Richmond Plains Blanc de Noir – Wine Review.

During our visit to Te Mania, we also got to try some Richmond Plains wines. One of which was this delicious and exciting Blanc de Noir. Blanc de Noir is a white wine made from red grapes, in this case made from Pinot Noir. This style of wine is commonly used for Champagne and other sparkling wines of similar styles. However, this particular wine is still. It is definitely an interesting and uncommon variety that we are grateful to have gotten to try. Blanc de Noir style wines are made by removing the skins after pressing and allowing the juices to ferment without that skin contact that gives a normal red wine its colour and flavours. None of us have ever tried a still blanc de noir so we don’t have much to compare it to, however this one was extremely pleasant and a great entry point into the world of Blanc de Noir. Lets get into it…

Price:

You can get this wine for NZ$25.99 ( £12.22, R289.90, US$15.44) at the Richmond Plains website or directly from their cellar door. It should be noted that if you do the tasting then you can take half the price of the tasting off for the bottle you buy.

Appearance:

Despite this wine being a white wine style, it is made from red grapes which means that the colour isn’t what you would expect from a white. It has a peachy rosé colour that you would expect from a light Provencal rosé.

Nose:

The aromas we picked up on the nose were floral and zesty notes accompanied by a light aroma of pears and apples. It also has a slight saline characteristic to it which makes it very well rounded and inviting. The aromas were definitely a unique combination that lay somewhere between a white wine and a light rosé.

Palate:

The first thing we noticed when we took our first sip was the similarities to champagne. It had some stone fruit characteristics like a nectarine or peach, alongside more defined sharp apple flavours. There is also a definitive biscuity taste to it, very similar to what can be found in champagne. It was interesting to pick out these notes in a still wine and we could almost imagine the bubbles were there as well. There were also similarities between this Blanc de Noir and Rosé. However, this wine is a far more complex and compelling drinking experience.

It was very acidic and dry, extremely light and easily drinkable. The acidity pairs nicely with the fruit notes that push forward with your first sip. Once you swallow you can pick out the more complex notes and the acidity falls off slightly. There is a nice medium to long finish which just makes you want to drink more and more.

Conclusion:

We enjoyed a bottle of this wine sitting in the early evening sun by the pool, which we would say is the perfect location for a wine like this. It is light but complex and makes for a delicious fruity and refreshing summer drink. If like us you have never tried a still Blanc de Noir, then this is a great place to start. Similarly, if you enjoy a nice chilled glass of rose on a warm day then this is a wonderful substitute, delivering everything a rose can and more.

At NZ$25.99 This wine is a steal. Especially for us as viticulture students who love to further our palate and try new things. Not only is this wine delicious but it is a chance to try something exciting that you won’t find in many other places, especially in New Zealand.

Thank you for reading our blog on the Richmond Plains Blanc De Noir. We hope you enjoyed it and have been convinced to go grab yourself a bottle (if possible as we know a lot of our audience live all across the globe).

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