Kusuda Wines – the tasting notes

Below are notes I took at the home of Hiro Kusuda in New Zealand in February 2009. See my profile of him tomorrow in the FT and in Free for all. He's pictured here (foreground) with his wife Reika and their current student winemaker.

These are fascinating wines – much purer and more subtle than the NZ average. It was a treat to taste through the history of this young producer (to be detailed tomorrow). I found the 2002 so different from the Martinborough norm. Did you show it to the neighbours? I asked. 'No', said Hiro, 'I...