Quality New Zealand wines and winemaking, Nelson New Zealand
Rimu Grove Winery Newsletter
“Since the début 2000 vintage, Rimu Grove wines have shown great depth and individuality.” Michael Cooper, Cuisine Magazine
"Another pinot magician, Patrick Stowe at Rimu Grove in Nelson, produces wines of considerable depth and seductive charm." Sam Kim, Your Weekend magazine
“My top ten (New Zealand) producers… whose wines aren’t that far behind, including… Rimu Grove…” Tim Atkin, “At the Shrine of Goddess Pinot”, The London Observer
“If you’ve been burned by the inconsistency of Burgundies, found Oregon Pinots overpriced and California versions overly lush, try these and sidestep all of those pitfalls… Wineries to visit in Nelson: Rimu Grove” Jerry Shriver, USA Today
"Rimu Grove is one of the top wineries in the Nelson region on New Zealand’s South Island, and is making some terrific wines at the moment..." Max Allen, The Weekend Australian Magazine
Wine Reviews - Current Releases
2009 Pinot Gris
Michael Cooper's 2011 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
“A consistent winner. The 2009 vintage (
1/2), grown in the Moutere hills, was mostly handled in tanks, but 15% was lees-aged for four months in seasoned French oak barrels. It’s a full-bodied, rich wine with strong pear and lychee flavours, showing good complexity, a touch of sweetness (8 grams/litre of residual sugar), moderate acidity and lovely harmony. Best drinking mid-2011+.”
WineNZ, The Rise and Rise of Pinot Gris, Spring 2010
“Fresh, rich lemon-citrus flavours on the palate. Off-dry with a fresh, vibrant lift of acidity that refreshes and just a touch of textural grip. Alcohol is controlled – really nice balance. Well made, enjoyable wine.”
Winestate Best of Regional New Zealand 2010/2011
2009 Bronte Pinot Gris
Michael Cooper's 2011 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
“Rimu Grove’s second-tier Pinot Gris – but it’s still rewarding. The 2009 vintage (
1/2) was hand-picked in the Moutere hills and mostly handled in tanks, but 15 percent of the blend was fermented and lees-aged for four months in seasoned French oak barrels. Fresh, vibrant and slightly sweet (13 grams/litre of residual sugar), it is tight and citrusy, with a touch of complexity and very good texture and depth.
WineNZ, The Rise and Rise of Pinot Gris, Spring 2010
“Pinot Gris Short List – This is a deliciously vinous wine, from its attractive smoky-mineral nose to its superb fruit purity and texture. Pure pear flavours open into a medium-sweet palate that shows a nice degree of textural firmness then lovely sweet fruit again on finish. Text-book new world Pinot Gris.”
2006 Pinot Noir
Michael Cooper's 2009 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
“Estate-grown near Mapua, on the Nelson coast, this is typically a rich wine with loads of personality. The 2006 vintage (
) was matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (41% new). Already delicious, it is highly fragrant, with lovely density of plum, spice and slight liquorice flavours, complex, silky and sweet-fruited, with underlying tannins. Drink now or cellar.”
Jancis Robinson, NZ Pinots – how good?, 17+ 3 Mar 09
“Looks quite developed. Relatively complex nose – difficult to believe this is only three years old! Sweet and yet not heavy. Racy and flattering. Hint of toasty oak…? Drink 2009-14”
Peter Saunders, F&B Best of the Best Wines 2008
“A young wine, well-structured and nicely fruited Nelson pinot noir. Not heavy, yet quite generous and solid in its fruit and style. Some elegance and class emerging now, a wine which is certainly opening up very well.”
Sam Kim, Food Service Hospitality Magazine, June 2009
“An impressive pinot exhibiting dark plum, spice, floral and mushroom notes on the nose. The palate is beautifully weighted and textured with wonderful balance and structure.”
2009 Bronte Pinot Noir
Michael Cooper's 2011 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
“Estate-grown and hand-picked, the 2009 vintage (
) was matured for 11 months in French oak barriques. Ruby-hued, it is quite forward, with fresh cherry, herb and nut flavours, showing some savoury complexity.”
Wine Orbit Issue 14, October 2010
88 points
“For a young Pinot this is impressively complex on the nose displaying dark cherry, game, savoury mushroom and subtle nutty characters. The palate is beautifully fruited showing silky texture and plenty of fine-grained tannins. A well poised and stylish Pinot. At its best: now to 2013.”
2008 Chardonnay
Michael Cooper's 2011 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
“This wine is always full of personality. Estate-grown near the coast in the Moutere hills and fermented and lees-aged in French oak casks, the 2008 vintage (
1/2) is weighty and rich, with generous peachy, buttery and toasty flavours and a rounded, long finish.”
Winestate Best of Regional New Zealand 2010/2011
Previous Releases
Pinot Gris
Michael Cooper's 2009 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
“A consistent winner. The 2007 vintage (
Warren Barton's Top 100 Wines, The Dominion Post, 1 Dec 08
"This one is the textured treat - oily and sumptuous, with fleshy pear, citrus and tropical fruits and musky, savoury overtones."
Sue Courtney, Wine of the Week, 23 Nov 08 http://www.wineoftheweek.com
“Rimu Grove Nelson Pinot Gris 2008 is rich and concentrated with a toasty overlay. Biscuity notes on the nose carry through to the full-bodied, rounded palate. Fragrant and fruity with pear and apple, a hint of butterscotch or perhaps a "creme brulee topping", the pleasing flavours carry through and linger for a enjoyable aftertaste and with more time in the glass, florals emerge. When chilled, as tasted later, it is still amazing - chilling adds a refreshing crispness but it never loses it sensual texture. PS. Looking back over my Wines of the Weeks, I see Rimu Grove Nelson Pinot Gris 2007 was a Wine of the Week as well. It's definitely not favouritism. It's the quality of the wine that comes through in a blind (i.e. label hidden) tasting.”
Michael Cooper's 2008 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
“The 2007 vintage was estate-grown, hand-picked and lees-aged in tanks (80%) and old French oak barrels. A generous, fleshy and slightly oily wine, it is rich and ripe-tasting, with youthful citrus-fruit, peach and spice flavours, showing some complexity. It needs time; open mid 2008+.”
Bob Campbell, Gourmet Traveller WINE, May/June 2007
Rimu Grove 2006 Pinot Gris, Nelson: 95/100
"Top 100 New Releases - Lovely succulent and accessible wine with classic pear juice flavours plus a touch of spice and hay. Concentrated and appealing pinot gris with strength and character plus a lingering finish."Jo Burzynska, New Zealand Herald VIVA section, 23 May 2007
Rimu Grove 2006 Pinot Gris
"Great Gris: In a sea of grey gris, Rimu Grove has regularly released examples that show the variety in its full spicy splendour..."Max Allen, Weekend Australian, 14-15 April 2007
Rimu Grove 2006 Pinot Gris
"Rimu Grove is one of the top wineries in the Nelson region on New Zealand’s South Island, and is making some terrific wines at the moment. My fave is this complex, spicy, creamy white; the new vintage has just been shipped."Michael Cooper's 2007 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
Rimu Grove 2006 Nelson Pinot Gris 4.5 stars1/2
The 2006 vintage was estate-grown, hand-picked at over 24 brix and lees-aged in tanks (80 per cent) and old French oak barrels. It's a softly mouthfilling wine (13.5 per cent alcohol), slightly sweet (9 grams/litre of residual sugar), with rich, vibrant flavours of pears and spices, lovely weight, mouthfeel and texture, and a very harmonious, rich finish.Pinot Noir
Michael Cooper's 2008 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
Rimu Grove 2005 Pinot Noir
“Estate-grown near Mapua, on the Nelson coast, this is typically a rich wine with loads of personality. The 2005 is a star vintage. Matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (35% new), it is deep and youthful in colour, with a highly fragrant bouquet. Muscular (14.5% alcohol) and sweet-fruited, it is crammed with cherry, plum and spice flavours, supple and highly concentrated. It is delicious now, but also well worth cellaring.”
Wine Orbit
95 points
Rimu Grove 2005 Pinot Noir
“A gorgeous wine boasting a deepish red/purple colour, aromas of blueberry jam, smoked game and beautifully integrated spicy oak. The palate is glorious showing excellent concentration, a smooth mid-range and refined tannins providing an excellent structure to the plush palate. The length is outstanding. With time in the glass the wine developed subtle but haunting black truffle aromas. Magic!”
Nick Bulleid MW, Gourmet Traveller WINE, Aug/Sep 2007
, 94 points
Rimu Grove 2004 Pinot Noir
“This is a gorgeously plump, fleshy wine and I adored its suppleness and fine tannin balance. Bourne also liked it, writing, 'Lovely sweet, sappy aromas. Yummy stuff! Delicate, sweet-fruit flavours, with raspberry and strawberry. Fine acidity and a lovely tail.' There's a hint of funk which adds further intrigue. The wine combines a full body with a graceful balance and, although quite ready, will continue to develop complexity for several years.”
Michael Cooper's 2007 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
Rimu Grove 2004 Nelson Pinot Noir 4.5 stars
Estate-grown near Mapua, on the Nelson coast, this is a consistently characterful and concentrated wine... Ruby-hued, with highly scented rasberry and strawberry aromas, it is supple, with sweet-fruit flavours of plums, red berries and spice, good complexity and a well-rounded finish. Delicious now.Joelle Thomson, New Zealand Herald VIVA section, 8 Nov 2006
Rimu Grove 2004 Nelson Pinot NoirWine of the Week - The Splurge
It might be stating the obvious but this is a fantastic Nelson pinot noir. Adjectives are almost useless when it comes to describing this - or any - wine, suffice to say that Patrick and Barbara Stowe's 2004 Rimu Grove Pinot Noir is as good as I remember the previous vintage being.Air New Zealand Magazine, May 2006
Rimu Grove 2004 Nelson Pinot Noir
"Top 10 Moutere Wines"New Zealand Magazine, Feb/Mar 2006, Paul White & Larry McKenna
Rimu Grove 2004 Nelson Pinot Noir
"Top 16 New Zealand Pinot Noir - Former San Franciscans have produced this deeply fruited, richly-textured, mouth-filling pinot with a refreshing red fruit juiciness."Chardonnay
Michael Cooper's 2010 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
“Estate-grown near the coast in the Moutere hills, the light-yellow 2007 vintage (
1/2) is a full-bodied, high-flavoured wine, fermented and matured on its yeast lees for 11 months in French oak barrels (50% new). Full of personality, it is peachy, toasty, slightly buttery and minerally, with excellent complexity and richness.”
Michael Cooper's 2009 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
1/2
Rimu Grove 2006 Chardonnay
"Estate-grown near the coast in the Moutere hills, the 2006 vintage is a high-flavoured wine, fermented and matured on its yeast lees for 11 months in French oak barrels (36% new). Light yellow/green, it has notably concentrated, peachy, citrusy, slightly buttery flavours, a balanced seasoning of toasty oak and good acid spine. Full of personality, it’s drinking well now, but should be long-lived. "
Michael Cooper's 2008 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
Rimu Grove 2005 Chardonnay
The 2005 was fermented and matured on its full lees for 11 months in French oak barrels (35% new). Pale gold, it shows some development, in a complex style with rich, ripe, tropical-fruit flavours, hints of toast and butterscotch, and substantial body (14.4% alcohol).
Michael Cooper's 2007 Buyer's Guide to NZ Wines
Rimu Grove 2004 Chardonnay
"Hand-picked at 23 brix, whole-bunch pressed and fermented and matured for 11 months on its full yeast lees in French oak barrels (42 percent new), the 2004 vintage is light yellow with toasty oak and butterscotch aromas. It’s a highly flavoured wine with tense, concentrated citrus and stone-fruit flavours woven with fresh acidity and slightly honeyed richness."
