Framingham Wines Limited Wines

This is a wine for Riesling lovers or anyone who loves dry white wine. Marlborough is fast becoming a hot destination for all sorts of other varieties besides the ubiquitous Savvy Blanc. Already aged for seven years in the bottle, this wine is ready to be unleashed with some simple seafood. It shows aromas of lime and citrus peel as well as a toasty complexity before a creamy and persistent finish. Still amazingly fresh, you can comfortably cellar this for the next five years.

New Zealand Pinot is starting to make the world sit up and take notice and it’s not just the wines of Central Otago that are making a splash. This Pinot from Marlborough has us excited with all its varietal charms on offer. It’s framed by red fruits, like cherry and cranberry with intriguing savoury characters of smoked meats and spice. It’s got a silky mouthfeel with a touch of oak and sleek fruit intensity. It’s complexed by notes of mushroom and minerals while balanced acids deliver a punchy finish.

Here’s a Riesling you might just find as an antidote to all the Sauvignon Blanc that Marlborough produces. It’s good to see New Zealand producers like Framingham produce other aromatic whites in their stable and this Riesling is very special indeed. It’s made in an off dry style, which means there’s some sweetness but it’s balanced out by some masterful acidity. Shuck some oysters or grill some white fish as this wine is the perfect partner with its vivid aromatics, heavenly structure and beautiful balance.

Pinot Gris from New Zealand could well be the nations new secret weapon. Sure, we all know that Sauvignon Blanc is the benchmark variety in Marlborough, but the aromatic and food-friendly Gris is shaping up to be a variety to watch. This is made in the style of the wines from Alsace, so it’s highly aromatic and textured. Expect aromas of apple and pear and a latent mineral note, before an intense and rich palate that is unctuous, round and surprisingly long.

If we could isolate wine trends in the last decade that have taken the world by storm we would have to mention the rise and rise of Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc. There seems no shortage of demand and while there’s a need we are more than happy to bring you some of the best. This is from Marlborough, the spiritual mecca of Savvy and shows clearly why the style and grape is so popular. This is classy Sauvignon with a mineral edge yet overflowing with aromas of grapefruit, dried herbs and tropical fruit. It’s got a nicely chalky texture and fresh, juicy acids on the finish.

Not sure that we have ever seen a Montepulciano from Marlborough before but this is the real deal. A wine that shows the kiwis can do a whole load more than just produce aromatic whites. Originally from the Abruzzi region of Italy this easy drinking, savoury red is the perfect match with food like pasta, risotto and even pizza. The nose is laden with smoky fruit, tobacco and licorice before a silky palate of black fruit, dark chocolate and subtle oak.

Sometimes it’s appropriate to drink a wine that’s low in alcohol and what could be more exciting than this Germanic inspired Riesling that shares a tension between sweetness and acidity. Strangely enough it’s from Marlborough, New Zealand and the team at Framingham Estate have really nailed the style. It’s laden with minerals and seductive aromas of orange and honeysuckle before a silky and balanced palate of stonefruit and citrus.

Lovely fragrant, complex nose showing mandarin, honeysuckle, jasmine, green tea and lemon citrus aromatics along with some wet stone-like minerality. Intense and concentrated yet delicate palate with tight, juicy acidity showing flavours of lemon citrus, mandarin and stonefruit with hints of ginger and pepper, complete with a stony, mineral finish. Though tightly structured, the wine has a lovely, soft feel in the mouth. Framingham Wine Awards & Accolades Blue Gold: 2010 Sydney International Wine Competition Silver Medal: 2009 Hong Kong International & Spirit Competition Best in Class: 2009 UK International Wine & Spirits Competition

The wines of Framingham Estate are such evocative interpretations of European styles that we had to do a double take when we found out this Gewurtztraminer was from New Zealand. Head straight for the spicy Thai dishes for this wine as it handles heat well thanks to being aromatic and lifted yet retaining a cleansing acidity. Perfumed with musk and rose and complexed by ginger and spice, this wine is quite a mouthful. The palate rewards with stonefruit, a silky mouthfeel and lusciously lingering finish.

The Framingham Estate wines from Marlborough reminded us that the land of sheep and rugby is not just about Sauvignon Blanc when it comes to white varieties. The proof is in the pudding as cleverly displayed by this modern Chardonnay. It combines fruit, minerals and oak to create a wine that is textured and perfect with food. This is complex Chardonnay with a perfume of stonefruit, cracked wheat, and delicious leesy characters. The palate is rich and concentrated with a creamy persistence on the finish. This would pair well with pan-roasted salmon with a citrus butter sauce.

Bouquet shows bright, fruit forward aromatics reminiscent of baked apple, pear nectar and cream with some underlying mineral notes. Buscuity lees-derived notes provide complexity. Palate has generous “Apple Strudel”-like flavours of apple, pear, quince, dough and custard. Intense, rich, slightly oily palate with excellent weight, silky texture and good mouthfeel culminating in a creamy finish. Framingham Wine Awards & Accolades Highly Commended: 2010 Sydney International Wine Competition Silver Medal: 2009 UK International Wine & Spirit Competition

Fragrant aromatics reminiscent of currant, nettle, grapefruit and dried herbs with some stony, mineral notes adding complexity. A full, complex spectrum of flavours from herbal notes through to ripe tropical fruit salad, with strong blackcurrant, grapefruit and hints of tomato leaf. Texture has a touch of “chalkiness” and is enriched by the barrel ferment components. Acidity is fresh and juicy but by no means tart, and helps to promote a long, stony mineral finish.

If you enjoy Kiwi sauvignon, then you'll love the 2006 Framingham. It's pretty much quintessential Marlborough sauvignon blanc - with a more modest price tag than some. The flavours run the full gamut from green pea and fresh herbs to tropical fruit - gooseberry,lychee, guava - with a complexing minerally edge. Memorably, they linger. This is tight, fine and refreshing with vibrant, taut acidity - almost spine tingling. Imported by Pernod Ricard.

Light yellow-green; a fresh and fragrant bouquet with classic spice and lychee aromas leads into a crisp, clean, well-balanced palate with similar flavours; no sign of phenolics, and perfect sugar/acid balance.

Bright fresh wine with aromas of lemons and green apples. Lovely texture to the palate with nice freshness and a complex flavour profile of sweet rich peaches and pears.

Light to medium yellow-green; a spotlessly clean, crisp bouquet with mineral, herb and lemon aromas is followed by a crisp palate with good length and structure, offering gooseberry and a touch of capsicum on the back palate.

Light green-yellow; the bouquet is clean, of moderate intensity, offering a mix of herb/grass and more minerally notes. The palate is direct, no frills, with fair length and underlying fruit sweetness carrying through to the finish. All in all, a better-than-average outcome for '98.

Every year, this is reliably one of my favourite NZ sauvignon blancs. This winery was recently bought by the same French business that owns our very own Jacob's Creek so now that the Kiwis are no longer in charge the wines might get even better. Sorry Kiwi friends, that was just a reflexive cheap shot. It would be damn hard to do a better job than the Framingham winemakers are doing right now.

This is a straight-down-the-line Marlborough sauvignon blanc, with plenty of ripe lifted tropical fruit aromas and bright aromatics. The palate is full and rich, acidity cuts into the fruit delivering balance and a zesty sparkling tropical-flavoured finish.

This has some real poise and nicely delivered aromas - rich dark cherries, soft sweet spicy nuances and some very alluring sweet purple fragrance. On the palate it splashes flavour in all corners, making a more overt statement of oak while tying it all together with a brace of fine tannins through the finish. Stylish, approachable and shapely pinot.