Sue Courtney's blog of Vinous Ramblings
wine, food and other vinous topics from New Zealand
wineoftheweek.com home Blog archives
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
May 14th: Vintage 2008 Savvie out already.
May 10th: Isabel zest ups Fennel.
May 8th: Twin Islands and Opawa Pinot Noirs.
May 7th: Unveiling David Herd.
May 6th: How to cook Cavolo Nero.
May 3rd: Cuisine Magazine's Top Ten Chardonnays.
May 1st: A tasting of Penfolds 'Luxury Wines'.
Apr 30th: Starting and finishing the month on a 'Grasshopping' high
Apr 28th: WOTW: William Thomas Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007
Apr 27th: Two Tasty North Island Pinot Noirs
Apr 25th: Peace. Pax. Lest We Forget.
Apr 21st: WOTW: Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2006
Apr 19th: Super VFM Thornbury Chardonnay
Apr 13th: WOTW: Lochiel 'The Laird' Fortified Dessert Wine
Apr 9th: Remembering 1968 and Vintage Update
Apr 7th: Toasting Marsden
Apr 6th: A Spiritual Vinous Epiphany
Older Entries
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 14th 2008Vintage 2008 Savvie out already
Doesn't seem that long ago that the grapes were on the vine but just 6 weeks after the harvest and vintage 2008 sauvignon blanc is out already. But the surprising thing is that the releases I've heard about come from Hawkes Bay. Te Mata Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is already being advertised while Mission Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2008 is hitting the cellar door shelves tomorrow.
Also in recent news, Marcus Pickens has been appointed the new Marketing Manager of Wine Marlborough. Members of Cellar Masters Wine Club in the mid to latter part of the 1990's will remember Marcus at the Newmarket store. He is leaving his current job of Fine Wine Sales Manager at Glengarry Hancocks to take up his new position on May 26th. Moving to Marlborough from Auckland will be quite a change for Marcus and his young family.
Closer to my home, the sign that proclaimed the 'Nobilo Wine Group' outside their headquarters in Huapai north of Auckland, has gone. Nobilo Wine Group is owned by Constellation Wines and to reflect the ownership, they've changed the named of the New Zealand operation to Constellation New Zealand. However the 60-year old Nobilo brand within the mega company is one of the leading sellers and is firmly set to stay.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 10th 2008Isabel zests up Fennel
Opened a bottle of Isabel Marlborough Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007 last night. Wow - this producer is right back on form after a rather stylistically different 2006 sauvignon blanc, a departure from the typically racy, tropical fruited, punchy Marlborough savvies and not even the best example of an 'alternative' style.
But after one sip of the 2007, Isabel was redeemed.
The tangy and very more-ish Isabel Marlborough Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007 is fragrantly aromatic with an orange zest infusion to the distinctive sauvignon scent and the taste is bright and punchy with a crisp herbaceous undercurrent and a firm acid spine. A warmth and richness to the finish imparts a pleasing textural complexity, no doubt from the 20% that had been fermented in older oak barrels - although you cannot taste the oak because the fruit simply sings. There's a slightly funky nunace too, that makes me wonder if there's a touch of natural ferment, although the notes on the website don't mention this.
I loved the herb flavours in the wine that particularly reminded me of fennel, or perhaps I had fennel on my mind as the bulbs are now in season and I had two in the vegetable compartment of my fridge. Also the citrus reminded me of the oranges on the orange tree in the back yard, now at the height of the season (much to the marauding opossums' delight). I was keen to try Fennel and Orange together, as they seem to be a classic match.
However after searching the web for a suitable recipe, I decided it was time to revive my Fennel Braised in Sauvignon Blanc recipe with the addition of the orange zest, juice and the still fleshy pulp that I scooped out after squeezing. Terakihi fillets with an aromatic crust, mashed potatoes, salad leaves and the last of the outdoor tomatoes proved to be a fitting accompaniment but the Fennel and Orange was a star match with the wine.
Isabel Marlborough Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2007 has 13/5% alcohol by volume and 7.7 grams of total acidity - hence the raciness that we love. It's sealed with a screwcap about costs about NZ$20. Although sold out at the cellar door, Isabel is widely distributed throughout the world, so check out discerning retailers and restaurants. Find out more from www.isabelestate.com.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 8th 2008Twin Islands and Opawa Pinot Noirs
We were away in Taupo in the Central North Island with our car club last weekend. Brrrr. It was cold. Minus 1 degrees Celsius on Sunday morning although it really did seem colder. I'm sure there was frost on the car first thing. Then, when the clouds parted, fresh snow covered the Tongariro National Park mountains. You could feel the snow in the air and the temperature didn't make it into double figures that day. I am sure the wind, with its chill factor taken into account made it seem even colder.
The night before, our group gathered at one of the local establishments for dinner. It was a pre-set menu with the choice of fish and chips, sirloin steak or lamb shanks for the main course. I had checked the website to see if the establishment was BYO, but it was not. Still I was heartened by the fact that the immensely drinkable Tohu Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006 was on the wine list. In fact it was featuring prominently on the website. But when we got there, the Tohu was nowhere to be seen. I asked the bar person if they had any as I saw it on the website and he said, "Oh we changed our wine list today". (On a Saturday? Yeah, right!)
So with very little choice and with Pinot Noir firmly on my mind, it was the Twin Islands Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006 that accompanied our twice cooked lamb shanks. This is a lighter styled pinot, initially quite sweetish with a savoury undertone to the morello cherry and blueberry fruit and a hint of chocolate to the earthy savoury finish. The sweetness of the wine worked well with the gamey flavours of the lamb. In fact the lamb really did need the shot of cherry / berry favour that the wine added. It was also especially nice with bread dipped in oil then in an aromatic dukkah which had the aniseed flavours of fennel seeds.
Twin Islands (RRP $18) is made by Nautilus Estate and as I started typing my notes, I remembered I had been sent a sample of the Nautilus Estate’s new label, the Opawa Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006 (RRP $28.95) from the vineyard adjacent to the Nautilus winery in Renwick in Marlborough. It is the only wine made under this label, which translates in English to 'Smokey River'.
A veritable step up from the Twin Islands, the moderately deep purple-garnet coloured Opawa flirts as soon as it is poured. Smoky and savoury with morello cherry scents and hints of creamy oak, it is silky textured and rather succulent to the taste. A chocolatey richness balances the initial herbal savoury attack with both morello and fruit cake cherries and cranberries adding a tart sweetness. There’s a hint of marmite yeastiness and the rounded finish is aromatically spicy and long. This young vibrant pinot noir is delicious and approachable already but all the indications are that it will drink beautifully the next 3-4 years. The wine has 14% alcohol. Such classy presentation (see photo right) too.
Again lamb was the choice - this time once-cooked lamb steaks sizzled in olive oil with a sprinkling of chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage with the pan deglazed with a little of the pinot noir to make a sauce. I'm thinking a sprinkle of that aromatic dukkah would have gone down well too.
Check out www.nautilusestate.com for more on the specialised Pinot Noir wine making facility that Nautilus Estate has created for crafting these wines.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 7th 2008Unveiling David Herd
The weather is showing as being 'partly cloudy' in Blenheim today with a high of 17 degrees Celsius at the airport. It's a warm change from the cold snap that hit the country last weekend and a pleasant autumn temperature for a day when people are gathering at the airport for the unveiling of the statue of Marlborough wine pioneer, David Herd.
David Herd established Marlborough's first vineyard on a property he called 'Auntsfield'. The current owners, the Cowley family, unravelled the history after buying the property and discovering the old wine cellar set into the side of a small hill. Their research made them realise they had purchased the land that was the site of Marlborough's first vineyard with the wine cellar built about 1873. The Cowleys decided to resurrect the 'Auntsfield' label and have now restored the wine cellar and Herd's tiny one room home, which I was lucky enough to visit in October last year. They also commissioned the statue, which is a fitting tribute to the region's first commercial winemaker. Could Herd ever have imagined the extent of Marlborough's vineyards today? Could any of us?
Marlborough Mayor, Alistair Sowman, who is speaking at the unveiling, says he commends and thank the Cowleys for this initiative. "It is important to acknowledge our past and this is an excellent contribution to our knowledge of our local history. It also fits well with the work that the Marlborough Museum is doing with the wine industry, to record the history of viticulture in Marlborough. It is a timely reminder that the roots of the industry lie with our colonial pioneers," he says.
After the unveiling, a long table lunch is being held on the site of the former vineyard, outside the restored cellar, with the food to be accompanied by the Auntsfield Heritage Pinot Noir 2005, which is also being launched today. This wine was one of my star finds at the Marlborough Wine Weekend last year. I was also privileged to taste it again outside the wine cellar when I visited the vineyard (click here and scroll down) just before returning to Auckland.
Auntsfield Heritage Pinot Noir 2005 is a gorgeous wine. It is rich, creamy, chocolatey and savoury with subtle spice, dried herbs, smoky bacon, cherry, plum and yummy poached tamarillo. It's dry with firm but fleshy tannins, a smoky complexity and a delicious succulence to the lasting finish. It's a special wine because is also has a drop of the original Auntsfield Brown Muscat wine from the 1905 vintage. It's a wine that will last too, because a bottle of it is being buried in a time capsule to mark this historic occasion. Lucky it has a pewter label, because that will last too.
www.auntsfield.co.nz
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 6th 2008How to cook Cavolo Nero
When I was given a half dozen leaves of a green vegetable that looked very much like a silverbeet but was a more 'army green' colour and had much a thicker, sturdier texture, I had no idea what it was.
But foodie Lauraine Jacobs, who was in our little group visiting the gardens of Clyde Potter (pictured right) in Hawkes Bay and the business he has established called Epicurean Supplies, knew immediately that it was Cavolo Nero. Clyde's herbs, micro greens and exotic vegetables are highly sought after by the country top restaurateurs. Especially exotics like Cavolo Nero, which is an Italian black cabbage that Clyde imported into New Zealand.
But how does one cook it. Googling ' "Cavolo Nero" +recipes ' resulted in a number of different and quite conflicting procedures.
You can cut it into strips and boil it for 2-3 minutes in salted water, says one source with no additional instructions. Another source said to boil for 20 minutes - although that seemed like overkill. It's evidently fabulous in soups, too. However the Epicurean Supplies website says to simply fry in olive oil with garlic and chillies.
One thing every procedure had in common was to remove the tough stalk and central rib. I did that but when I tasted the rib, it wasn't awful or anything, so I decided to treat it this particular cabbage as I would silverbeet or spinach.
I removed the central rib and chopped the rib into pieces no bigger than a centimetre and added similarly sized chopped fennel, about one third the quantity of the cavolo nero rib. These were sauteed in a pan in a generous amount of EVOO, together with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Meanwhile, I cooked the Cavolo Nero leaf in salted boiling water, for 3 minutes then after draining, sliced across the leaves to cut them into strips. When the Cavolo Nero rib and fennel were starting to give, the strips of leaf were added and sauteed a little longer. A couple of slices of tomato chopped into pieces added colour; cream added moisture and fennel fern was used for garnish. So use the stalks - they just need to be cooked for longer and add more of the Cavolo Nero flavour to the dish.
Farmgate is a new label for Hawkes Bay and the philosophy of the label is to take the food of local suppliers and match them to the wines. Clyde Potter is matched to Farmgate Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007 and this pungent herbaceous wine is a perfect marriage to the vegetables the way I cooked them. Also the accompanying Jerusalem artichokes, which were boiled with Pink Fir apple potatoes in the Cavolo Nero blanching water.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 3rd 2008Cuisine Magazine's Top Ten Chardonnays.
There is no doubt that Cuisine Magazine is the pre-eminent wine review magazine in New Zealand and the wines that receive five star and Top Ten accolades are highly sought after. There is also an excellent tasting program held in wine shops around the country which gives consumers the chance to taste the wines and see if they agree with the judges.
Cuisine Magazine tastings are run in exactly the same way as wine competitions are. A panel of three senior judges with one or two associate judges taste the wines, that are served in 'blind' (i.e. the tasters do not know whose wine they are tasting), in 'flights' (i.e. there may be twenty glasses lined up in a row) and score the wines using the standard 20-point rating system that is used in New Zealand. The points are converted to 'star' ratings with a five star rating equivalent to a wine show gold medal. The top wines are retasted and retasted and once the very top wines have been found, each judge ranks them in order of preference.
Judge Sam Kim, who works at First Glass and presented some of the wines at the First Glass Cuisine Top Ten Chardonnay tasting last Wednesday, says that not everyone ends up with the same order, so there is debating and give and take on the part of the judges until there is a consensus to the final order of the Top Ten.
So with a Cuisine Tasting being a wine competition, it was a surprise to see some brands that don't normally enter wine competitions in New Zealand, featuring prominently on the Top Ten list of Chardonnays - where all top ten wines received a five star rating.
Although Martinborough producer Ata Rangi has entered wine competitions in England and has won several elite awards for their Pinot Noir, the inclusion of their Chardonnay in the Cuisine tasting was a complete surprise. But the entry confirmed the quality of the Ata Rangi Craighall Chardonnay 2006 when it ended up as Number One of all 175 entries.
The other surprise inclusion was Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2006, rated as Number 6 in the tasting. Personally, I would have rated it higher as this 2006 vintage is the most delicious Cloudy Bay Chardonnay I have ever tasted. I gave it good raps on this blog in February.
My other top personal favourites were Auntsfield Marlborough Chardonnay 2006 and Kim Crawford Tietjen Gisborne Chardonnay 2007. All in all it was a stunning line-up of wines with even the three cheapies - Twin Islands, Dashwood and Crossroads deserving of their inclusion.
All of the wines are reviewed on my Wednesday tasting Page entry for 30th April 2008. Click here to read them.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
May 1st 2008A tasting of Penfolds 'Luxury Wines'
It was a surprise to get an invitation to the Penfolds Luxury Wine release, because it had missed finding its way into my mail box the last few years. Not being able to drive meant I needed a chauffeur and that chauffeur would want to taste the wines too. So Neil put up his hand. Well actually I may have held it up for him.
The invitation only tasting was held at the Fine Wine Delivery Company in Cook Street, Auckland with Penfolds red winemaker, Steve Lienert (pictured right), in attendance. It was a 'measured pour' tasting with wines dispensed from an Enomatic machine that had eight Penfolds wines in a row.
But first we were welcomed with a glass of Lanson Champagne to whet the whistle. This is a deep coloured, rich, toasty yeasty style with sweet fruit and a dry finish.
Is the Penfolds Yattarna Chardonnay 2005 the best ever made? Steve tells me it's on a par with the 2004 but I haven't tasted the 2004, so I'll take Steve's word. However the 2005, made from Adelaide Hills fruit, is utterly remarkable. From the warm, inviting, toasty barrel-ferment scents to the mouthfilling, mealy savoury flavour with nougat, nutty oak, peachy fruit and a hint of butterscotch, there's a surprising delicate touch throughout. Yum, yum, yum. A canape of blue cheese and roasted pear on wholemeal pastry base matched beautifully too.
Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz 2006 (reviewed in March) put the palate into the red wine mood and this was followed by two Fine Wine Delivery Company exclusives - Penfolds Cellar Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 and the Penfolds Cellar Reserve Cabernet Shiraz 2006. I just loved the straight Cabernet Sauvignon and its medium to full-bodied style with firm chewy tannins, plummy fruit, hints of mint and a cedary finish.
Penfolds St Henri Shiraz 2004 was next. Showing its fruit purity and fine tannin structure from the outset it is more European in style, probably because of the lack of oak. Earthy and savoury with some grip to the finish, there's a light touch of strawberry and cherry combining with fruits of the forest and a gentle sprinkling of peppery spice.
Penfolds RWT Shiraz 2005 is a veritable super star. The opulent, sweet-oaked, red-fruited, creamy aromas are everything I associate with great Penfolds wine, not to mention the succulent, ripe creamy flavours of chocolate, blueberries, Christmas cake cherries and dried herb nuances that add a savoury saltiness. Plush velvety tannins add to the allure and rose pepper spice lingers with a hint of red liquorice on the lasting finish. Simply fantastic.
Penfolds Bin 707 Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 is predominantly Barossa Valley fruit. It is the essence of Cabernet on the nose with hints of chocolate-coated violet and an earthy nuance to the oak. Lifted and spicy to the taste with voluptuous tannins, red fruits and ultra ultra classy American oak, this is a wine that is yet to unfold and has a long drinking window ahead of it.
Lastly, the iconic and super opulent Penfolds Grange 2003. The sweet oaked, vanilla laden, spice driven, pencil lead and red fruit aroma is deep and complex while the exhilarating taste is spicy and bright with finely structured satin smooth tannins, an earthy richness and suggestions of violets and rose petal musk. Add chocolate, cedar, spices and purple fruits with a pepper infusion to the massively long finish - once this mouth coating wine breaks the virgin seal, it seduces more and more with every mouthful. Even more exciting when matched to minced confit of duck in a sweet plum sauce wrapped in Phyllo pastry.
So the wines are limited and not very afforable (RRP of Grange this year is about $540) but they can be found in the best fine wine shops and in the upmarket supermarkets with the locked glass-fronted wine cabinets.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 30th 2008Starting and finishing the month on a 'Grasshopping' high
Well, I can't say that April 2008 has been my best month ever, even though it started on a high and ended on a high.
The start-of-the-month 'high' was a trip to Northland for the MG Car Club National Rally where we stayed at the Copthorne Hotel with a sea front room where you could lie in bed and watch Venus rise at 5am in the morning, if you were awake at that hour, which I usually was. Of course, vinous excursions were high priority side events. We visited Marsden Estate and Ake Ake Vineyard in Kerikeri, not far from Waitangi. We detoured to Karikari Estate, the most northern winery in New Zealand, after the car club's 'trial event' (in which Neil and I managed to finish 1st equal). Then on the way home to Auckland, we visited Lochiel Estate, the southern-most Northland vineyard at Mangawhai. Mangawhai is not too far north of Matakana, but the Auckland-Northland boundary lies between the two M's.
The end-of-the-month 'high' was mention of wineoftheweek.com in Jo Burzynska's wine column in the Viva supplement of the New Zealand Herald, published today. Wow, it's the first time I've been mentioned in a NZ Herald wine column since 2001. That was when I contributed some articles to the Herald and "www.wineoftheweek.com" was part of my byline.
Click here to read Jo's column - Caught in the wine web.The middle was the part between the beginning and the end and the lack of articles on the website and the blog will be noticeable to followers of my writings. So I can make excuses like, "I had a full knee replacement and one of my best friends died".
Now I'm looking forward to May - and it is only tomorrow away.
Wine of the Day: Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006
This is the first vintage of a new wine venture between five shareholding families. The vineyard is in Earnscleugh, near Alexandra, in Central Otago and the fabulous 2006 vintage is the debut. Deep ruby, not quite opaque, the aroma is smoky and savoury and the initial taste is tight. But it opens up beautifully in the glass to express truffley, earthy, forest floor and 'fruits of the forest' with underlying hints of tamarillo and dried thyme-like herbs with a cherry sweetness to the plush, full aftertaste. Best to decant if opening now, because the wine improved and improved in the bottle and tonight, when I finished the bottle that was opened 10 days ago (recyling tomorrow), chocolatey nuances add to its allure.
The wine was made by Carol Bunn at Vinpro and is available primarily by mail order. It costs $29.95 a bottle and is closed with a screwcap. I imagine it will offer tasty drinking for at least 5 years. Check out www.grasshopperrock.co.nz.
It wasn't the best match to the strong-flavoured field mushrooms from my back paddock, but it was a humdinger match to backstrap of lamb with a mushroom and herb breaded topping. Yum!
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 28th 2008WOTW: William Thomas Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007
While the 2008 vintage is Marlborough is bringing delight or dismay (or both to the larger producers), it will definitely be a vintage to remember .... Yes, the drought broke, right in the midst of harvest.
Fast track back to 2007 - a harvest of potential excellence right across the board ....
Click here to continue reading this 'Wine of the Week' review.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 27th 2008Two Tasty North Island Pinot Noirs
When we think of North Island pinot noir, it is Martinborough that instantly springs to mind. It is well deserved too because the Martinborough region produced the first real pinot noirs of note and when the weather gods produce the right conditions, the Martinborough wines simply excel. We do tend to brush the other North Island regions aside when it comes to pinot noir but these two wines reviewed below show character throughout - and when I matched them to freshly picked field mushrooms that were cooked in a creamy sauce and served on toast (see this Wine of the Week review for the recipe), they simply sang.
Gladstone Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2006
Cherryish pinot scents introduce this juicy, generous style. Ripe and juicy with immediate appeal, it's spicy and savoury with a touch of smoke and a bright-fruited strawberry / cherry / guava fruit sweetness to the expansive finish. With the field mushrooms on toast, the vibrancy of the wine and the underlying acidity complement the food quite beautifully.Where is Wairarapa? It is the greater area that includes Martinborough - in fact Martinborough is a subset of the Wairarapa. Gladstone Vineyard is on a river terrace in Dakins Road close to the town of Gladstone. Fruit from here as well as Te Muna Road in Martinborough contributed to this wine, which was matured in French oak for 10 months. It has 14% alcohol stated on the label, a screwcap closure and an RRP of about $41.00 a bottle.
www.gladstone.co.nzTrinity Hill High Country Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir 2006
From the inland 'high country' of Hawkes Bay, this is smoky and spicy with a nice touch of funk and biscuity nuances on the nose. It's full-bodied, funky, spicy and bright to the taste with an earthy complexity and a smoky depth with black cherry and blueberry fruit and a floral lift to the finish with a hint of mocha. Smooth in its delivery and quite complex. Let the juices of the mushroom soak into the toast. It's simply yum. This has 14% alcohol stated on the label, a Diam super critical cork closure and an RRP of NZ$39.95 a bottle.
www.trinityhill.co.nz
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 25th 2008Peace. Pax. Lest We Forget.
As I watched the dawn service televised live from Gallipoli and saw the New Zealand, Australian and Turkish flags flying at half mast on this, the 93rd anniversary of Anzac Day, I wondered what had happened to the peace wine, "Pax". It is a wine made from a blend of New Zealand sauvignon blanc, Australian semillon and Turkish cavus (an indigenous variety) but the only reference I can find to an actual release is the 2005 vintage. So I'm thinking it must have been a 'one off' wine for the 90th anniversary of Anzac Day.
The blend was assembled in the Hunter Valley by winemaker Chris Cameron who, in earlier reports, was hoping to plant a vineyard near the battle site at Gallipoli where so many soldiers lost their lives on April 25th, 1915.
Chris was the winemaker at Pepper Tree Wines and I did email him last year, but received no reply perhaps because he had already headed across the Pacific to Summerwood Winery in Paso Robles, where he now works. So I guess the Pax wine project, like the soldiers who fell at Gallipoli, has been laid to rest.
Peace. Pax. Lest we forget.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 21st 2008WOTW: Coal Pit 'Tiwha' Pinot Noir 2006
Talk about coincidence. We were out with a group of like-minded friends for breakfast. A big warming breakfast because the morning had been so cold. Our plates were groaning with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, potatoes, tomatoes and mushrooms. The cultivated mushrooms were nice, but mild.....
Click here to continue reading this 'Wine of the Week' review.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 19th 2008Super VFM Thornbury Chardonnay
Back on deck again and a little heavier in weight, thanks to a Stryker Triathlon system in my knee, I had my first taste of wine in well over a week and it woke up all the taste buds with a bang. It was the super priced and most incredibly delicious Thornbury Chardonnay 2007 from Gisborne.
Tasted at First Glass on last Wednesday night, Thornbury Gisborne Chardonnay 2007 is a big bright rich toasty style. Served slightly chilled, which accentuates the butterscotch aromas and flavours, it is creamy and long with ripe peach and melon fruit, butterscotch richness and a spicy depth. There's plenty of warmth from the 14% alcohol and the bottle is sealed with a screwcap. A great way to start the evening.
2007 has to have been the dream vintage for Gisborne grapegrowers and the proof is in this wine, which at $13.99 a bottle is top of my Value for Money (VFM) stakes so far in 2008. And it's going to be hard to beat.
Thornbury is now part of the Villa Maria family of wines and the technical notes can be found on the Thornbury website - click here.
This was the pre-taster to the night's wines, which included four super German Rieslings, Four Syrah / Shiraz including one from Chile, and four other gold medal winning wines. All of those notes are on my Wednesday Round-up page for 16th April - click here.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 13th 2008WOTW: Lochiel 'The Laird' Fortified Dessert Wine
You wouldn't expect to find a vineyard nestled in the eastern lee of Northland's Brynderwyn Hills, a little inland from the spectacular surf beach at Mangawhai Heads. But in this hidden oasis where olive groves dot the landscape together with an avocado orchard and a passionfruit orchard, there is actually a cluster of three. The location in King Road, Mangawhai, a couple of hours drive north of Auckland City, could definitely be considered Northland's newest wine growing region and it's all thanks to Liz, Gary and Rob Cameron at Lochiel Estate.
Click here to continue reading this 'Wine of the Week' review.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 9th 2008Remembering 1968 and Vintage Update
Tomorrow is the 10th April. It's my sister's birthday. Happy Birthday, Sis! I'm old enough to remember her birthday 40 years ago. My mother was taking me and my two sisters and my birthday sister's friends to the movies in the city. We were so excited even though it had rained all day. It was still coming down in torrents that evening and we got into a traffic jam going into the Victoria Street car park. We were all giggling and making fun and singing to the music on the radio. I can't remember if we made it to the movies or turned around and went home. But I do remember the rain and being stuck in the car. Evidently the storm had encompassed the whole of New Zealand; in some places worse than others. The next morning, the rain had eased but the news came over the radio that the interisland ferry, Wahine, had hit Barrett's Reef at the entrance to Wellington Harbour and had capsized. It was a terrible tragedy. I'll never forget the date.
Can you imagine if the New Zealand wine industry was where it is at now, in 1968. In Marlborough they would have been right in the midst of the Sauvignon Blanc harvest. All those growers that hadn't picked grapes would have been tearing their hair out. Those who had picked grapes may even have had bunches or juice on the interisland ferry.
In 2008, forty years later, the weather forecast is perfect for the 10th April. But winegrowers in Marlborough are now wondering if they should compare the season to 1995 when a drought was terminated by rain, rain and more rain.
This year, downpours in the Wairau Valley the last weekend of March, and again last weekend put pressure on processing facilities with so many grapes coming in at once. The Awatere Valley has been a lot drier. Regardless of the rain, there's excitement about the flavours, especially in the Pinot Noir.
Perhaps Waikato will challenge Marlborough this year for the most flavoursome Sauvignon Blanc. All the growers there are raving about the quality. Simon Nunns at Coopers Creek says it is the best he has every seen while Garry Major at Mystery Creek says, " Waikato savvy is something you will not believe". It has really good passionfruit aromatics.
It's the middle of harvest in Central Otago and winegrowers there are a high with a record 10,000 tonnes expected to come off the vines, about 3 times the volume from 2007.
I'm offline now for a few more days. I may blog if I find a conection. Otherwise, see you next week.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 7th 2008Toasting Marsden
James Busby (see yesterday's entry) is widely recognised as being New Zealand's first winemaker, but it is the missionary Reverend Samuel Marsden who is regarded as New Zealand's first grape grower. He evidently planted 100 grape vines of different varieties at his mission in Kerikeri in 1819. But I am scratching my head as to why he was so interested in planting grapevines if it wasn't to make wine? You see, before Marsden came to New Zealand, he had also cultivated the vine. He planted a vineyard at St Mary's, a suburb in western Sydney, in 1804 and named the vineyard 'Mamre'.
So, if he didn't make wine, why did he have vineyards? Perhaps he was what we know call a 'contract grape grower'. Or perhaps he was simply a nurseryman, propagating grape cuttings and distributing them to wannabe winegrowers.
Whatever the reason, Marsden's vineyard legacy lives on in Wiroa Road, Kerikeri, just a few miles inland from the original site. Established by Rod and Cindy McIvor, the modern vineyard and restaurant is named Marsden Estate in honour of New Zealand's first grape grower.
Marsden Estate is planted with a range of grape varieties suited to the Northland climate. And of course Marsden Estate's grapes are used to make wine. There is Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinotage, Syrah, Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Malbec.
I called in there last week and tasted through a range of wines. Among my favourites was Marsden Estate Pinot Gris 2007 ($27), which we had immensely enjoyed a glass of at our hotel accommodation a couple of nights before. It is full of classic pear drop with a rich weighty creamy palate, a touch of spicy zest and a clean stone fruit finish.
Cavalli 2004, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, was fascinating. A medium-bodied, user-friendly red with a perfumed aroma and plum and cherry flavours with vanilla tones from American oak and a savoury finish. 'Blackboard special pricing' was just $14 a bottle.
But it was the Marsden Estate Chambourcin 2005 ($24) that set the blood pumping. Deep in colour with big juicy succulent berry fruit flavours with spice, earth and underlying acidity. It was like velvet cream and reminded me a of blueberry mousse from the night before.
The star of the portfolio, the Marsden Estate Black Rocks Chardonnay 2006 was not being opened for tasting due to its triple gold medal and Trophy success. But we treated ourselves to a bottle and toasted the Marsdens when we arrived back home. Named for the 'Black Rocks' out in the Bay, this is a rich, oaky, seductive, full-bodied number. I loved it so much, it's my Wine of the Week.
Marsden Estate is open daily and wine tastings are free.
Sue Courtney's blog of vinous ramblings
wine, food & other vinous topics from New Zealand
Apr 6th 2008A Spiritual Vinous Epiphany
I had a spiritual vinous epiphany on my few days away with the MG Car Club for the 2008 National Rally (hence no recent blog entries). No, it wasn't when lots of people asked what my license plate, 'VINOUS' meant - although a few clever ones worked out it was something to do with wine. "Vino, think vino," I say.
My spiritual vinous epiphany was going to the site of New Zealand's first vineyard, or 'vinery' as it was called then - the place where James Busby propogated the grapevines he had brought with him after he arrived in New Zealand in the Bay of Islands in 1833. He planted his vineyard in 1836.
My spiritual vinous epiphany was encompassed by
….. walking over the ground where the vines that produced the grapes for New Zealand's first wine had grown
….. standing in front of the house that Busby built
….. waiting for the sun to rise on a glorious Northland day, a day like Busby might have experienced in April 1838 when he was harvesting grapes for that year's vintage off his two-year-old vines
….. imagining the location of the vineyard - or the "fine grapery" - as it has been described in the literature, which was- south of the cabbage trees because, according to Peter Shaw's book, "Waitangi", the cabbage trees were planted "as a windbreak for the cultivations".
- "Between the house and the flagpole", according to his grand daughter. This seems correct as the flagpole marks the spot where a marquee was erected for the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi on 6th February 1840 - and it wouldn't have been erected in the middle of the vineyard.It was just before sunrise on a clear April morning last Thursday when we crossed the lawn from our accommodation at the Copthorne Waitangi to Hobson Beach and then followed the track up the hill to the grounds of the Treaty House. We should have kept to the coastal track as the grounds were not officially open until 9am, but the magnetism of the former vineyard site was too strong.
I wondered if Busby had awoken on an April morning, just like this one, and looked out the east facing window to be blinded by the rays of the rising sun. I wondered if it was a morning just like this when he made a decision to harvest.
Busby's vineyard and gardens were at their height from 1838 to 1844 but destruction by raiding parties during Busby's absence in 1845 and 1846 led to the vineyard's eventual demise.
However, there can be no doubt that cuttings from Busby's and others' vines, like Reverend Samuel Marsden's at Kerikeri a little further north, and Bishop Pompallier's at the Catholic Mission at Russell, across the harbour from Waitangi - contributed to the spread of early viticulture in Northland.
Older entries are now in the archive
Blog Archive
WineoftheWeek.com homecopyright Sue Courtney 2007
