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www.winereviewonline.com Robert Whitley February 2010
The Marlborough region was once regarded as a one-note wonder, that wonder being crisp, pungent Sauvignon Blanc. In recent years, Pinot Noir has started to crowd Sauvignon for attention, and now it seems there is good potential for Chardonnay, too. This vintage of Jackson Shelter Belt offers flinty minerality and bracing acidity that is accompanied by bright citrus notes on the lemony side of the flavor spectrum. It is Burgundian in style, and absent the oily characteristics that seem to dominate most New World Chardonnay. Enjoyable now, but expect this wine to flesh out, darken and exhibit complexities of stone fruits, spice and butterscotch as it ages. Points: 91.
Relish Magazine (USA) Wini Moranville and Charles Smothermon November 2009
...a mouth-fillingly generous and beautifully balanced sip...a generous New Zealand
Chardonnay...has spent some time on oak, which helps make it more toasty and round. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that!
Wine Enthusiast Magazine J.C. Editor's Choice September 2009
The deft oaking of this wine has left only the imprint of toasted almonds layered across the top of this richly textured, citrusy wine. The end result isn’t that similar from lemon brioche, but and exceedingly fine and elegant version that finishes dry and clean. Drink now and over the next few years. 90 Points.
New York Examiner Robert Haynes-Peterson 29th September 2009
A single vineyard production (10-year vines with very low malic acid contents), Paterson delays sulfur (for a more harmonious flower profile), using a mix of new and older French Oak. What Paterson has created is a most unusual Chardonnay with aromatic tones of gunpowder, burnt oak, white pepper and a very slight butter note. The palate opens with ozone, gunpowder, black tea, with mid-tones of lemon, grapefruit and a very mild butter at the back of the tongue, and a long, pleasantly mineral finish. This is a wonderful Chardonnay for people who have stopped drinking Chardonnay, and tends to work best as an aperitif.
www.winecompanion.com.au James Halliday 26th September 2009
Excellent green-yellow colour; a lively bouquet and palate present; a light- to medium-bodied chardonnay with attractive stone fruit flavours to the fore; good line and length. 95 points.
Halogen Life (New York) Robert Haynes-Peterson 22nd September 2009
“I think people are going back to the drawing board with Chardonnay,” says winemaker Mike Paterson of New Zealand’s Jackson Estate Vineyards. “It goes hand-in-hand with a trend for preferences for a lower-alcohol wine and one that pairs well with food.” While the Marlborough region - where Jackson Estate is located - is best known for its Sauvignon Blancs, Paterson’s Chardonnay is a mid-priced example of some of the experimenting going on these days. It definitely redefines ones image of New Zealand Chards.
“There is a lot of Chardonnay out there,” he notes. “We wanted a savory, lemon-noted style that’s more elegant and very different from the fruit-forward New World Chardonnays.” What he ended up with on his 2007 Jackson Estate Shelter Belt ($20 USD) was a nose redolent with gunpowder, burnt oak, white pepper and butter, and a palate reminiscent almost of a scotch: Opening tones of ozone and tea, that migrates into lemon, grapefruit and a very mild butter on the back of the tongue and provides a long, mineral finish. Drinkable and original, and nothing like the Bad Old ’80s.
Style Gourmet (New York) Elliot Essman 20th September 2009
The Jackson Estate 2007 Shelter Belt Chardonnay, $22 (USD), sees a production of only 1,000 cases, of which we enjoy a mere 150. The vines used for two clones (Mendoza and B95) of Chardonnay are ten years old, middle-aged for Marlborough. “With these two particular clones,” Paterson says, “we reduce the effects of malolactic fermentation and hence limit the buttery notes that are so often overdone in many New World Chardonnays.” This is a wine with layers, a medium lemon in color, with grapefruit, pineapple, mango and lemon on the nose. A dry wine with structure, not fruit forward, with tasteful bits of creaminess and chewy notes of brioche. The finish is long, fruity, with echoes of the restrained French oak regime (25% new oak) offering sweet and fragrant vanilla. I would enjoy this elegant wine on its own.
Cuisine Magazine May 2009
This caramelly, citrus peel infused rendition elicited divergent views from the panel. John Belsham felt its fruit was fading; Larry McKenna praised its ripeness and elegance. 4 Stars.
Wine Spectator Harvey Steiman February 2009
Smooth and spicy, with a strong pepper and clove component to the pear and tangerine peel flavors, lingering on the raw-edged finish. Drink now through 2012. 90 Points.
Western Mail Neil Cammies 24th January 2009
Situated in Marlborough, from the northeast region of the South Island, the familiar name of Jackson Estate showed its Shelter Belt Chardonnay with fresh, bright fruit showing food citrus mouth feel.
www.truewines.co.nz David Stewart 13th October 2008
Look - Solid, pale gold. Smell - Aromas of lemon curd, buttercups and bees wax star on a bright, lifted nose with a hint of mealy complexity. Taste - A delicate, lightly buttered initial impact fleshes out nicely through the middle of the wine, bringing appealing biscuit base and marmalade flavours over some quietly impressive underlying tension, stretching well into a long, mineral-touched finish. Very smart wine.
Otago Daily Times Charmian Smith 12th November 2008
Fragrant with hints of grapefruit and tropical fruit, understated oak and just a suggestion of nuts supporting and giving structure and texture to this delicious crisp wine.
The Independent Wine Monthly Jane Skilton and Emma jenkins November 2008
The 2007 Jackson Estate Shelter Belt Chardonnay has an intensely aromatic nose, immediately appealing with aromas in the bran biscuit, oatmeal and stone fruit spectrum. The palate is ripe and full-flavoured with a lovely silky texture. Nectarine, red apple and melon flavours give way to nutmeg and sweet spice oak. Very attractive drinking now. Powerful and complex, concentrated flavours. Fantastic value for money.
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