The Chunnel gives a swift painless way to travel to the continent. When my wine tasting club announced plans to spend a weekend in Champagne to celebrate its 25th anniversary I didn't dream they'd consider crossing any other way. But they did. Too late I discovered we were going by ferry. After the Chunnel - the rail tunnel under the English Channel between Folkestone and Calais - opened I vowed never again to cross by ferry with their metal decks, diesel fumes and hordes of youths running around fuelled with cheap beer.

But I was pleasantly surprised. To meet Chunnel competition ferry operators introduced huge new luxury ferries and so at midday we found ourselves sitting in Langham's Brasserie on an upper deck watching Dover's dockside move slowly away from us through large windows while menus were being presented.

Langham's Brasserie in London is owned by actor Michael Caine. Regularly featured in newspaper columns it's a place you go to spot famous names. I didn't see any faces eating in this branch on the P&O ferry, but walls were covered with their photos and paintings. I've never eaten in the original, but our companions Peter & Sue have, and it's them who accompanied us to this shipboard branch. There was a plenitude of waiters smartly dressed in black waistcoats and long starched white aprons. Correction - they are stewards; we're on board ship!

The wine list is short but comprehensive and a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc at a very reasonable £11.45 beckons. It has a most appropriate name - Mariner. With one sniff we know we're going to enjoy it. Its beautiful light green tinge sparkles against the tablecloth and its refreshing crisp gooseberry flavours match the bouquet's promise. A second bottle is called for - although it is lunchtime we are on holiday, and we don't have to drive.

Ninety minutes later as we finish our luncheon the ferry imperceptibly comes to a halt in Calais harbour and we go down to the vehicle deck to rejoin our coach.

We enjoyed it so much that we returned two days later on the homeward journey and ordered the Mariner. The others were having fish, but I'd seen plates of excellent looking rib-eye steak being served on the outward journey so I chose that. Sauvignon Blanc with steak? Its not a match I'd usually make, but in fact I thought it went very well. The SB has the depth and flavour to stand up to red meat. And in order to thoroughly test the theory we ordered another bottle.

I don't know anything about Mariner, but a google found it is made by Spencer Hill Estate in Nelson from their own and bought in grapes. Worth looking for.

CLOUDY DROUGHT OVER?
In earlier episodes I've talked about the rarity of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. So I was amazed to see a pallet loaded with cases of Cloudy Bay 2002 in an aisle of my local Tesco's supermarket. Then halfway down the store, not yet in the wine area, were five shelves of bottles and further along another shelf full in the wine area. It was priced at £11.99 and came with a recommendation from 'Andy', the stores wine manager

I have never ever seen so many bottles of Cloudy Bay.

Sue Courtney told me that 2002 was the best Cloudy Bay vintage for many years so I opened it in high expectation. It's a lovely wine with an inviting nose of gooseberry and mowed lawns that doesn't quite deliver. The following day we had the 2001 saved from last year. Again a pleasant wine, but I wanted more 'oomph'. There are plenty of competitors and I don't think Cloudy Bay has yet reclaimed the high ground that originally gave it iconic status.

IN THE MAGS
"Wine Ireland" tasted 260 wines generally available in Ireland and chose 100 best wines. New Zealand had three, Hunter's Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (18.99 EUR) "delivers with panache", Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2002 (14.95 EUR) "wakes up the tastebuds", Felton Road Dry Riesling 2001 (21.95 EUR), "drinking divinely".

UK's 'Choice' magazine said "its almost impossible to find a bad New Zealand wine, but it is possible to find a reasonably priced one"

CHENIN REPRIEVED
In my previous episode I tasted some splendid Chenin Blancs from Margrain and lamented that the Chenin vineyards were to be destroyed because no one was buying the variety. I've just heard some good news from UK importer Brett Morris who tells me "Daryl Margrain is being allowed by her husband to retain some of the Chenin Blanc. The power of the pen being mightier than the secateurs!"

If you've not yet tried it, please do so and let me know whether you agree me.

PECULIAR
This is the twelfth episode of my View from Snorbens. Just over a year I related in episode one how Sue Courtney asked me to give my "peculiarly English view of New Zealand's wine", which I've been doing my best to do. I hope its been peculiar enough for you, its certainly has for me.

Thank you for the emails. I answer them all, but please do put something specific in the subject line. Unfortunately I am getting well over one hundred spam emails every day and I can no longer give benefit of doubt to emails without subject lines that clearly indicate they are meant for me personally, and I now delete them without opening.

If you have been, thanks for reading.

© Peter May
20 July 2003

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