blend 2008
This integrated expression of classic Bordeaux varieties shows how well these wines complement each other when blended. Full, rich plum fruit flavours from Merlot are intensified by the dark berries of Cabernet franc and Cabernet sauvignon, and currant and spice from Malbec. The Cabernets also add structure and length, with ripe firm tannins, ensuring a balanced, concentrated wine from start to finish. French barriques perfect the ensemble, donating refined floral and nut nuances.
Viticulture
The vines of the Riverpoint Bridge Estate vineyard are the oldest vines in the Gisborne region. The varieties are the traditional reds of Bordeaux, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, and Cabernet franc. Careful attention to nutrition and canopy management ensures that these Gisborne' vitis icons' continue to produce excellent fruit. Balanced spur pruning maintains even budburst and fruit ripening.
Hand harvested with the following statistics:
| 26 April 08 | 11 April 08 | 27 April 08 |
27 April 08 |
| Merlot: | Malbec: | Cabernet franc: | Cabernet sauvignon: |
| Brix: 23.5 |
Brix: 22 |
Brix: 24.2 |
Brix: 23 |
| pH: 3.64 |
pH: 3.23 | pH: 3.62 |
pH: 3.51 |
| TA: 7.57g/L | TA: 9.7g/L | TA: 8.025g/L | TA: 9.6g/L |
Winemaking
Each variety was treated as a separate parcel and crushed to open fermenters for hand plunging three times daily. The wines were pressed at dryness for malolactic fermentation in a mixture of new and mature French barriques. After 11 months maturation, the outstanding barrels were carefully selected for the final blend, which required no further enhancement with fining.
Analyses at bottling: 10 March 2009
pH: 3.68
TA: 6g/L
RS: NIL
Alcohol: 13.5%
Blend composition:
Merlot (64 per cent)
Cabernet Sauvignon (22 per cent)
Cabernet Franc (7 per cent)
Malbec (7 per cent)