Millton 'Domaine Clos de Ste Anne' 2015 Vintage ReleaseDear wine lover, The Millton Vineyard 'Domaine Clos de Ste Anne’ 2015 Vintage Release - all 95 points or more New Zealand's The Millton Vineyards is among the finest wineries in the southern hemisphere. Their wines show what years - indeed, now, decades - of deep attention to their vineyards can produce. The core of Millton's vineyard holdings is the 'Clos de Ste Anne', a unique 12 hectare hillside estate developed around original 1980 plantings of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Owners and winemakers James and Annie Millton have developed the property to include - besides vineyards - forest, amenity trees, livestock and olive plantations. The farming since 1989 has been by biodynamic techniques. In 2001, additional Pinot Noir, Viognier, Syrah and Chenin Blanc were added. James Millton calls Domaine Clos de Ste Anne his ‘grand cru’ site, and the wines are of such distinctive and consistent character and quality that we agree they more than hold their own with similar wines from Europe - and at a fraction of the price. Here's the excellent NZ wine writer Raymond Chan (he's akin to Australia's James Halliday): "I’ve been fortunate to have seen the full releases of the ‘Clos de Ste Anne’ since 2010, and can report that they are indeed special wines. The wines are inspired by the finest examples of their type from around the world, but clearly show the characteristics of the site, its terroir and the growing season. The wines are made based on the accumulated experience of over three decades of winegrowing, and combine the philosophies of technical excellence with passion and soul, with the benefits of biodynamic regimes that are empathetic with the environment. I doubt that there are many other wines made in this country with such principles. The 2015 vintage release comprises Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Viognier." We've also included the Syrah and Chenin Blanc from 2014. These wines are not on our website and are available exclusively for World Wine newsletter readers. To buy, just 'Reply' with your order. There's no minimum, orders over $250 are freight-free, and the wines are in stock. We'll contact you for payment and delivery details. My order: # bottles 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Chardonnay ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Viognier ‘Les Arbres’ 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Pinot Noir ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 2014 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Syrah ‘The Crucible’ 2014 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Chenin Blanc ‘La Bas’ The wines: 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Chardonnay ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 270 bts only $69.95 ‘Brilliant light golden-hued yellow colour with some depth, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is elegantly presented, revealing a deep, concentrated core of ripe yellow stonefruits, along with integrated creamy barrel-ferment notes, subtle savoury nutty elements and a suggestion of spicy oak, unfolding mineral detail. The nose grows in richness with aeration. Medium-full bodied, the palate is initially restrained in expression, but blossoms in richness, revealing harmoniously entwined flavours of ripe yellow stonefruits and citrus fruits, with soft, creamy barrel-ferment and nutty oak elements. The palate has excellent presence and is driven by a little alcoholic power with fresh, lacy acidity providing energy and vibrancy. The wine has strong linearity, flowing along a fine-textured phenolic thread, carrying to a long and sustained finish of stonefruits and nuts. This is a rich and complex, harmoniously melded Chardonnay with stonefruit and nutty flavours, freshness and power. Serve with roasted poultry, pork and veal dishes over the next 5+ years. Hand-picked fruit from the older vines, indigenous yeast barrel-fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 10 months on lees in 15% new Louis Latour French oak with batonnage, preferring minimal MLF..’ 5 Stars 19/20 Sep 2017 Raymond Chan ‘A spectacular chardonnay showing elegance, refinement and complexity; the bouquet shows yellow stone fruit, fig, orange peel, hazelnut and subtle savoury notes. The palate delivers outstanding fruit concentration and weight, wonderfully enhanced by layers of fine texture and creamy mouthfeel. The wine is richly fruited yet restrained and poised, finishing superbly long and expansive. At its best: 2018 to 2025. Aug 2017.’ 5 stars 96 Points Sam Kim, Wineorbit 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Viognier ‘Les Arbres’ 90 bts only $69.95 ‘Bright, even, straw-yellow colour with lemon-gold hues, pale on the rim. The nose is refreshingly poised and youthful, with pure, bright and fragrant aromas of exotic yellow florals and a fine, tight amalgam of citrus zest, stonefruits and nuances of apricot. The nose intensifies in the glass, revealing saline hints and mouthwatering wet-stone minerals. Dry to taste, the palate has freshness and vitality with piquant aromatic fruit flavours of citrus fruit and zest, yellow stonefruits and exotic florals. The fruit is expressed with purity and clarity and is carried along a driven line and some underlying alcoholic power and fresh, lacy acidity. This has a subtle unctuousness and the wine flows smoothly to a long finish of citrus zest and florals. This is a beautifully vibrant and poised Viognier with clarity and purity of fruit expression, with underlying power, richness and linearity. Serve with Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine over the next 4-5+ years. Fruit from the ‘Les Arbres’ section, whole bunch ‘crushed’ and indigenous yeast fermented in 600 L demi-muid barrels to 14.0% alc. and 4.0 g/L RS, the wine aged 11 months on lees in seasoned oak with 100% MLF.’ 5 stars 19/20 Sep 2017 Raymond Chan ‘This glorious viognier exhibits apricot, mandarin, potpourri and jasmine characters on the nose with nuances of warm spice and vanilla. It is powerful and opulent, while remaining structured and beautifully balanced with loads of delectable fruit flavours and creamy mouthfeel, wonderfully framed by gentle acidity and mouth-coating texture. At its best: now to 2021. Aug 2017.’ 5 stars 95 Points Wineorbit 2015 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Pinot Noir ‘Naboth’s Vineyard’ 180bts only $69.95 ‘Light garnet-red colour with some depth, pale on edge with a hint of bricking. The nose is soft,gently full and voluminous with aromas of cherry and soft-red berry fruit, entwined with savoury strawberry and red floral notes, and nuances of herbs, fresh undergrowth, with complexing nuances of earth and smoke. The aromatics grow to show a soft density. Medium-full bodied, the palate has open and mouth filling flavours of savoury strawberries with soft red floral notes, herbs and fresh undergrowth, and nuances of earth and smoke. The palate has supple tannin extraction providing balanced structure along with integrated acidity. The flavours flow with good energy, blossoming on the finish with strawberry, herb and floral notes. This is a softly mouthfilling Pinot Noir with savoury strawberry, herb, undergrowth and smoky flavours on a supple palate with a peacock’s tail finish. Match with mushroom dishes, and wild duck and pork over the next 5-6+ years. Hand-picked and sorted fruit from the older and newer plantings, destemmed, and fermented in cuvees to 13.5% alc., the wine spending 28 days on skins and aged 14 months in 20% new French oak barriques.’ 5 Stars 18.5/20 Sep 2017 Raymond Chan ‘This is deeply savoury and engaging on the nose showing mature fruit, smoked game, truffle, dried herb and mixed spice aromas. The palate is impressively weighted and plush, while remaining elegant and poised with loads of seductive spicy/savoury nuances backed by sweet berry flavours. Mouth-filling and captivating. At its best: now to 2021. Aug 2017.’ 5 stars 95 Points Sam Kim Wineorbit 2014 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Syrah ‘The Crucible’ 90 bottles only $69.95 ‘Dark ruby-red colour with some depth, lighter on the rim with purple tints. The nose is well-proportioned with intense and penetrating aromas of savoury blackberries and dark raspberry fruit, layered with black and white pepper notes, dark plums, liquorice and earth, unfolding nuances of Asian spices and violet florals. Medium-full bodied, the palate has a rich, rounded, but concentrated core of blackberries and raspberries entwined with black and white pepper, liquorice, spices and florals. The fruit is supported by grainy tannin structure providing plenty of grip and mouthfeel. The acidity is balanced and enhances the aromatic profile, and the wine leads to a long, textural finish. This is a rich, concentrated, well-structured Syrah with blackberry and raspberry fruit, along with pepper, liquorice and spices. Match with game meat dishes and semi-hard cheeses over the next 7-9+ years. Hand-picked fruit from ‘The Crucible’ bowl-shaped section, destemmed and indigenous yeast co-fermented with 5% whole clusters of Viognier in 1,000 L ‘cuvees’ to 13.5% alc., the wine spending 28 days on skins and aged 14 months in 75% new French oak.’ 5 Stars 18.5+/20 Sep 2017 Raymond Chan ‘A compelling rendition of the variety, the gloriously expressed bouquet shows dark fruit, charcuterie, thyme, toasted almond, earthy mushroom and floral characters. The palate offers outstanding depth of fruit concentration and fine texture, wonderfully enhanced by gamey, spicy undertones, leading to a persistent, sensual finish. This is Northern Rhone-like with engaging complexity. At its best: now to 2025. Aug 2017.’ 5 stars 96 Points Sam Kim, Wineorbit ALSO AVAILABLE… 2014 Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Chenin Blanc ‘La Bas’ 73 bottles only $69.95 “Weight, texture and harmony. The wine offers complex aromas of golden apple, clove, potpourri and a hint of flint. The palate is concentrated and generous with wonderful richness and volume. A thought-provoking wine, and a brilliant food partner.” 5 stars 96 Points Sam Kim, Wineorbit Cheers, Sarah Fuller and three of our most popular mixed cases: The "BBC Case" - 12 Big Buttery Chardonnays The "SBS" Case - 12 Seriously Beautiful Shiraz The "PPC" Case - 12 Perfect Pinot Noirs And consider the World Wine Club - with regular deliveries of delicious wines hand-picked by World Wine's buying team, our Wine Club is designed so that you will always have a stock of excellent bottles to hand.
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