Felton produced 650 cases of the 2006 Calvert Pinot Noir, the nose reluctant at first but unfurls to reveal wild strawberry, red cherry and rose petals laced with a hint of mocha. The palate is firm and quite sinewy (a la Craggy) with fresh, red-berried fruit and a touch of thyme on the finish. Feted as one of New Zealand’s best producers and justifiably so, in my opinion, for time and time again Felton Road’s wines triumph against all-comers. Located in Bannockburn, Central Otago, its vineyards nestle on a gentle north-facing slope between 200m and 335m and overshadowed by 2,000m mountains, their micro-climate benefits from low humidity, wide diurnal temperature variation and high sunshine hours. Although not yet certified, winemaker Blair Walter told me that they apply biodynamics to all the vineyards and benefit from a three-tier, gravity-flow winery and use wild yeasts as standard. I tasted their current portfolio at the winery with many turning up in blind tastings, as well as a comprehensive Block 3 vertical that will appear separately. The Pinots usually include some whole bunches depending upon the vintage, fermented in small open-top vessels and matured in oak of which around 30% is new. They mature for between 12 and 18 months and are bottled without fining or filtering. “Calvert” is a joint-venture with the fruit shared by Pyramid Valley Estate and Craggy RangeImporter: Wilson Daniels Ltd, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661, fax: (707) 963-8566

A new offering from Felton Road, with a creamy, almost syrupy texture and aromas and flavors that lean toward red fruit, versus the dark fruits so often found in their other Pinot Noirs. Turns tart and snappy on the finish, almost cranberryish.——J.C.(11/1/2007)—— 88