Reviews
Read what the critics have to say! See below for recent reviews of our current releases. If you wish to read reviews of past vintages simply click here.
"Chardonnays from CJ Pask are just such examples of modern style and refinement, from the easy-drinking Roy's Hill to flavoursome Gimblett Road and the breathtakingly good Declaration."
Sam Kim, Dominion Post Weekend, January 2010
Roy’s Hill Merlot Cabernet 2007
This is an attractive merlot-led blend from a region known for merlot above all. The flavours are ripe and layered, persistent from attack to finish, and they’re paced by a seam of clean, fresh acidity. A smooth texture and ripe, easy-going tannins complete the package. Winepointer, August 5th 2010
Roy's Hill Chardonnay 2009
Fresh and vibrant chardonnay with plenty of juicy stonefruit and citrus flavours. It's smooth and refreshing.
Sam Kim Consulting, Your Weekend, May 2010
For fans of top shelf Hawke's Bay chardonnays, it will come as no surprise to find my pick of sub-$15 Kiwi chardonnays also comes from the sunny Bay - and a particularly warm corner of it, too. Winemaker Kate Radburnd is fussy about the grapes she uses in this lovely full bodied, vibrant citrusy chardonnay. Its relatively low 12.5 per cent alcohol adds to its appeal. If you can find a better tasting chardonnay for this price or less in New Zealand right now, tell me!
Joelle Thomson, Herald on Sunday, Detours, March 2010
Roy's Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Yes, they do sauvignon in the Bay and, like this one, they often lean a bit more to the herbal/capsicum end of the taste spectrum. Lively, tangy and instantly quaffable.
John Hawkesby, Weekend Herald, January 2010
Roy's Hill Merlot 2007
Hawke's Bay winemaker Kate Radburnd named this high quality, low priced, full bodied merlot after Roy's Hill, which overlooks CJ Pask vineyards.
Joelle Thomson, Herald on Sunday, Wine of the week, January 2010
Generous red with ripe blackcurrent, plum and spice flavours, a hint of dark chocolate and a smooth finish. Fine value at $15.
Michael Cooper, Wine of the Week in The Listener, December 2009, 3 1/2 stars
The 2007 vintage was extraordinary in New Zealand. Moreover, if there is a place in the world, next to Bordeaux, where Merlot can give its best, it is Hawke's Bay, particularly the terroir of the Gimblett Gravels. And this amazing Roy's Hill wine from CJ Pask winery is an eloquent illustration. In a surprising concentration for New Zealand wines, this delicious wine, focused on the fruit, is suitable to drink without food. The 2007 vintage is particularly inviting and touted with its aromas of plum, spice and vanilla. The mouthfeel, round and complex, follows with a velvety texture and pleasant, perfect balance, soft tannins and flavours of a good length which capture us to the final adroitly wood. Offered at less than $18.00 hard to find a New Zealand Merlot as satisfying!
Serve at 17C. All indicated to accompany your BBQ or harmonize perfectly with roasted chicken, chicken kebabs and mushrooms or with calf marengo.
www.fidelesdebacchus.com/coupdecoeur.htm , 3 1/2 stars (translated from French)
$15-$25: MID-PRICED MARVEL
BORDEAUX-ESQUE FROM NEW ZEALAND
I've tasted some pretty good Bordeaux-style blends from Hawkes Bay, and here's one more. The softer, gentler side of the grape: so velvety, supple, filled with plums and other red field berries. The oak is in check, and supports rather than dominates. Very, very easy-drinking and, for the price, very good. Drink now-2011. Food pairing: chicken with mushroom sauce.
Wines of the week by Bill Zacharkiw, FREELANCE, OCTOBER 31, 2009
Gimblett Road Chardonnay 2007
An immensely appealing wine showing apricot and subtle creamy oak flavours with a sliky smooth palate.
Sam Kim, The Dominion Post Weekend, January 2010
Style and poise define Kate Radburnd's Chardonnays. This Gimblett Road Chardonnay displays gentle and complex aromas of apricot, citrus, cream and a hint of nutty pak. It's concentrated and beautifully textured showing a lovely smooth mouthfeel, bright acidity and a lingering finish. The wine is superbly balanced and structured showing attractive elegant flavours. At it's best: now to 2013.
Wine Orbit, Sam Kim, 90 points, 4.5 Stars, November 2009
Fresh, vibrant style with lively, grapefruit-like flavours and a very subtle oak seasoning (30% barrel-aged.) Not especially rich or complex, but a mid-weight style with some elegance. Highly approachable.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 3 stars
Gimblett Road Pinot Gris 2009
A very smart wine, perhaps Kate at her best in Hawke's Bay. Very stylish fruit, a lovely texture and everything firing in terms of weight and intensity. Almost dry. A delicious food wine opening up perfectly for summer and into 2012.
Hospitality NZ, December 2009
Gimblett Road Viognier 2009
Lemon gold. Fragrant apricot and pear drop aromas with apricot sweetness brimming through the palate together with vanilla and port wine magnolia-like florals and a lifted finish. A smooth, powerful, weighty wine with a spicy kick. Slightly controversial in the tasting - some people found it too overpowering.
Sue Courtney, First Glass Newsletter, May 2010
Spiced mandarin aromas are fresh and vibrant while the flavours are more orange focused, with a layer of minerality. This is an elegant wine that has a very long juicy finish and is fantastic with chicken or seafood from the barbecue.
Neil Hodgson, Nelson Mail, January 2010
Unoaked for the first vintage to check how the variety stakes out, Kate says. This one checks out very well, bone dry yet tasting ripe, quite generous flavours for a dry wine and working well with early courses. Certainly no hurry.
Peter Saunders, WineNZ, Spring/Summer 2009
Gimblett Road Syrah 2007
This is mid-weight, perfectly ripe and poised, with lifted violet, blueberry-dark cherry, with some woodsmoke and licorice character. While it's definitely not as rich and jammy as Aussie or South American versions, it is generous and nicely balanced, with firm acidity and moderate tannin. Very good length. Needs to age two years; should keep through 2016. Vintages. LCBO 163998.
Toronto Life, David Lawrason, May 2010, 89 points
From deep-rooted, almost hydroponic, stone vineyards in Hawkes Bay. Big licorice, strawberry, vanilla, black cherry and smoky aromas, perfectly mirrored on the palate. An intense, classy Syrah.
Gord Stimmell Wine Critic, Toronto Star (CAN), May 2010
This Hawke's Bay red offers consistently fine value. Estate-grown and barrelmatured for a year, the 2007 vintage is dark and highly fragrant, with generous plum, blackpepper and liquorice flavours, well-integrated oak and a firm backbone of tannin. Well worth cellaring. Score: 4 (Michael Cooper, Michael Cooper's Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines, 2010)
John Szabo, www.winealign.com, May 2010
From the mid-tier range and excellent value for money. Syrah is becoming synonymous with Hawkes Bay and this is a fine example of a pure fruit driven red that goes perfectly with meat straight from the barbecue.
John Hawkesby, Weekend Herald, January 2010
Some Hawke's Bay syrahs are twice this price, which makes this one from a winery with a long history for producing reds with crowd appeal an absolute steal. Fragrant, flavoursome and liberally seasoned. A wine that will have you ordering pepper steak.
Warren Barton, The Dominion Post, December 2009
Dark, fragrant and flavour packed, CJ Pask Gimblett Road Syrah 2007 was recently this column's wine of the week.
Listener, July 2009, 4 stars
A bargain. This stylish Hawke's Bay red is dark and highly fragrant, with generous plum, black pepper and liquorice flavours, a subtle seasoning of oak and a firm, long finish. Worth cellaring.
Listener, July 2009
Aromas of fresh cracked black pepper, baked cherry, and grilled tomato follow through on a supple entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with roasted pepper and spice notes. Finishes with a browned apple and wet cedar fade.
World Wine Championships Award, June 2009, 88 points, Silver Medal
Rated well by all judges, this wine offers great value. Estate-grown and barrel-matured for nine months, it is dark and highly fragrant, with generous plum, black pepper and liquorice flavours, well-integrated oak, and a firm backbone of tannin. Well worth cellaring.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 4 stars
Gimblett Road Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2007
Ruby, some carmine and velvet. Bouquet is clean, fragrant and sweet on a suggestion of violets and dark roses, plus cassis, ripe plums and lightly cedary oak. Flavour shows a little more oak and a trace of stalk, but the berryfruit is fresh and attractive, medium richness, all attractively balanced as a medium-term wine. Cellar 3 - 10 years.
www.geoffkellywinereviews.co.nz July 2009, 4 stars
Bright, fresh berry and plum flavours seasoned with subtle spicy oak. Firm, drying tannins are fairly aggressive right now but will mellow in time. A solid Bordeaux Blend from a good vintage..
Bob Campbell, July 2009, 82/100
Firm, concentrated and moderately complex, CJ Pask Gimblett Road Merlot 2007 and CJ Pask Gimblett Road Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2007 are also well worth buying and cellaring for a couple of years.
Listener, July 2009, 3 1/2 stars
Deep garnet violet color. Aromas of cassis jam, honeycomb, cedar, and pink peppercorns follow through on a supple entry to a dryish medium body with notes of cigar tobacco and pepper dust. Finishes with a hint of clay and spiced nuts on the soft finish. Nice balance and style. Serve with flank steak.
World Wine Championships Award, June 2009, 89 points, Silver Medal
Well-priced blend of cabernet sauvignon (56%), merlot (27%) and malbec (17%), barrel-aged for 16 to 18 months. Dark, with concentrated plum and spice flavours, the herbal, leafy notes typical of cabernet sauvignon, and good structure and complexity.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 3 1/2 stars
Gimblett Road Merlot 2007
Winemaker Kate Radburnd has been making elegant, accessible merlots at Pask for almost two decades. This one catches fairly generous sweet, slightly floral raspberry, mocha and tarry notes with an underlying herbal tea edge on the finish. Very good length. Vintages. LCBO 9134.
Toronto Life, David Lawrason, May 2010, 87 points
It's fragrant and juicy with plum and spicy oak characters. A gorgeous red to partner savoury dishes.
Sam Kim Consulting, Your Weekend, May 2010
Ruby. Bouquet is really fragrant, with the soft roses floral quality merlot can show when not over-ripe or over-oaked, on ripe red fruits. This is a pretty wine in the best sense, contrasting with a more substantial one like the Church Road Cuve model. Palate is still firm and youthful, red plums more than black, not particularly concentrated but what is there is good, and appropriately oaked at about the level of the Vidal Estate wine - that is, still more than some. This will cellar attractively, and be soft and food-friendly in a couple of years. Cellar 3 - 10 years.
www.geoffkellywinereviews.co.nz July 2009, 4 stars
Quite a dense vibrant wine packed with juicy berry flavours with a subtle seasoning of oak. Deliciously drinkable red with a strong fruit focus. Well made wine from a good vintage.
Bob Campbell, July 2009, 86/100
Firm, concentrated and moderately complex, CJ Pask Gimblett Road Merlot 2007 and CJ Pask Gimblett Road Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2007 are also well worth buying and cellaring for a couple of years.
Listener, July 2009, 3 1/2 stars
Garnet Violet color. Aromas of clay, pigskin, plum pastry and carob milkshake follow through on a brisk entry to a dryish medium body with nutshell and spice notes on the breezy, slightly peppery finish.
World Wine Championships Award, June 2009, 87 points, Silver Medal
Firm and concentrated, with blackcurrant and spice flavours and hints of thyme and dried herbs. Shows some density and complexity, with firm tannins and good length. Verging on four stars.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 3 1/2 stars
Declaration Chardonnay 2008
Pink grapefruit, pineapple and savoury character dominates. Elegant and quite straightforward. Displays nice minerality. From 2010.
NZ Chardonnay Tasting, Decanter.com, May 2010, 15 points
Declaration Chardonnay 2007
I have tasted this wine several times over the last year and it's looking better and better every time I try it. The wine was fermented in new French oak then matured and stirred on lees for 11 months. A magnificent nose displaying stonefruit, buttered popcorn and vanillin oak characters with a hint of mealy notes. The palate is concentrated and beautifully textured with excellent mid palate weight and well integrated acidity. The wine is full-flavoured yet shows lovely poise and firm structure. At its best: now to 2013.
Wine Orbit, Sam Kim, 95 points, 5 stars, November 2009
Declaration is the designation reserved by winemaker Kate Radburnd for the top wines of the vintage, in this case a typically Hawke's Bay chardonnay. Rich, ripe stone and tropical fruit, a hint of honey and a leavening of meal. For a special occasion.
Warren Barton, The Dominion Post, December 2009
The 2007 Declaration Chardonnay has moderate intensity on the nose with stoned fruit, a slight Muscat element loitering on the fringes. Nice lift although it need a little more precision. The palate has good weight with some ripe honeyed fruit, surfeit with tropical flavors: mango, nectarine and passion fruit. Good definition. It actually improves with more time in the glass, gaining volume and length as well as demonstrating judicious use of new oak on the finish. Excellent. Drink over 1-4 years. Tasted two or three times I was rather perplexed by the new releases from one of Hawkes Bays most prominent producers.
Neal Martin, eRobertParker.com, October 2009, 92 points
Declarations come in different guises. This one is bold, pure and proud, with fresh, vibrant scents and stonefruit and meal flavours. It would make any special occasion more special.
Cuisine Magazine, May 2009
Classic regional style, with rich, ripe stonefruit flavours seasoned with French oak and fresh acidity keeping things lively.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 4 stars
Declaration Merlot 2006
Attractive sweet fruit with spice and red berry flavours. An elegant and fine-boned Merlot with a supple yet drying texture. Oak influence is evident but not excessive. A carefully sculpted wine from a solid vintage. I can't wait to taste the 2007!
Bob Campbell, July 2009, 83/100
Smoky bouquet (aged in all new oak) with strong flavours of berry fruits, spices and nuts and a hint of herbs. Fragrant, firm and youthful, with good complexity. Verging on four stars.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 3 1/2 stars
Declaration Merlot 2005
Rich silky texture with good freshness, fruit richness and tannin. Husk, plum and spice flavours, smooth tannins. Will develop well in bottle.
International Wine Challenge 2009
The Declaration range is CJ Pask's premier label, wines that winemaker Kate Radburnd reserves as her best of the vintage. This very complex Merlot is a melange of smoky, charry oak, meaty notes, dark fruit, suggestions of tobacco and a slightly rustic edge. Perfect for a big occasion dinner.
Cuisine Magazine, September 2008
Gimblett Gravels grown Merlot with accessible plum and dark berry flavours interwoven with a generous helping of classy French oak. This is a serious red showing subtle power and an attractive linear finish.
Bob Campbell, Gourmet Traveller Wine - Top 100 New Releases, July 2008
Deep garnet violet colour. Ripe aromas of plum pie, dried citrus, and cherry jam follow through on a round entry to a dryish medium-to-full body with tart red cherry skin and pits, tomato skin, and a pithy, nutshell tannin fade.
Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, December 2008
More Gimblett Gravels excellence. Intense, concentrated plum and spice with a hint of sweet oak. Serious, heavyweight merlot.
John Hawkesby, June 2008
The 2005 Merlot Declaration has a gorgeous ripe nose of raspberry, wild strawberry and hedgerow with grippy tannins on the full-bodied palate; masculine but again very precise on the finish.
Neal Martin – eRobertParker.com, The Wine Advocate, Issue #176 April 2008, 91/100
Declaration Syrah 2007
Rich and strong from Gimblett Gravels, a delight in the mouth - its abundant fruit, with oak and tannin condiments just fitting in perfectly. Apart from its intensity, so mouthfilling and positive, the richness in this wine has a special appeal and a willingness to embrace food makes it a coveted style.
Hospitality NZ, December 2009
The CJ Pask Declaration Syrah 2007 is a stunning example of Syrah from the brilliant 2007 Hawkes Bay Vintage. Multi-awarded already, this ultra impressive wine will cellar comfortably for at least another 10 years.
Kingsley Wood, First Glass, October 2009
This is clearly the best CJ Pask Syrah that I have ever tasted. It's a dense and powerful wine with an almost chewy texture. A wine clearly built to last and challenging to to interpret at this early stage but impressive nonethelesse. Firm tannins demand to be matched with rich food or allowed to mellow with time. Declaration is the winery's flagship label which, in this case at least, delivers an absolutely top notch wine.
Bob Campbell, April 2009, 93/100
A grand, concentrated, glass-stainer. Smoky, spicy scents give way to a rich romp of black cherry and plum. Bring it out with the candelabra and best silverware, and savour every drop.
Cuisine, July 2009, 4 1/2 stars
Beautifully floral bouquet, plummy and spicy, with hints of coffee and sweet oak. Bold, rich palate, with substantial body and deep plum, spice and nut flavours. Silky textured, with lovely length.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 5 stars
Big meaty nose. Focused, with well-integrated oak. Spicy and Rhonesque with hints of chocolate and juicy berries. Good depth and acidity.
International Wine Challenge 2009
Inky purple colour. Melted toffee, smoked nuts, and stewed berry aromas follow through on a supple entry to a fruity medium-to-full body with juicy ripeness and shaved pencil and subtle sauteed yellow pepper notes. Finishes with a chewy tannin fade.
Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, December 2008, 90 points
Tasting ripe, warm and generous, the complexity just opening up after almost two years. A delicious Hawke's Bay syrah with mouth-filling flavours and a depth which is immediately appealing. A long life wine yet one to sit well from now beside robust food but don't rule out a chicken roast either. Top of the tree from Pask with many years of fine drinking ahead.
F & B Behind Bars, December 2008
Declaration Malbec 2005
Flagship wine made from estate grown grapes in the Gimblett Gravels district of Hawkes Bay. Impressive, fruit focused red with appealing linear flavours suggesting plum, dark berry, liquorice and spice. Quite oaky but the intense fruit flavours appear to be able to handle it. Very stylish red.
Bob Campbell, July 2008
If the weight of the bottle is anything to go by, this should be a bowling-ball of a wine – and the first sip definitely hits the pins. Intense cedar, spicy Christmas pudding and mocha characters combine in a hefty, meaty palate, that leaves a tooth-staining trail of lip-smacking tannins. This wine beats you up black and blue, but I’m a sucker for punishment.
Manawatu Standard, May 2008, 5 stars
Declaration Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2006
An elegant rather blockbuster wine with plummy, spicy flavours that point to a stronger influence of Merlot and perhaps Malbec that the dominant partner, Cabernet Sauvignon. Attractive, ripe and slightly rustic wine with character and classy oak.
Bob Campbell, July 2009, 91/100
Declaration Cabernet Merlot Malbec 2005
Generous blend of cabernet sauvignon (49%), merlot (34%) and malbec (17%), matured for 18 months in new French and American barriques. Good depth of blackcurrant, herb, mint and spice flavours, with a smooth finish, but all judges found it slightly green.
Winestate NZ Hawke's Bay Tasting, June 2009, 3 stars
Dark violet colour. Aromas of stewed berries and tomatoes and spice follow through on a silky entry to a dry-yet-fruity medium body with cracked pepper and slate notes. Finishes with nutskin and mineral accented fade. A nicely balanced wine for the table; serve with prime rib.
Beverage Testing Institute, Chicago, December 2008, 91 points
Gimblett Road wine from Hawke's Bay drawing plenty of gold medal attention. Declaration is the top of the CJ Pask tree. This is a big wine, mouth-filling, strong, robust. Behind it though is a wine with some lovely fruit, unfolding slowly and steadily, heaps of time ahead.
Peter Saunders, F & B Behind Bars, November 2008 |
