Forager and Potager wines - tasted in the vineyard with winemaker Dom Maxwell
Forgaer and Potager winemaker Dom Maxwell has been carving out a career making wine in north Canterbury for quite a few years now. His reputation for making complex, textured and fine wine continues. It was so good to catch up with him and the opportunity to taste his current release wines a rare opportuntiy - thank you Dom.
Tasted
Potager 2025 Chardonnay - 2/3 Mondoza on ungrafted vines, 1/3 . Treated differently Mendoza Barrel fermented with full Malolactic fermenation; the Gravels vineyard was tank fermented and aged. 11 months overall in tanks or barrel, bottled end of march. An immediate sense of place and mineral scents, citrus with grapefruit first then cool-chilled apple and white peach, no piegage, some lees contact time, 2/3 old vines whole cluster. A fine wine fine mouthfeel with delicate phenolics delivering a chalk-like mouthfeel so excellent phenolics delivery. On the palate - delicious, new and fresh. Best drinking from 2027 through 2032. 93 Pointts Excellent. RRP$ 32.99
Potager Pinot Nior 2025 - Great colour and brightness with a fresh ruby core and delicate purple hues. Aromas of varietal purity suggesting fresh new cherry and strawberry, bright, fresh and inviting. Dry with plenty of energy and some tautness from tannins, a bold babcbone of acidity. Firm tannins frame and foundation. Delicious and salivating on the palate, persistent flavours, as the wine warms and opens out the limestone effect kicks in and becomes more dominant. Taut and youthful, lovely finish. Made with some old vines material, clay soils ungrafted 10/5, Abel. 75%. 25% 667, 777. Natural ferment with old vines, no new oak, to allow the variety and site to sing. Barrels are 2nd to 4th fill. Best from 2028 through 2036. 93 Points - Excellent. RRP from $32.99
Forager Kokowai Vineyard Pinot Noir 2024 - The vineyard comprises a fractured soil with larger limestone boulders, shallow topsoil, tolerant rootstocks. Fantastic bouquet, complex and intense, pure fruited, concentration and power. Firm and dry with a big red fruited frame of boysenberry and black cherry flesh. Winemaking multi clone 8-10 clones, 100% destemmed, wild and vineyard ferment, ambient vineyard yeast to achieve a "lower peak temperature" says Dom, less intense extraction, 4 weeks on skins. 6 barrels with 16 months in barrel, no filtering or fining. " I love Pinot Noir with a vineyard ferment no whole-bunch, but still has a savoury element, almost a soulful experience here, coming to this vineyard let's me reflect on what is here and what I have done with the wine, I feel this extra connection making the wine this way"., says Dom. Chalky soils and tannins, backbone of acidity, a powerful wine with intensity and integrity, complexity . 18 months in bottle before release. A delicious wine that will age and develop, just give it time. 96 Points - Outstanding RRP $60.00
Forager Isolated Hill Pinot Noir 2024 - 6 barrels 1500 bottles, limestone soils, same hill as mary limeworks. Steep slopes, abel and 667 clones. I love the complexity of this wine, a bouquet with wild flowers and wild berries then a soft ness (20% WB). A vineyard ferment and setting delivers a wild pot pourri of scents, then boysenberry and cherry layers, red apple and some heirloom plum. Limestone scents are intense. Fantastic on the palate, tense and poised, chalky and textured, real and natural. Such a well made wine, in barrel 15 months, in bottle for over a year, still very poised and new tasting. RRP $60.00 Lengthy, taut, youthful, poised and delicious. 97 Points - Outstanding.
