WINE > Dry River Pinot Noir 2020 (96/100 points)

The Dry River vineyard was established in 1979 by Dr Neil and Dawn McCallum and was one of Martinborough’s first wineries and over time it has become one New Zealand’s most iconic wines. It was named after one of South Wairarapa’s earliest sheep stations, Dry River rests on the very arid, gravelly, free-draining soils near the Ruamahunga River, an area known as the Martinborough Terrace.

THE VINEYARD

From the very first vintage, Dry River has followed three key vineyard management principles: no irrigation, careful canopy management, and crop thinning. These three concepts work together to produce grapes of remarkable ripeness and concentration.

Over the last eight years, the focus at Dry River has shifted to encouraging biodiversity they weed by hand, using special tools designed by viticulturist James Pittard. Numerous beehives dot the vineyards, and karearea (the New Zealand Bush Falcon) are often seen hovering over the vines. 

Using these regenerative, biodynamic and organic vineyard farming practices has played a major role in defining the Dry River approach.

The fruit for Dry River wines is grown and harvested on three single vineyard blocks: Dry River Estate, Craighall and Lovat. Fruit from each vineyard is blended to wine that carries the vineyard designation. 

The Dry River Estate block was first planted in 1979, and the fruit provides structure and backbone to the wines. Craighall was planted next in 1983, and provides linear structure and acidity to the wines. Finally, Lovat vineyard, planted in 1992, is responsible for the accentuated fruit characteristics.

WINE MAKING

Wilco Lam joined Dry River in 2012 and has arguably steered the wine making to become the cult icon wine that it is. Wilco described the 2020 release as ‘great’, with a cool spring, followed by a warm summer which led to healthy yields, low disease and a stellar crop of pinot noir.

Wine making is undertaken with the lowest levels of intervention, whole bunch grapes with wild yeasts and spontaneous cold fermentation followed by a two week maceration and 12 months aging in French oak barrels. Only 2000 cases are made.

It is worth noting that the winery recently sold and Wilco Lam left in November 2022, so this may see some changes in the 2023 releases and beyond – a good reason to get your hands on some of the 2020 and 2021 releases.

THE TASTING

A note from the wine maker recognises that Dry River wines can ‘go into a tunnel’ for somewhere between six months and two years after release. During this time the wine can be quite unrewarding, but you need to be patient because it can and probably will ‘blossom’ later and confound your earlier impressions and predictions.

A second ‘dip’ can also occur between 4 & 6 years when the wine can start to look tired, but again it may well emerge looking refreshed and in an interesting new phase for the next few years. The lesson here is it is definitely worth opening and decanting them a few hours before serving.

I actually opened the wine and tried it over 3 hours, then left the remainder and came back the following day. It reached its prime the following day and I regretted drinking as much as I did earlier.

It is a deep dark colour in the glass, initially you might question if it is a pinot noir and if presented in a blind tasting and without decant I would suggest many would find it hard to recognise the grape. But something remarkable happens as the wine opens up, the palate goes from tight and chalky to rich and expansive, the first hit of currants and mulberry or boysenberry followed by the spices of nutmeg, cardamon and toasty oak on the finish. It is a lovely wine.

“The wine certainly endorses his enthusiasm. It’s an intense, powerful and yet surprisingly accessible pinot noir, with layers of cherry, berry, spice and savoury flavours that are indescribably delicious and which promise to get even better with bottle age. A very serious pinot noir. Deserves to be aerated, especially in its youth.”

Bob Campbell – The Real Review 98/100

Power and concentration are at the centre of the wines of this year. In vintages like this, the way you extract your tannins and flavour from the fruit is vital. Being gentle and cautious was the focus from the vines to the winery, and this extra care has left us very happy with the result.

“A powerful and seductive bouquet with a core of pinosity then aromas of dark red berries, mineral soil, a fine savoury, dried herb quality and youthful energy. Toasty barrel and dark spices of oak are noticeable, but not misplaced. Fantastic on the palate with a core of youthful energy, baking spices and dark berry fruit flavours, firm tannins and plenty of acidity. The heartbeat of pinosity is strong, holding my attention. A lovely wine that should be locked away in your cellar till 2024 then taste again. Best drinking likely from 2025 through 2040.” 

CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

This wine will benefit from patient and careful cellaring, Dry River propose that it should comfortably last for 10 years and that does not surprise me at all 96/100 points.

“Spice, dried roses, a pleasing earthy bass, bright cherry and cranberry fruit. It’s medium-bodied, firm and bright, with a distinct ‘mineral’ crunch and freshness, spicy too, earth and floral notes mingling to great effect. Almost that sort of bloody character you get in Pommard (apologies for the reference, in a way), and a long crisp finish that offers a pleasant amount of orange peel bitterness. Beautiful wine…” 

GARY WALSH, winefront.com

---

---