Jancis Robinson MW names Neudorf as “one of the most Burgundian Pinots outside Burgundy”.
Neudorf was one of her 8 New Zealand wineries – others included Felton Road, Greenhough, Rippon and Pegasus Bay..“The inspiration for true lovers of Pinot Noir is, of course, red burgundy. This delicate, earthy, unpredictable, playful liquid gets under winemakers’ skin to such an extent that all over the world, where the climate is cool enough to allow the early ripening Pinot Noir grape a chance of hanging on the vine long enough to develop some interesting flavours, people have been experimenting with the red burgundy grape.
Because Pinot Noir is so finicky, the results of these experiments have been much less obviously successful than when happier travellers such as Bordeaux’s Cabernet Sauvignon have been transplanted round the world. In fact, such has been commercial demand for Pinot Noir in the US that all too many wines sold as Pinot Noir there have been simply sweetish and soft rather than exhibiting any of Pinot’s delicacy and tantalisingly wide range of possible aromas: raspberries, strawberries, redcurrants, bitter cherries, violets, mushrooms, coffee (generally from barrels rather than grapes), autumn undergrowth, truffles, well hung game and many more.
A common problem with Pinots made by neophytes is that they are too dark, too heavy, too chewy and too concentrated – too Cabernet-like in fact. But all this is changing rapidly as those in what one might call the world’s Pinot Noir hotspots (cool spots?) – New Zealand, Oregon, and parts of Germany and Australia – have become more proficient.”
Jancis Robinson MW and her Burgundian Pinots from outside Burgundy
Australia
Bass Philip; Bindi; Curly Flat; Eldridge Estate; Freycinet/Wineglass Bay; Gembrook Hill; Kelvedon Estate; Hurley; Paradigm Hill
California
Au Bon Climat; Flowers; Hanzell; Littorai Navarro; Saintsbury; Sanford
New Zealand
Bell Hill; Felton Road; Greenhough; Julicher; Muddy Water; Neudorf; Palliser; Rippon
Oregon
Domaine Drouhin; Evening Land; Eyrie; Ponzi; Willakenzie
Financial Times London 2009.