Koyama William's Vineyard Pinot Noir Waipara
Aged in French Oak barrels (a small percentage is new) for 18 months and Malo-Lactic fermentation naturally happens. No fining or filtration is applied.
'‘A true expression of terroir and vintage.'
Takahiro Koyama
The grapes were sourced from Limestone rich, clay soil vineyard on the hillside of Waipara Valley. The vines were planted in 2000 by Mr Gwyn Williams, who used to be a Viticulturist at Muddy Water winery in Waipara Valley. A mixture of clones UCD5, Dijon 115, Dijon 667 and Abel clones. Limestone rich, clay soil brings the good tannin structure and complexity to the wine. The grapes are hand-harvested into small picking bins and sorted again in the winery before fermentation. Natural yeast fermentation in open-top 1.7t vats for about 20 days, followed by gentle basket pressing.
"From a limestone-rich hillside vineyard in Waipara. Dense, tangy pinot noir with plum, violet, spice, anise, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours. A moderately dense, high energy wine with a distinctive character. Approachable now but deserves to be cellared for at least a few years. Unfined and unfiltered."
95 points, The Real Review (February 2019)
"Made from grapes grown on a limestone-rich hillside vineyard in Waipara. It’s a dense, high energy pinot noir with plum, violet, spice/anise, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours. Accessible now but with the potential to age well."
95 points, Top New Release NZ Reds, Gourmet Traveller (2019)
A limestone-rich hillside vineyard, well drained and alive with the sort of mesoclimatic challenges that infuse the best wines from this sort of environ with a high-wired soprano of pungent mineral notes. Darker than the pack, with an additional year. 18 months or so in oak, as with its brethren. Densely packed, somewhat rustic and meaty, with a brood of dark fruit aspersions, iron-stone, beef bouillon and blood. The rusticity blows off with a whirl. Sapid and mouth-filling, to be sure. A long linger, as much due to heft and force of personality, as by virtue of freshness. The tannins, an arsenal, firmly composed and compressed against the mouth’s inner linings while sipping. I am going to score this highly, believing that the shins and elbows stage that it is currently in will mature into something special.
94 points (August 2020)
<p>Koyama Mountford was planted in 1991 on an enviable calcareous scree embedded in the northwestern face of the eastern Waipara Valley. A substrata of marl brimming with plentiful active limestone, it is known as ‘The Golden Mile’. This is the soil type on which Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel. A geological foundation seldom found in the antipodes, limestone imparts a structural carapace while infusing the Mountford wines with a signature mineral force. Be it the resinous expressions of Chardonnay, or densely layered Pinot Noir, an apogee of complexity reached with the single vineyard expressions, the Mountford wines have long struck a chord with even the most devout Burgundy lovers.</p>
<p>Success is due as much to a propitious confluence of site and meticulous attention to detail, as it is to a savvy succession plan.</p>
<p>Crafted by CP Lin since inception, a maker well versed in the magic of Burgundy, the cultish renown of the Mountford style continues to evince authority while exhibiting an even more refined cut-glass precision, since his retirement.</p>
<p>It was then only fitting that the head winemaker role be bequeathed to his assistant, Takahiro Koyama. Koyama sought investment from top wine collectors in the world’s most venerable and demanding market for Burgundy. Where else, but for Japan! These collectors were as smitten by the Mountford track record as the world’s top buyers and critics remain spell-bound.</p>
<p>In 2017 Koyama purchased the estate to complement his eponymous label. Today both Koyama and Koyama Mountford benefit from this superlative site, Koyama’s winemaking nous, a dedicated posse of well versed backers and unparalleled Japanese precision.</p>
