Wine: Seeking perfection

2009 Jules Taylor The Wrekin Pinot Noir, $32. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Marlborough-based winemaker and mother-of-two Jules Taylor may well be on to something. Hers is a virtual brand with no assets. It has no land, no winery, no cellar door ... just a lean mean machine with a fast rising label and a developing reputation for well crafted wines at reasonable prices.

Taylor has a small group of established grape growers who regularly supply her with the wherewithal to produce wines that are sought after by discerning restaurants and fine wine retailers. She eschews "blockbuster" styles, instead opting for wines with more drinkability.

Elegance and refinement are her calling cards and she strives to deliver wines expressive of place with fresh vibrancy and mouth-filling texture.

"Riesling would be my personal favourite," she says. "But I also love sauvignon blanc, especially when it's racy and delicious. Being in Marlborough I've grown up surrounded by sauvignon and have a real enthusiasm for it."

The Jules Taylor wines are a bit like Taylor herself ... distinctive and unassuming. She has a keen eye for detail and realises that by being relatively small she can be more flexible.

"I like to make wines by taste and feel rather than by numbers - it's a work style you're not able to achieve in a bigger company."

Recent successes include the Liquorland International Wine Competition, Champion Rose Trophy, with a vibrant raspberry and tamarillo-hued Jules Taylor Rose 2009, beating out significant international competition.

A new dessert wine has recently been launched and there is some experimentation with gruner veltliner, the popular Austrian white wine variety.

But Taylor is still intrigued by the search for the perfect sauvignon blanc.

"I love bringing out the flavours in the fruit, the passionfruit, jalapeno, capsicum and citrus, I love layering the tastes to get a real fruit salad."

Taylor may have no tangible assets but she has one outstanding brand - her own name.

RECOMMENDED

2009 Jules Taylor The Wrekin Pinot Noir, $32
It's not all about whites. A pinot with character and style and under $35 - a rarity. It has lovely ripe flavours of blackberries, cherries and spicy oak. Great weight and texture.

2009 Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc, $24
A mix of Marlborough fruit from the Awatere and Wairau Valleys, it is light lime in colour with a kaleidoscope of sauvignon flavours and a flinty, dry finish. A classic Marlborough beauty.