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Sue Courtney's blog of Vinous Ramblings wine, food and other vinous topics from New Zealand
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| Welcome to Sue Courtney's web log (blog) of vinous ramblings. It's my on line journal and an adjunct to my website www.wineoftheweek.com which is for more formal tasting notes and articles. You'll find links to other wine blogs on my Vinous Links page. Click here to access the blog archives. If you want to make a comment, drop an email to winetaster@clear.net.nz and, if appropriate, I'll post it on the blog. Click here for this site's RSS feed. Recent Entries Sue Courtney's blog of
vinous ramblings Liquorland announces its Trophy Winners The Liquorland Top 100 was judged at the end of August and the results came in a press release today. Champion Chardonnay and Champion Wine of the Show: Cottage Block Hawke's Bay
Chardonnay 2006. Other trophy winning wines in their repsective categories were ...
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vinous ramblings 25 Steps and More Down in Central Otago, driving towards Cromwell from the north on either side of Lake Dunstan, there is no more dramatic vineyard that the one that has called itself 25 Steps. It is 25 terraces carved into the hillside at the base of the Pisa Range, just 8 kilometres north of Cromwell township. The 25 Steps website has the story of how this almost inconceivable feat was achieved and the wine also tells a story. 25 Steps Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 is a rich, earthy, savoury mouthfilling wine with thick chunky tannins and a soft, cherry fruit finish. The deep savouriness balances the opulent fruit. It's a big wine with 14% alcohol, a screwcap closure and a price tag of $34.95 a bottle. 25 Steps overlooks the Mitre Peaks Vineyard, a little further north. Previously known as Chantmarle Vineyard, the rebranding to Mitre Peaks has also added a sister brand to the original Mount Dottrel label. Mount Dottrel achieved a dream debut with a Sydney International Top 100 and Blue Gold accolade for the 2005 vintage Pinot Noir. Mount Dottrel Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 is the current release. This seems like a medium-bodied style with a silky tannin structure, tart red fruits, wild herbs and loads of earthy savouriness. An anise-like spicy character emerges to linger on the pretty finish. 14% alcohol. Screwcap closure. Price ranges from $29 to $35. But perhaps the wine that is the 26th step is the Lowburn Ferry Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006, a little south of the 25 Steps Vineyard and closer to Cromwell. This a deeply savoury, funky style with plenty of 'dirt' and a touch of tar that melts to reveal mid-palate fruit sweetness, oak is nicely integrated and the finish is complex and deep. 13.58% alcohol. Screwcap closure. Listed at $36.95 a bottle on the Lowburn Ferry website. Three wines from quite three close by vineyards and although quite remarkably different in taste they share the same winemaker, that being Carol Bunn at the contract winemaking facility, Vinpro.
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vinous ramblings A tasting of Trophy winning wines I was told I had made a mistake in one of my gold medal wine descriptions from the NZ International Wine Show. It was the Mud House Waipara Riesling 2008, which I described as 'medium sweet'. Well, that's how it seemed when I tasted it in the secret room at the show to write the gold medal descriptions. The wine was not chilled and it was tasted alongside a group of very dry Australian Rieslings. In that context it did indeed seem 'medium sweet'. It was at last Wednesday's First Glass tasting (back on after a few weeks break). The Trophy winning wines from the 2008 New Zealand International Wine Show was the theme. The Mud House Waipara Riesling 2008 was served and it had been chilled - which is really how is should be enjoyed. But chilling accentuates the acidity, which in this case totally muffled the sweetness and it gives the impression of being dry. But as the flavours lingered in the mouth, the sweetness from the residual sugar took over and it left that lovely, gently sweet impression. Phew, thank goodness, I was redeemed. The Trophy tasting was a fabulous tasting - it would have to be - but the one non-Trophy winner that was served as the pretaster - the Richmond Grove Limited Release Watervale Riesling 2004 - was utterly superb also. Everyone nodded in satisfaction when the Champion Wine of the Show, the Church Road Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2006, was poured. The wines tasted were Richmond Grove Watervale Riesling 2004 - Multiple gold medal winner Morton Estate Private Reserve Hawkes Bay Viognier 2007 - Champion Viognier Mud House Swan Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - Champion Sauvignon Blanc Church Road Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2006 - Champion Chardonnay & Champion Wine of the Show Blackenbrook Nelson Reserve Pinot Gris 2008 - Champion Pinot Gris Kemblefield Hawkes Bay Gewürztraminer 2007 - Champion Gewurztraminer Mud House Waipara Riesling 2008 - Champion Riesling Lone Goat Botrytis Selection 2007 - Champion Sweet Wine Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir 2007 - Champion Pinot Noir Thorn-Clarke Sandpiper Barossa Shiraz 2007 - Champion Commercial Red Sessantani Primitivo di Manduria 2005 - Champion International Red Thorn-Clarke William Randell Barossa Shiraz 2005 - Champion Shiraz All the notes are, as usual, on my Wednesday Roundup page. Click here to read them.
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vinous ramblings Aniseed and Sauvignon Blanc - a surpisingly delicious combination When I bought the packet of aniseed seeds, I didn't realise how sweet they were, not until I dry roasted some in a skillet last night. Then I tried them. Oh, that delicious aniseed flavour that rushed back memories of childhood - but totally inappropriate for the food I was cooking. I put the toasted aniseeds on a saucer and roasted some cumin seeds instead - a far better spice for my Morrocan-spiced stew .
Dolbel Estate is named for one of Hawkes Bay's pioneering families. The vineyard is on the banks of the Tutaekuri River near Taradale, where they planted their first grapes in 1988 selling them to the likes of Church Road, Craggy Range and other notable producers. Unlike other Hawkes Bay winemakers, their focus is whites and with Tony Prichard as winemaker, they released the first Dolbel Estate wines for sale in 2006. This Sauvignon Blanc is my introduction to them and I like what I'm tasting. It has a screwcap and costs about $22. Check out www.dolbelestate.co.nz
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vinous ramblings It's Simply Beautiful I wrote on my blog at the beginning
of September how I encountered Mt Beautiful wines at a stand at Wine
New Zealand. Well, on Monday night I had the opportunity to taste them again at a little
soiree, where wine and food was the focus. Mt Beautiful is an interesting project in previously uncharted vineyard territory and named for a local landmark. The vineyard is just north of the township of Cheviot, which is about 100km north of Christchurch and 150km south of Blenheim in Marlborough, as the crow flies. There were three wines to taste starting with the new release Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2008, which I did not taste at Wine New Zealand. This is a Sam Weaver wine through and through - really dry, focussed and textural, quite rich and full-bodied with a crisp, steely apple-like undercurrent to the abundant tropical fruit with gooseberry lingering on the finish. Matches were French Chevre stuffed into a cherry tomato atop some caper mayonnaise served in filo pastry shells; a pork kofta speared with a cheese pretzel and served with a lime and mango spicy dipping sauce; and Hapuka 'kokoda', which is actually marinated fish, served in a shot glass and garnished with lemon and parsley. The chevre and tomato was the highlight here - a classic. The Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Riesling 2007 was served next and was much colder than when tasted at Wine New Zealand. While chilling enhances the acidity, it has a delicate aura to the whole and a lemony tang on the finish. It's medium in sweetness but seems quite dry.
Mt Beautiful Cheviot Hills Pinot Noir 2007 is a little funky on the nose with a
hint of chocolate covered cherry leading into an earthy, savoury medium-bodied palate with
some game meat nuances, youthful Burgundian-like 'hard' tannins, underlying acidity, tart
cherry and guava fruit and a long, fine textured, fruit-sweet finish. Yeh, man, it has a
bit of 'dirt' in there and that together with those tart red fruits had me likening it
more to a Martinborough in the North Island than its South Island neighbours. A haunting,
memorable wine. This was matched to a wild mushroom paté served on a French mini brioche - my favourite of the three matches - just make sure the brioche is not too thick. There was also a rare beef 'tapa' served on ciabatta topped with port onion jam - but the jam was quite sweet; and braised rabbit in a cream and mustard, served in a short pastry case. A beautiful soiree and beautiful food and wine. I found this recipe for porc rillettes too. Now I'm going to try and make my own.
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vinous ramblings NZIWS Trophy Wines announced It was all glitz and glamour last night at the Crown Plaza Hotel where the New
Zealand International Wine Show awards dinner was held. The 166 gold medals were
presented and the 17 trophy winners were announced. I had the honour of presenting
the Trophy for the Champion Other White Varieties and it was like being at a film or
television or sports awards reading out the four contenders and then - after the
imaginary drum roll - announcing the winner. The wineoftheweek.com Trophy for Champion Other White Wine Varietals went to Peter Lehman 'Margaret' Semillon 2003. This is a gorgeous Semillon, a little spicy on the nose with summer fruit and hay, an earthy lime infusion and a zesty tang. With its five years of age it is picking up some lovely honey and bottle aged characters. Long and rich, a real treat. Matt King and Marion Seyb from Lone Goat in Canterbury were at our table and I was delighted when they picked up the Sweet Wine Trophy for the Lone Goat Botrytis Selection 2007. I've written about this wine before both on the blog earlier this month after tasting it at Wine New Zealand on Day One (see the last part of the August 31st entry) and it starred as a Wine of the Week earlier in the year when it had its old Canterbury Vineyards label, which has been now been superseded by the much more trendy Lone Goat. The other highlight of the evening was the Champion Chardonnay, which also turned out to be the Champion Wine of the Show - it was the Church Road Reserve Chardonnay 2006 and was utterly delishimo. I've reviewed this wine as my Wine of the Week. All of the Trophy winning wines are listed on the New Zealand International Wine Show website - www.nziws.co.nz.
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vinous ramblings Four Auckland wineries win gold. When I went through the gold medal list from the NZ International Wine Show the other day I
saw that four Auckland wineries had won Chardonnay golds. So I made that my focus of my
focus of my Rodney Times wine column this week as the four wineries are all based in the
Rodney district. But what would I use for a photo? In the end I made a digital composition
from my archives, of the five winemakers involved. Simon Nunns from Coopers Creek was responsible for the Cooper's Creek Reserve Gisborne Chardonnay 2007. Full of flavours of smoky French oak infused with cream, spice, delicious tropical fruit and hokey pokey caramel. James Rowan from West Brook was responsible for the West Brook 'Blue Ridge' Marlborough Chardonnay 2006. A seamless wine with creamed nut aromas that carry through to the full-bodied, creamy palate full of peach, nougat, vanilla and caramel. Sarah Heyward and Peter Munro from Matua Valley were responsible for the Matua Ararimu Chardonnay 2007. This is Matua's top label made only in exceptional years, the 2007 being from the Judd Estate in Gisborne. It's a full-bodied, silky smooth wine with creamy rich spice and tropical flavours. Richard Robson from Matakana Estate made the Goldridge Estate Premium Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2007. This wine is fat and creamy with yeast lees and barrel-aged complexities and juicy sweet apricot, peach, grapefruit and butterscotch. Click on the link below or the image above to read the full story. Rodney Times25 Sep 2008
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vinous ramblings Exciting Austrian white One of the exciting things about working an international wine show is getting to try wines that are truly international from a New Zealand perspective - wines that I don't usually have the opportunity to try, in fact wines I didn't even know I could buy. I wrote about some of the amazing international reds yesterday but there was one white that was every bit as exciting - in fact, to my palate, more so. It was a Gruner Veltliner from Austria and although it was only rated of bronze medal standard at the wine show, I definitely rate it of gold medal / five star quality.
I've been reading about Gruner Veltliner for years on the wine boards where it has been especially popular amongst the New York wine drinking fraternity. Years ago, wanting to know what all the fuss was about I sought out a bottle from Scenic Cellars - at the time the only one they had - but whatever that wine was, I really was underwhelmed. Then a couple of years ago at the Court of Master Sommelier's seminar, a Gruvee, as it has become affectionately known, was poured. That was more impressive. But Sepp 'Moser Breiter' Rain Gruner Veltliner 2006 was a wine of a completely different class. If anyone wants to give me a Christmas present, I'll have a bottle of this, please. Gruner Veltliner is said to excel in a cooler climate and it has been planted in New Zealand - I'm eagerly looking forward to tasting what our country can produce. May the winemakers hold the Breiter Rain as a hallowed example. I also tasted the Salomon Undhof Hochterrassen Gruner Veltliner 2007 - pale straw gold and showing a little spritz in the glass. Aromatic, like Arneis or Pinot Gris with an earthy pithy scent, it is bright and zesty with apple and lime and some weight to the palate. Floral on the finish and a touch peachy, it's has that delicious salty tangy with crisp acidity and lemon/lime zest joining in the lingering finish. It has 12% alcohol and a screwcap closure. I'd rate it bronze medal standard. More from www.salomonwines.com.
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vinous ramblings NZIWS tallies and exciting 'Other Reds' The medal results are up and it is confirmed, the New Zealand International Wine Show had 118 entries more than last year, making it far and away the biggest wine competition in New Zealand. The 2008 competition had 2273 entries which saw 166 gold medals, 350 silver medals and 927 bronze medals awarded. Compare these to the last three shows .... In 2007 the 2155 entries resulted in 163 gold medals, 360 silver and 886 bronze. In 2006, the 2150 entries resulting in 121 gold medals, 423 silver and 934 bronze. In 2005, the 1910 entries resulting in 107 gold, 336 silver and 789 bronze. What I found most exciting to taste when I was writing the gold medal descriptions for the soon to be released Champions List, was not the ubiquitous Sauvignon Blanc (15 golds), Chardonnay (22 golds), Pinot Noir (19 golds) and copious amounts of Shiraz (20 golds) and other Aussie reds, but the gold medal winning wines in the 'International/Other Reds' Category. If you are going to the Pick the Trophies Challenge this Wednesday, do be sure to taste these. I don't think it will be easy to pick the trophy winner as all of the wines are so fantastically good - but different in their own special way. I am sure whatever has been awarded the Trophy will have come down to the judges personal preference, in their trophy vote, in the end. There are four Italian wines and two are in the most ridiculously heavy bottles - they feel like they are full even when they are empty. They are Sessantanni Old Vines Primitivo Di Manduria 2005 - the new vintage of last year's trophy winner and Farnese Edizione Edition 8 NV, made from a blend of five 'indigenous' grapes from Puglia and Abruzzo. Both massive blockbusters yet divinely succulent. There's also the remarkable Cecchi Riserva di Famiglia Chianti Classico 2004 and Banfi Cum Laude 2004 - a juicy blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese and Syrah from Montalcino. Spain makes an appearance in the list with the Papa Luna Ganarcha Syrah Monastrell 2006 - a oaky, earthy, savoury wine in the context. But it is was two South Americans that most fascinated me most, not only for their taste, but when I looked them up, also their price. One is Cheval Del Andes 2005 from Mendoza in Argentina - a collaborative wine between Cheval Blanc and Terrazas de Los Andes and made from at least 50% Malbec with, according to the back label, Cabernet Sauvignon and a dash of Petit Verdot. Purples abound in this saturated plummy, smoky wine, which really would reward some cellaring. Caro's sell it for $93 a bottle, which seems quite cheap considering that wine.com sells it for US$69.99. The other is the voluptuous Montes Purple Angel 2005 from the Colchagua Valley in Chile and made from 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot. Compared to the Cheval des Andes, the tannin structure is far more approachable and the wine seems much smooth and sweeter. It's one of those 'oh .... my .....' luscious, sensual mouthfuls - and enjoy every mouthful you taste because this one is super expensive too. Some of the more predictable highlights from the Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Noir categories, are included in this week's Wine of the Week review.
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vinous ramblings Wild man of the Loire, Didier Dagueneau, dies It was a huge shock to hear that Didier Dagueneau, the wild man of the Loire, died tragically in a plane crash the other day. I didn't know him, and rarely tasted his wines, but he starred in my wine classes when I taught them, thanks to Jancis Robinson and her BBC Wine Course video (and now DVD). Didier Dagueneau was a Sauvignon Blanc man, but his Sauvignon Blancs were so different to the abundantly fruity wines we know from New Zealand. Jancis did this part of the video so well - contrasting the difference in winemaking rules and regulations between New Zealand and France. I found just how different Didier's wine was when I tasted his cult Silex at the International Sauvignon Blanc Tasting at the Marlborough Wine Weekend last year - a wine so taut and steely with an insight as to how it could age.
The man may have gone, but his name will love on forever.
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vinous ramblings Still madly writing tasting notes Well, the NZIWS judging finished late yesterday afternoon although my wine description writing task is still ongoing with about 90% of the gold medal wines completed. I think there must be a few more golds than the 163 that the show produced last year - there were about a 100 more entries and if the average show gold medal percentage is around 5 or 6 per cent, then there should possibly be 5 or 6 more golds. I'll know when I get my final check list tomorrow and the official announcement will be on Monday. "Are you typing the descriptions straight into your computer," someone asked the other day. The answer was no. I like to use a hard covered exercise book. I find it easier to hand write my tasting notes then type them in later. One reason is that my typing is so bad and often, on my notebook computer, I don't hit the space bar hard enough so when I spell check my work I often find there is complete gibberish to be deciphered. By checking the notes in the book I can retype the gibberish into words. The other reason is the flakiness of the notebook's software. Even though I have an AutoSave every few minutes, if the word processing program crashes, I do lose some work. The hard covered exercise book also adds stability to the writing surface, especially when I am walking around and checking stuff off. I find it quite easy to write descriptions, but my notes are, by nature, quite long. So the next job is to go through the long notes and condense them into meaningful descriptions of about 17 and definitely no more 20 words. And it all has to be finished by 1pm tomorrow! I had a wee article on the show, featuring Matua Valley winemaker Sarah Heyward, in the Rodney Times today. The paper will be archived on the Fairfax Digital Service for about 6 weeks. If you click here, I think you will be able to read it.
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vinous ramblings My 'Professional Wine Taster' apron A few years ago Neil gave me a 'Professional Wine Taster' apron for Xmas. I have been charged with writing the descriptions of the gold medal wines awarded by the judges at the 2008 New Zealand International Wine Show. I've done it in previous years and was elated to be asked to do it again this year, but it meant limiting my judging stint to yesterday only, so I could get on with the task of writing the gold medal descriptions first thing today. After a day at my new 'office' - that is in the 'secret room' at wine show headquarters, I've completed the descriptions for Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier and Cabernet Sauvignon and Cab Sauv predominant blends - 70 wines in total so far and some were extremely exciting. But don't ask me what, because my lips are sealed right now. Tomorrow it's Pinot Noir and Shiraz/Syrah from today's judging to start. Then, during the day, as judging of other classes are completed, there will be other wines lining up for their descriptions too. It's all very exciting.
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vinous ramblings Being a Wine Judge for a Day It was the first day of judging at the New Zealand International Wine Show today and I was one of the 20 Senior Judges putting the wines through the tasting test. There were six 'panels' of judges evaluating the wines with three Senior Judges in each panel, and two Chief Judges (Larry McKenna and Peter Cowley) who were called upon for their input once we had sorted out the best from the rest.
After lunch we had a treat of 34 Geuwurztraminers - with some rather delicious wines. Last flight of the day was Cabernet Sauvignon predominant blends. These tannin-rich reds would not be top of my list to judge if I had a choice and they stained my teeth purple as well. The judging will be completed on Wednesay and the medal results available early next week. Meanwhile, back in wineoftheweek.com land, I've written up the Bladen Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2008 as my Wine of the Week - click here to read that review.
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vinous ramblings North versus South at the Wednesday Tasting It was back to a Wednesday tasting this week and now that they are no longer held weekly, I find I am really looking forward to them. This week's theme was Northern Hemisphere versus Southern Hemisphere and in my opinion the Northern Hemisphere won. The tasting started beautifully with a Gewurztraminer. "We should have wines like this more often," I said. It was Villa Maria Cellar Selection East Coast Gewurztraminer 2007 from New Zealand (17/20). It was pitted against Albert Mann Gewurztraminer 2006 from Alsace (18.5/20) and the latter had that kind of intensity that we rarely see in New Zealand examples - the kind of intensity that many GW makers aspire to. Just delicious and a highlight of the evening. Another highlight was Deutschherren-Hof Deutschherrenberg Riesling Auslese 2004 from the town of Trier in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region of Germany. Low alcohol, sweet, luscious nectar with a racy edge of acidity. Dreamy wine. There was Marc Bredif Vouvray 1986 - a bright yellow gold colour with a green glint and a lifted zesty brightness to the taste, so even the slight touch of oxidation (some bottle variation unfortunately) did not prepare for the revelation the wine was 22 years old. Also totally fascinating was Domaine Baptise Boutes Minervois 2005 from the Languedoc Roussillon - don't know what is in the wine but the appellation allows up to 40% Carignan, Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and the rather obscure Lladoner Pelut. Rich and full-bodied, meaty and savoury, even a little bit seaweedy, just loved it because it had a point of difference. Notes of all 12 wines tasted are on my Wednesday Roundup page - click here.
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vinous ramblings Spring into a season of tastings I've just updated my 'What's On' page and there are lots of opportunities for consumer wine tastings coming up in next couple of months. Eurowine hits the road next week with public tastings in Auckland on the 15th Sept and in Wellington on 16th September - this is a portfolio of some of New Zealand's glamour labels including Ata Rangi, Fromm, Muddy Water, Neudorf, Pegasus Bay, Seresin, Stonecroft and Te Mata as well as some Australian brands. The New Zealand International Wine Show has the 'Pick The Trophies' Challenge on Wednesday 24th October. Being held from 6pm to 9pm at the Central Hotel in Auckland's CBD, this is a tasting of all the wines awarded gold medals at the show, which is being judged next week. The 'challenge' is to pick just four of the 15 trophies that have been awarded. Those who are successful will have their name in the draw to win a 5-day trip for 2 persons to Adelaide, Barossa and McLaren Vale with rental car is included and at last 6 VIP visits to selected wineries arranged. The draw takes place at the Awards Dinner on September 27th, when the trophy winners are announced. Central Otago Pinot Noir is visiting some of the smaller towns with their 'Pure Inspiration Tour'. They will be at Tauranga on the 29th September, Hamilton on the 30th September and Palmerston North on the 2nd October. I'm told they'll be doing the major cities early next year. Fine Wine Delivery Company is holding full day 'Passion for Pinot' events, including tastings, winemaker debates and a dinner, in Wellington on the 4th October, Christchurch on the 11th October and Auckland on the 18th October. Nelson Wine Art is combining with Gourmet Seafood for new release tastings from WineArt members, including Waimea, Rimu Grove, Richmond Plains, Kahurangi, Seifried, Kaimira, Anchorage, Woollaston, Brightwater, Neudorf , Te Mania, Moutere Hills, Redoubt Hill and Torrent Bay. The dates are 14th October in Auckland, 21st October in Nelson and 29th October in Wellington. Lastly an afternoon of fun is coming to Marlborough with the First Glass Wine Options on 19th October. Teams of four people will compete to identify the wines that are served blind and at least two members of each team must be from Marlborough. Each member of the winning team will receive a bottle of Penfolds Grange and the team will have free entry into the National Final next year. In addition, Wine Marlborough is providing the return airfares to Auckland for the winning team. More details and booking links for the above are on my What's On page.
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vinous ramblings Oh my gosh - another mind blowing Savvie This week's Wine of the Week is the eyebrow raising, jaw dropping, amazingly fantastic Saint Clair Pioneer Block 6 'Oh' Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - the best I've tasted so far from the season. I rated it 19.5 out of 20. Click here to read my review. And, oh my gosh, how did I forget to blog the other recent Wine of the Week's, especially, the previous week, which is a wine I would consider to be one of my wines of the decade. It is the Esk Valley Reserve Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 and it was opened to celebrate the ten years of my domain name - wineoftheweek.com. Is scored this particular wine (but obviously not the particular bottle) a 19 out of 20 when reviewed in March 2000. How did it fare this time? Click here to read the review. Marlborough savvie and Hawkes Bay reds have been the theme, it seems, the last encompassing month, as the Soho Wine Co Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 was the Wine of the Week, the week before that. Then a standout example to show that some New Zealand winemakers can indeed produce fantastic examples of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wines - the rather impressive Mills Reef Elspeth Trust Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 from the Gimblett Gravels subregion of Hawkes Bay. Click here to read this review.
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vinous ramblings A handful of tasty 2008 savvies and more Popped into the Glengarry Hancocks trade tasting (Auckland edition) late this afternoon for a couple of hours to try out some of this distributor's wines, in particular some new release sauvignon blancs. As expected there are some outstanding savvies from the well recognised labels and the following wines, probably in the order stated, were the highlights. Fairhall Downs Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - a rich textural style without taking anything away from the punchy flavours that have a full array of juicy tropical fruit, passionfruit and lime. Mouthfilling, fulfilling and long. They had another label "Torea" which is more upfront and racy - it is originally an export wine but is now available here too and recommended. Jules Taylor Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is a rich, armpitty style - full-bodied with an oilyish texture, load of racy-edged tropical fruit and herbs. Vibrant, juicy, pungent and fresh. Waipara Hills Marlborough sauvignon Blanc 2008 is rich sweet and juicy with a lovely seam of gooseberry, honeyed lime, a touch of oiliness to the texture and a lime-infused fruit salad finish with a pungent racy undercurrent. Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is perfumed, musky and almost floral in its perfume while the palate is packed with sweet and rather exotic tropical fruit, underlying citrus, a touch of fennel and a long, juicy finish. Lake Chalice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is sweet fruited with passionfruit, kiwano, a touch of armpit and a great underpinning of juicy greens. It has mid palate complexity and a long juicy finish. Other outstanding wines from the portfolio that I tasted included Rimu Grove Nelson Pinot Gris 2008, Ti Point Hawkes Bay Viognier 2008 and the Gisselbrecht Riesling 2007 and Gisselbrecht Gewurztraminer 2007 from Alsace. Oh I also liked the dry and tasty Arrrogant Frog Ribet Rose 2007 made from 100% Languedoc Syrah.
Older entries are now in the archive |
So
I poured a glass of Dolbel Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007, a wine from
yet another new producer, and pondered. The wine has some oak interest and it's a
touch grassy with a warm texture. I grabbed the bottle to look and found 14% alcohol
on the label to account for that warmth. A rich, full-bodied, gently
barrel-fermented style with savvie's grassy disposition, a lightly grainy texture and a
touch of stonefruit - becoming quite savoury, from the yeast lees aging, on the finish.
Then, without thinking, I licked my finger to pick up some of the aniseed to
chew on and had another sip of wine. Unbelievable, but a surprisingly delicious
combination. Now I'm thinking perhaps a seafood dish with anise and accompanied with
Sauvignon Blanc could be rather tasty.
That's
what got me along there actually, because we have to eat and we like to drink so we may as
well find combinations that work well together. I also went to support brand manager,
Cathy Hicks (pictured right), who is a personal friend, and to catch up with winemaker Sam
Weaver, who I haven't seen for a while. Wish, now, I had stopped to chat to viticulturist
Murray Paterson, who I've communicated with online. At least I think he was there but I
don't know him by sight and just found his name as I peruse the '
The matches were Seared Scallops
with caramelised shallots and clarified butter served in Japanese spoons; steamed pork and
chicken ravioli served with lime flavoured soy sauce; and French rillettes of porc served
on toast, with cornichons. The scallops were the overall highlight by a long way -
beautiful on their own, beautiful with the wine - and the rillettes of porc, where the
acidity of the wine simply cut through the fat-laden rillettes, were pretty close behind.
The meat in the ravioli had lime zest or shredded Kaffir lime leaf running through it,
which was an excellent wine/food riesling combination, however the soy on the ravioli was
a mistake.
It was Sepp
Moser 'Breiter Rain' Gruner Veltliner 2006. A clear and quite deep gold with a lightly
oily lustre. On the nose subtle hints of toasty oak and perhaps what we would call
‘kero’. There are no obvious oak flavours in the palate, it just tastes rich and
hedonistic with its slightly viscous texture and flavours of honey and apricot with a hint
of apple strudel and an underlying salty, gravelly tang that lasts and lasts. It’s so
honeyed and concentrated I wonder if there is some botrytis. Love that long, salty tangy
aftertaste, a touch of pepper emerges too and then lime zest on the 'burp'. It’s rich
and luscious, yet is absolutely dry. From the 
Pouilly-Fume Didier Dagueneau 'Silex' 2005 - France
It was
probably meant as a bit of a joke, especially with the '…hiccup!' on the bottom, but
at last, today, I could professionally wear it. Because today I really was a
professional wine taster. 
First up was three flights of Sauvignon Blanc with 25 wines in each flight.
There were some absolutely delicious wines that our panel rewarded well - but there was a
great chasm dividing the stars from the also rans with about 85% of the wines our
particular panel was presented with being awarded bronze medals or nothing at all.
The scoring in our panel - which included Simon Waghorn (Astrolabe Wines) and Martin
Carrington (Waimea Wines) as well as myself, was amazingly consistent. Simon, who doesn't
enter his own wines in the show, said he had never come across such consistent judging
before. Blog Archive
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