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New Zealand wine of the week - www.wineoftheweek.com
edited by Sue Courtney
Wine of the Week newsletter No. 46 - February 2007
5 April 2007
Dear Friends of www.wineoftheweek.com,
In this issue: -My new Blog Harvest Update Easter Drinking What I've Been Tasting and Recent Wines of the Week More, more, more on Wine New Zealand is a Top Wine Destination What's in the NewsMy New Blog
Have you checked out my blog of vinous ramblings? Be sure to do so soon at www.wineoftheweek.com/blog.
If you like what you see, then subscribe to the site feed. If you have a modern browser, you can subscribe to my feed page using your favourite RSS reader. But if you dial up that page and it looks like a load of gobbledegook, then you have an older browser. So navigate to the formatted page at this link and subscribe from there. Not sure how it all works though.Harvest Update
Harvest is in full swing around the country and despite lower yields expected in some regions, most notably in Marlborough for sauvignon blanc, everyone is optimistic. Gisborne is traditionally first to start the country's harvest in February and it was no different this year although a week earlier than normal. Harvest got underway in the Far North at Karikari Estate on March 2nd, in Auckland at Kumeu River on March 6th, in Marlborough on March 7th and in Central Otago, believe it or not, the following week. Mind you the Central Otago pick was for Rudi Bauer's Quartz Reef bubbles. Now it's April and harvest is happening everywhere.Early predictions were that the sauvignon blanc harvest in Marlborough was going to be late, but it ended up being early with some of the first grapes coming in on March 21st. Brian Bicknell of Mahi Estate did say in January, "If the weather warms up it could be early". Well, it did warm up and it did start early. Murray Paterson of Vinifera Services in Blenheim succinctly gives a reason. "We had the coldest December for 60 years; it was also wet … = instant contraception for grape flowers."
The weather was exceptional leading up to the start of harvest and I've never seen any more perfect grapes than the pinot noir grapes picked at Kumeu River on March 6th - see this blog entry. If they say this year's pinot noir "is the best yet", I will believe them. But viticulture, like any outdoor crop, is subject to the whims of nature and the most forceful whim is the weather.
There was the storm in Auckland on 15th March but the worst damage I heard of was to the nets. The wind billowed the nets out like sails, sometimes breaking them away from the stays like a wayward spinnaker on an America's Cup yacht. At least when the rain stopped the wind dried out the vines pretty quickly.
Then there was the rain last week in Auckland and Northland. "I've never seen anything like it," said Kerikeri winemaker Rod McIvor after 420 mls of rain fell in 30 hours. "If it had happened five years ago, it would have been a disaster," he added. It wasn't a disaster for him however. Click here for the story.
But it was much drier elsewhere and the Awatere Valley in Marlborough had just 9mm of rain, the lowest March rainfall since records began. Overall the month was much warmer than usual too. Gisborne recorded its 4th ever highest sunshine hours and Blenheim recorded their second highest.
Here are some other harvest stories to check out …
Chris prepares for 26th grape harvest - Marlborough Express 29th March
Odd bunch of grapes - Marlborough Express 30th March
Looks like a good year for Sauvignon - Marlborough Express April 4th
Easter Drinking
Wineries will be closed on Good Friday, so if you are planning a spot on wine touring, don’t. Many wineries will be opening their doors this Easter Sunday, as it is legal for wineries to open so long as they only sell their own wine, but best to check before just turning up as some will definitely be taking a holiday. By the way, Easter Sunday is not a 'public holiday' in New Zealand, according to the Holidays Act, so any surcharges added on Easter Sunday are illegal. Expect surcharges on Easter Monday, though. Some wineries, like Artisan Wines in Henderson, west of Auckland, say they won't charge the surcharge. It's their first birthday and they are celebrating with birthday cake and free tastings of freshly harvested grapes. www.artisanwines.co.nz
In the Kumeu region just minutes from the end of the North Western Motorway out of Auckland City, 'Art in the Vineyard' is on. It won't be hard to spot the stunning outdoor sculptures at Soljans, Kumeu River, Coopers Creek, West Brook, Nobilo and Matua Valley but there is fine art being exhibited inside the cellar doors too. At Soljans in Kumeu there is the Berba Harvest Festival with 'novo vino' (new wine) and grape stomping part of the festivities, and a Croatian orchestra and dancers on Easter Sunday too. www.soljans.co.nz
Te Kairanga in Martinborough have entertainment as well as the release of new vintages. www.tekairanga.co.nz
In Clyde township in Central Otago, they have their annual Wine and Food Festival in the main street from 11am to 5pm.What I've Been Tasting and Recent Wines of the Week
Check out the Blog Archive page for an index of all entries. There are recipes and some wine tasting-free commentaries too. First Glass continues to provide tasty and interesting wines in their weekly tastings, including some absolute surprises like the Chateau Duhart Milon when Jane Skilton MW came to host a tasting.
The blog allows me to write mini wine reviews to highlight tasty wines I've tasted during the week, as well as wines not yet released - like the Ngatarawa Alwyn Merlot 2005 from Hawkes Bay which uses the controversial micro-oxygenation process, and wines from overseas like the Marchesi Antinori, Tignanello and Solaia from Antinori and the Penfolds Annual Release Tasting.
All the recent wines are archives on the March tasting page.Recent Wines of the Week include -
Alluviale Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc 2005, a stunning new red from Hawkes Bay.
Anchorage Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2006 from Nelson, plus reviews of five other sauvignon blancs from other than Marlborough.
Dry River Pinot Gris 2006 from Martinborough, plus reviews of all the Dry River wines in the autumn release.
Te Mata Bullnose Syrah 2005 from Hawkes Bay, plus a separate report on the Te Mata Showcase tasting of new releases and a mini vertical of Coleraine.
Spy Valley Noble Riesling 2006 from Marlborough with an unusual food match.
Sacred Hill Rifleman's Chardonnay 2005 from the Dartmoor Valley in Hawkes Bay
Camshorn Glenmark Gravels Pinot Gris 2006 from Waipara matched to Fennel encrusted Pork Fillet with a Pear and Fennel Sauce, plus reviews of seven other PG's.
Lonely Cow Viognier 2006 from Gisborne.
Plus there are also plenty of new reviews accessible from my Wine Reviews Index Page.More, more, more on Wine
Time to give a heads up to a few other wine sites. For a couple of local NZ sites new to the scene, check out Paul Sharp's Wine Consultant blog. Not so much tastings, just more newsy items, tips and advice.
A former neighbour and former wine writer for Next Magazine, Glenda Neil, is now blogging over on vinote.com. Glenda's now based in Nelson and is keeping an eye on the scene down there.
Jane Skilton MW and Emma Jenkins (who used to work at Scenic Cellars) have set up The Wine School. They have also started the Independent Wine Monthly, an online wine magazine in PDF format, and a layout very similar to one of the world's most famous wine magazines. Take a look and see if you recognise it.
Last but not least, a heads up for Geoff Kelly's Wine Reviews. He has now posted incredibly detailed commentary and reviews from the Hawkes Bay Syrah Symposium and Pinot Noir 2007. Great to see someone who writes solely for the Internet getting invitations to these events. Mind you, Geoff was a speaker at the latter.Like receiving wine newsletters in your inbox, then sign up with Natalie McLean at www.natdecants.com or with Robin Garr at www.wineloverspage.com.
Robin, who just come back from VinItaly and has posted some videos from this amazing event, produces the Internet's longest running wine newsletter with his three-times weekly 30 Second Wine Advisor and his once-a week Food Letter.
Natalie is the author of Red, White and Drunk all Over, published in America but not available in NZ yet (as far as I know) but you can buy through Amazon. She has also won heaps of awards for her newsletter, her website and her entertaining style of wine writing. A new feature is her food matching calculator, so if you are stumped as to which wine to drink with Thai Green Curry or what dish to pair with a full-bodied shiraz, dial up her website. Just don’t be surprised to see potato chips come up as a dessert. "I didn’t have a category for snacks and junk food so I put them into desserts," Natalie explained with a virtual grin. Natalie says that potato chips and champagne are divine! The bubbles and cleansing acidity of the sparkling wine cuts through the fat and salt in the chips. Marilyn Munroe paired them in The Seven Year Itch, so she gives Marilyn the credit for this brilliant combination.
New Zealand is a Top Wine Destination
But Michael Franz, former wine columnist for the Washington Post and online editor of Wine Review Online, doesn’t think it's one of the world's top ten.
In the latest issue of the Wine Review Online he has penned an article called Ten Top Wine Destinations. The column is headed "Sidetracks to Great Wine" and features Champagne from Paris, McLaren Vale from Adelaide and other places where "some of the world's most storied vineyards are likewise only a few minutes away from common routes and destinations." I know Michael Franz has been to New Zealand. He was here last month for a Marlborough sauvignon blanc and mussel matching competition, where the team of judges picked the Astrolabe Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2006 as the best mussel matching wine. Has he been here before, I'm not sure.
So maybe he thinks our vineyards are not in that league yet, maybe they don’t have the stories - but I think they do...
From Auckland, for example, the country's biggest city with the country's main international airport, it is only a 35 minute ferry ride from downtown to Waiheke Island and on a balmy, blue sky summer day, this is one of the great boat trips on the Hauraki Gulf. Then when you get to the island you can lunch in one of the superb winery restaurants, like Stonyridge - which has to be one of New Zealand's most storied vineyards. There are also superbly situated tasting rooms and restaurants at Te Whau, Mudbrick and Cable Bay with drop dead gorgeous views of the gulf and Auckland City drop dead gorgeous on the right day. It's highly recommended.
Queenstown is the tourist mecca of the south, it even has an international airport and from there it's only a 20 minute drive to the dramatic Gibbston Valley where the Kawarau River has cut through the schist rock. Where the ravine has parted, leaving river terraces, grapevines have been planted. The story here started in the 1980's when Gibbston Valley Winery planted grapes and Chard Farm, with its precarious entrance roadway, followed shortly after. Now there's also Amisfield, Peregrine, Waitiri Creek and the new Van Asch tasting room where you can taste Freefall wines right next to the Bungy Jump bridge. They are just some of the winery destinations in this amazingly scenic location that on a world-wide scale must be pretty hard to beat.What's in the News
Recent News Headlines - you'll find the stories on my News Page
Glassy-winged Sharpshooter gets a bit close for comfort.
Big Wet only in upper North Island.
Three new inductees into New Zealand Wine Hall of Fame.
Steve Smith MW takes over as Chief Judge.
Syrah wins top trophy again at the Royal Easter Wine Awards.
Phylloxera sightings confirmed in Martinborough.
Villa Maria Winemaker wins prestigious MW scholarship.
More entries but fewer medals at 54th Easter Show.
NZ wines in Sydney Top 100.That's all for now. Drive safely this Easter.
Cheers,
Sue Courtney
Editor, wineoftheweek.com
mailto:wineoftheweek@clear.net.nz
www.wineoftheweek.com
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