supersipping

Au Revoir Les Beaux Cailloux

2011-06-27T13:05:00.000-07:00

Homesick for my old stomping ground, one thing guaranteed to fill me with jubilation and fluffy rays of sunshine is being given the chance to spend a few hours back in my beloved Hawke’s Bay. But a recent sojourn to check on how things were looking in Craggy Range’s Gimblett Gravels vineyard had me reaching for the Prozac. Adjacent to their state-of-the-art Highway 50 Winery and smack in the middle of some of New Zealand’s finest syrah and Bordeaux reds is a collection of vines responsible for one of my favourite New Zealand wines, the Les Beaux Cailloux chardonnay. French for ‘the beautiful pebbles’, it’s a chardonnay which oozes elegance and sophistication and its so sublime I’ve actually been known to dribble a little bit whenever a glass is poured in front of me.

Rod Easthope, Craggy Range

And yet the vines which have given me so much pleasure over the last decade have been reduced to little more than stumps. “You might’ve noticed some severe pruning going on” says Rod Easthope, Craggy’s chief winemaker. “We’ve chain-sawed them off and they’ll be removed” he says as I stifle a wail. “When you plant a 100ha vineyard it’s hard to predict what you’ll need in ten, twenty, fifty years time and you’re not always going to get it right. But I reckon Steve (Smith MW, and Rod’s boss) got it about 80% right in terms of our varietal mix here which is a good first stab at it”.

Some of these chardonnay plants were also being affected with leaf roll virus year after year. “This chardonnay was good but it wasn’t the best in the world; and if it’s compromising the rest of your vineyard containing potentially world-beating reds, then it’s a no-brainer that you’ve got to sacrifice it.” I reluctantly concur. Then Rod adds “and hopefully the next generation can be standing here next to a 50 year-old healthy merlot vine producing something pretty special.”

Ensuring consistent quality fruit isn’t an easy task. “But the interesting part of the Gimblett gravels is tens of thousands of years ago when these rivers were actually flowing and creating the gravel, there was very little volcanic activity in New Zealand. So there’s no real fertile topsoil, it’s just silt and stone. This provides some amazing benefits because when the rain does come it drains straight through the soil. We’re always trying to confuse our vines into thinking that they need to ripen their fruit quickly or they’ll cark it”.

But surely that’s not all it takes to eke out the best from your vines?

Oyster shells reflect valuable UV rays back up into the canopy.
"Think about New Zealand wines being ripened by the sun rather than by heat"
says Rod Easthope, Winemaker.

According to Rod there’s also a lot of cultural work to be done to make sure their fruit reaches ideal ripeness and intensity, and it doesn’t come easily. One thing I immediately notice is the high-density planting with narrow rows and short spaces between each vine. “This increases the number of vines per hectare which is a good way to utilise our site” Rod explains, “it kick-starts inter-vine competition which exhausts the available resources and you begin to see a ‘bonsai’ effect. Everything becomes dwarfed, creating smaller vines and most important for us - smaller bunches and smaller berries. That means more extract, more colour, more tannin and more flavour.”

“We also train our vines slightly lower than what’s considered normal in New Zealand to take advantage of the ‘electric blanket’ effect from the stones. This gives the canopy some extra warmth which might just be the thing that gets you across the line. We also bunch-thin to one bunch per shoot.”

Left unchecked they’d happily sprout 3 or 4 bunches per shoot, but with grapes the correlation between yield and quality is definitely less is more. Part magpie, my eyes are also drawn to the sparkly white things scattered underneath a row of merlot. “We’ve got a little bit of an oyster shell trial here” he explains. “Over in Bordeaux they’ve got similar gravelly sites, but there’s also lot of ‘white stone’ material there as well so we thought we’d have a crack at it”. Remember that scene in ‘The Young Ones’ where Neil the hippy, fearful of nuclear bombs, paints himself white to deflect the blast? It’s the same concept; the whiteness of the oyster shells reflects the suns rays away from the soil and back up into the canopy to help ripen the fruit faster.

We may not reach the same high temperatures that other countries do, but one thing we do have plenty of is UV. We’re about 30% higher in UV here than our corresponding latitudes in the northern hemisphere, so it’s a significant factor. Rod agrees. “When I host people from overseas I tell them to think about New Zealand wines being ripened by light rather than heat and suddenly a light goes on. That freshness, vitality and brightness in our wines suddenly all makes sense. People get that.”

Bonsai vines, low-training and oyster shells. These tiny little things all have a cost and they all take some management, but collectively they help grapes ripen in a marginal climate. “We like sites and vines that make winemakers look clever” Rod adds as we leave. “There’s actually no accountability in my job because when the wines are really good I’ll happily take the credit and when the wines are crap you just blame the weather. It works out well for me most years anyway.”

And now for something completely different…

Having lived in Christchurch for the last five months I’ve grown to expect the unexprected. But when a bottle of Rex Attitude Peat Smoked Strong Golden Ale by the Yeastie Boys Brewery arrived on my doorstep it threw me into a spin. It smelled a bit like old-school 1980’s plasticine, grandad’s tweeds and whisky-soaked silage. It tasted super-smoky and had an unmistakeable malty tang to it. “They said that we couldn’t use more than 5% heavy peated malt in a beer” says the back label. “So we carefully considered their advice and went with 100% instead.” According to the Yeastie lads it’s the first time a beer has been made this way in the entire world as far as they know. It’s got a green T-Rex on the front and is “inspired by French Techno and the whisky of Scotland’s west coast”. Confused? Me too – but in an “I like you because you’re strange” kind of way. I’m confident that serving this beer will either win you friends or get you sent to the loony bin. To purchase visit www.beernz.co.nz

Craggy Range Les Beaux Cailloux Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay 2009 $62 êêêê½

“2009 was a tough year for chardonnay, in fact it came incredibly close to being a total disaster” says Steve Smith MW, but clearly there’s some talent in the winery because the last-ever version of this wine boasts delicate peach, spring florals and brulée aromas on the nose and a fresh, citrus-forward minerally elegance on the palate. Crunchy-fresh, it’s still very young so I’d really love to try it again in one year’s time. www.craggyrange.com

Mission Estate Hawke’s Bay Riesling 2010 $16 êêêê½

Already a gold medal winner, this snappy little riesling is scented with beeswax, honeysuckle, and white peach while crisp, clean lemon-lime flavours explode in the mouth. It’s just sensational value for money and wickedly good with sweet chilli chicken. www.missionestate.co.nz

Waimea ‘Trev’s Red’ 2010 $23 êêê½

This very drinkable blend of Cabernet Franc, Syrah and Malbec from Nelson is named after the godfather of grapegrowing on the Waimea Plains, Trev Bolitho. It’s a food-friendly red that’s packed with personality, so if you’re a fan of plums, spicy dark berries, cocoa and coffee then this has got your name on it…well if your name is Trev that is… www.waimeaestates.co.nz

Jailhouse coffee at Addington Coffee Co-op

2011-06-20T12:55:00.000-07:00

Bleak day, doctor, dentist, one child home from school with continual sneezing. When she hadn't sneezed for 15 minutes I decided she was well enough to come out - I needed coffee.
Addington Coffee Co-op makes the most sublime flat white, the wee one had a Phoenix Organic Cola and a piece of Louise Cake the size of a BBQ brick. I had a salmon and spinach omelette - superb.

New look for Nautilus

2011-06-17T01:23:00.000-07:00

“And on the left is our guest house” announces Nautilus winemaker Clive (CJ) Jones as our bus tootles alongside their Kaituna Valley vineyard. “If you’re ever in Marlborough and need a place to stay, you’re sweet there. It’s even got an awesome dress-up box.” It’s safe to say that at that moment everyone in the bus including myself and a bunch of too-cool-for-school Auckland restaurateurs and wine trade people, all looked sideways at each other. “Aw c’mon, it’s not like that” back-tracks CJ, “it started ages ago when we had some visitors from the UK. They needed costumes for a party, so we let them loose in the local Salvation Army shop with $20 each– the costumes stayed and now it’s just become a bit of a tradition”. He can see we’re only half-believing his story and quickly quips “Ahem, oh look, ladies and gentlemen on the left is our compost heap…”

After deftly distracting us by explaining the finer points of the Bokashi method for successful decomposition, we’re given a sneak preview of their 2011 sauvignon blanc. “These are three tank samples of sauvignon from our different vineyards with different soil types which are blended together to create the Nautilus style” says assistant winemaker Brett Bermingham. “But just remember these are unfinished wines” interjects CJ, “they’re cloudy, they’re pretty gassy and they’re really acidic. So enjoy!”

These are three very distinctive components out of a possible 25 that CJ and Brett can use for the final blend. I fall in love with the last one, a sauvignon from their Awatere Valley vineyard which curiously has been fermented in a 5000ltr oak cuve. It has delicious lemon verbena, basil, passionfruit and tomato leaf characters along with a touch of toastiness. Although Nautilus are not in the business of making ‘single vineyard’ wines, there’s every chance that because of its distinctive character, this little number “may end up one day becoming a stand-alone sauvignon” according to CJ.

A vertical chardonnay tasting is up next, but not before we’re given a taste of Nautilus new project, Gruner Veltliner. Gruner is the signature grape of Austria, and Nautilus has a teensy four barrels worth sourced from new vines out in Kaituna. Amongst the group murmurs of “florals”, “nectarine stone”, “lemon”, “and chalky minerality” and “white peach” are offered. I also love the creamy, custard-apple texture on the finish. Plus there’s a gewürztraminer from their Renwick vineyard which I could quite happily sip on all day such is its heavenly rose-petal, ginger and lychee aromas and sweetly crisp, spicy fruit flavours.

Nautilus winemaker Clive (CJ) Jones

While it’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of the Nautilus pinot noir and think that the fruit they harvest from their Clay Hills vineyards out in the Omaka Valley is nothing short of sensational; it’s their chardonnay which really spins my wheels. Marlborough chardonnay is something else; and sadly underrated yet when well-made it has incredible fruit intensity combined with elegant minerality, texture and length. Crisp, clean yet dense and juicy – current favourites of mine are the Fromm La Strada 2008 and the Dog Point 2009; but chardonnay hasn’t always been a favourite for CJ. “When I arrived here at Nautilus in 1998 I had thousands of litres of chardonnay in tank that we didn’t know what to do with and an almost equal amount in barrel that was ‘stuck’* so back then it was a huge challenge for us to make and sell.

But I had a chardonnay epiphany a couple of years later when I was over working at Domaines des Comtes Lafon in Burgundy where I tried my first Montrachet. I learned two things from Mr Lafon; one - always employ great-looking cellar hands, and two - that it’s ok to make just small amounts”.

The key to great chardonnay is not to be greedy, he learned. So these days the vineyard team at Nautilus crop the chardonnay right down to only about 2kgs per vine, whereas a few years back the vines were allowed to carry three times that amount. “It’s all about fruit concentration and purity for us” he adds.

“I think that correlates to what’s going on in the marketplace” adds Clive Weston, head of Negociants, Nautilus’ distributor. “The world is full of chardonnay whether it’s French, South African, Californian or Australian – so if you’re going to make chardonnay, you have to make a wine that’s distinctive so that when people see it they can tell it’s a great wine that stands out from the crowd”.

Back in 2007 Nautilus were only making 250 cases of chardonnay, five years on the wine is still going strong albeit having developed some nutty, mealy notes alongside its still-fresh acidity and tropical fruit. 2008 saw production increase to 750 cases and the use of indigenous yeasts became the norm – and it has a funky, sweaty character to it. Still carrying peachy, tropical notes it’s definitely more broad and creamy than the first. 2009 is a different beast altogether with deliciously fresh grapefruit, peach, tangelo and toasty characters making it ultra-fresh and flavoursome – sadly for me it’s practically sold out – but the 2010 has huge potential (see my review below).

Extra for experts…

* ‘stuck’ fermentation is a fermentation that has stopped before all the available sugar in the wine has been converted to alcohol and CO2.

* The Nautilus shell possesses a special kind of spiral curve which often appears in nature. This logarithmic spiral, equiangular spiral or ‘growth spiral’ as it’s sometimes known is an example of nature and mathematical precision aligning to create something incredibly beautiful. The same can be said for making great wine.

Sip of the week

Nautilus Estate Marlborough Chardonnay 2010 $31 êêêê½

This is an exercise in restraint and elegance, showing nectarine, citrus and lemony loveliness, tangy, toasty texture and solid length of flavour. I’d love to try this wine again in a years time because I think its’ destined for great things. It’s also the first chardonnay out bearing the new Nautilus label (3 years in the making) which will be rolled out over the coming months. Available from fine wine stores or via www.nautilusestate.com

Sacred Hill Wine Thief Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2010 $30 êêêê

Created from fruit sourced from the famous Riflemans vineyard out in Hawke’s Bay’s Dartmoor Vineyard. It has downright sexy aromas of peach, buttered crumpets and honey with juicy, tropical intensity and freshness on the finish – it’s a lovely chardonnay which would suit seared scallops wrapped in bacon – sublime. www.sacredhill.com

Margrain Martinborough Pinot Gris 2009 $30 êêê½

Soft quince, pear and hints of honey lead to razor-sharp dryness and minerally riverstone, lime and white peach characters. Ultra-clean length of flavour makes this a perfect match for thai red chilli prawns. www.margrainvineyard.co.nz

Kaimai Brewing Co. Porters Rye Ale $4.90 330ml

Smells like marmite mixed with treacle and yet it is surprisingly fresh, with dried grassy notes, cocoa and lovely malty magic. Clinging length of flavour and smooth, smoky texture makes this a definite new favourite for me. www.beerstore.co.nz

Monteiths Doppelbock Winter Ale 330ml $15 (6pk)

Attractive auburn colour with a dense, creamy caramel-coloured head. It’s unique, six-malt brewing method makes for a smoky, malt-driven aroma and smooth, bitter cocoa notes and a super-rich finish. Yum. Widely available.

Mount Riley Seventeen Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009 $38 êêêê½

Baked strawberry, cherry, sweet rhubarb and cocoa notes merge with lush, clean acidity, savoury spices in the mouth. It has excellent density, weight and lovely length of flavour. www.mountriley.co.nz

Fair suck of the sav' mate!

2011-06-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

New Zealand wines banned from entering leading Australian wine shows...

In a case of fair suck of the sav’, some of New Zealand’s leading wineries have been refused permission to enter their wines in the upcoming Royal Hobart Wine Show according to an article written by Giles Hine of www.tizwine.com. Royal Hobart’s reason for their stance, as given by their Chief Executive Officer Scott Gadd, is that, “After lengthy deliberations over two years the committee has decided to no longer accept entries from outside Australia. This difficult decision is the result of a feeling that the original spirit of the agreement to open the show to New Zealand winemakers has not been honoured.”

“We believed that efforts would be undertaken to ensure that Australian judges would be invited to participate in the New Zealand International Wine Show in exchange for inviting the New Zealand wine industry to our event. Unfortunately despite repeated efforts from our end over the past 2-3 years, no such invitations have been forthcoming. It was also hoped that our initiative would lead to the ability of Australian (or at least Tasmanian producers) to enter New Zealand wine shows.”

The New Zealand International Wine Show is, and always has been, run by Kingsley Wood of First Glass in Takapuna who makes the following statement:

• All correspondence for the N.Z International Wine Show comes to me. I have never received any correspondence of any description from the Royal Hobart Wine Show, or in fact any other Australian Wine Show.
• It is a fact that both Huon Hooke and Kym Milne MW have judged at the NZ International Wine Show. On several occasions Australian winemakers have been invited but were unable to attend. This year Gynneth Olsen, winemaker at McWilliams Wines in the Hunter Valley will be judging. She is Australian.
• Earlier this year Kym Milne MW was invited to once again judge at the NZ International Wine Show but the timing of the event clashed with other judging commitments he has. Kym has asked to be included in next year’s panel.
• Tasmanian wines are regularly entered into the NZ International Wine Show. In fact many of the categories are usually dominated by Australian wines.
• The NZ International Wine Show is now in its 7th year. From memory the Royal Hobart Wine Show has been in place and accepted New Zealand entries for many more than the 7 years of the NZ International Wine Show. I am therefore at a loss in attempting to understand how there could have been any "agreement" to open the Hobart competition to NZ Wines. The timing or in fact the suggestion of any such agreement doesn't make sense.

www.tizwine.com has also learned that both the Perth and Canberra wine shows have also excluded New Zealand wineries from entering. Bugger me days mate! Where’s the ANZAC spirit in all of this? Is Kingsley Wood’s International Wine Show being used as a scapegoat for some Australian wine industry protectionism? After all New Zealand wines are relentlessly gaining market share there and, furthermore, the past two champion Pinot Noirs (a variety in which Tasmanian wineries pride themselves) came from New Zealand wineries. Someone is clearly coming the raw prawn.

yours truly judging some darn lovely moscato's at the Gisborne Regional Wine Awards

Gizzy gets busy…

A week or two back I was lucky enough to be invited to be a judge at the inaugural Gisborne Regional Wine Awards along with Larry McKenna (Escarpment Vineyards) Simon Nunns (Coopers Creek), Simon Waghorn (Astrolabe), Ant McKenzie (Te Awa + Kidnapper Cliffs) and Australian wine writer Ralph Kyte-Powell. Chaired by the fabuous Jane Skilton MW, it was a fantastic event which really opened my eyes to what Gisborne is capable of. Chardonnay still reigned king with Villa Maria scooping the Supreme Wine of the Show Trophy for the now iconic wine, the Villa Maria Reserve Barrique Fermented Chardonnay 2009, with the 2010 vintage also walking away with a Gold medal.
Villa Maria founder and Managing Director, Sir George Fistonich commented on the awards: “Fourteen years ago we found our prime vineyard sites in Gisborne, after searching for days by helicopter to find the perfect and unique topography that would make these outstanding wines. Year after year this wine is consistently good, so we’re ecstatic to have it recognised as the best in the region.”
Marlborough Wine and Food goes high tech

With less than 100 days until the Rugby World Cup hits New Zealand, Wine Marlborough Ltd (organisers of the long-established Marlborough Wine Festival) has launched ticket sales for its unique Marlborough Wine and Cuisine event to be held at Brancott Vineyard on Thursday 6 October 2011. Hoping to lure international visitors keen on seeking a wine and food experience, the team at Wine Marlborough Ltd are hoping to sell around 4000 tickets to their event.

Tickets cost $55 and Wine Marlborough are using a new ‘card ticketing’ concept supplied by 1-night.co.nz – a unique online paperless ticketing solution and New Zealand’s only card based ticketing platform. Each card is personalised with the ticket purchaser’s name and account number. The new system also offers the benefit of eliminating the issues associated with lost, stolen and counterfeit cards. If the ticket is lost or stolen, the account attached to the card is simply cancelled.

Coupled with this is a revolutionary iPhone application which allows people to purchase tickets using their iPhone. The iPhone app scans the quick-reference (or QR) code on a poster, flyer or advert and the ticket page is loaded automatically. The ticket can then be scanned from the iPhone for entry into the event.

Wine Marlborough’s Event Manager Andrea Craig is excited about the new ticketing solution and sees its potential for the organisation’s events longer term. “We are running an international event with Marlborough Wine and Cuisine, and we felt that using an innovative ticketing system that international audiences were comfortable using, would add to this event’s professionalism and appeal.”

Sip of the week

Saint Clair Godfrey’s Creek Reserve Marlborough Pinot Gris 2010 $25 4 stars
Nashi pear, crème caramel and quince aromas lead to a silky, oily, citrus and apple-skin character on the finish. It has crispness and richness at the same time making this a fantastic autumn sip – just don’t chill it too much www.saintclair.co.nz

Shoestring Wines ‘Lil’ Rippa’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $12 3.5 stars

This wine is produced from fruit grown in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley and it’s just lovely. Oozing lime, lemon, passionfruit and all those classic herbaceous aromas like crushed nettles and basil – all those things wash forward onto the palate. A very drinkable sauvignon that’s crisp, vibrant and tangy – and really leaves an impression on the tastebuds. There’s a lot of ‘ok’ sub-$10 sauvignon out there but if you just fish around for another 5 bucks it’s amazing the quality you’ll find. www.shoestringwines.co.nz

Seresin Sun & Moon Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008 $125 5 stars

Try to think of this as less of a wine and more of an incredibly sensuous experience. Great pinot noir has mystery. It confuses even the experts who struggle to pinpoint exact aromas and flavours because the wine changes in the glass and offers layer upon layer of beguiling character. The sun and moon is a rare wine only produced in exceptional years using organic, biodynamic methods. Roasting pan juices, dried herbs, aromatic bitter chocolate, cherry, autumn forest-floor notes and a burst of baking spices open the gate for luscious, savoury fruit, smoky oak and an elegant, emery-like, mouthcoating texture to finish. www.seresin.co.nz

Special releases from Hawke’s Bay Royalty

2011-05-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

Tom McDonald (far left) towering over his vineyard workers

In late 2009, ten years after the release of the iconic Bordeaux blend TOM, Church Road Winery put a new stake in the ground with the release of a white counterpart – Church Road TOM Chardonnay 2006. The wine became a benchmark for serious New Zealand Burgundian-style whites just as the original TOM did for Bordeaux style reds.

Produced in exceptional years, the second release of Church Road winery’s meticulously crafted; prestige chardonnay is definitely a big event.

“Church Road TOM Chardonnay is our flagship chardonnay named in honour of the late Tom McDonald, an early pioneer of quality wine production in Hawke’s Bay and the patriarch of the Church Road winery for over 50 years”, said Chris Scott, senior winemaker for Church Road. “The wine is a barrel by barrel selection of the very best hand-harvested Chardonnay parcels, blended to produce a wine of great depth and character. Only the very lowest cropping blocks are considered for this wine, which in combination with gentle, low-intervention winemaking techniques produces wines with complexity, power and elegance,” says Chris. Each bottle of Church Road TOM Chardonnay 2009 is individually numbered and hand finished.

Brother Cyprian Huchet

Also New Zealand’s oldest winery, Mission Estate has announced the inaugural release of Huchet, a tribute to one of the Missions founding fathers Brother Cyprian Huchet. Over one hundred and seventy years ago, a small, brave group of French missionaries sailed to New Zealand, bringing little more than their faith, their generations of winemaking experience and a few precious vine cuttings. Cyprian, the son of a winemaker from the Loire followed them and later rose to the position of Mission Estate Cellar Master and guided the brothers toward commercial production.

Fast forward to 2011, the Huchet Syrah represents the epitome of winemaking prowess for Mission winemaker Paul Mooney and his team. The Mission have been somewhat of a sensation in recent years for releasing incredible value-for-money sleepers like their Estate Syrah and Chardonnay at around $18 a bottle, but I’d been wondering if they’d stashed away anything secretly magnificent down in the cellar and now the mystery is solved.

New World Wine Awards Chairman
of Judges Jim Harre

New World Wine Awards Call for Entries

Nowadays the road to becoming a successful small winery (or even a half-flash large one) is littered with obstacles. Our high dollar inhibiting export prospects, an oversupply issue creating a lake of cheap wine being lapped up by consumers and of course being at the mercy of Mother Nature at every turn in the winemaking cycle is enough to turn anyone prematurely grey and fragile. Combine those issues with the age-old chestnut of finding national distribution and you’re really in trouble.

But here’s where wine producers could get lucky. Entries are now open for the 2011 New World Wine Awards, and in addition to the distinction of an award, the competition guarantees winning winemakers national distribution and extensive brand exposure which will drive sales.

“The awards are a key channel for reaching discerning consumers who enjoy high quality, affordable wine. The rigour of the judging process and the strong impact success has on sales means that winemakers value the competition very highly,” said Jim Harré, Chair of the judging panel.

Over 210,000 bottles of Top 50 wines valued at $2.8 million were sold at New World stores nationally within six weeks of the 2010 awards. The extensive programme of marketing activity associated with the awards – including advertising, in-store promotion, direct marketing to shoppers and a strong online presence – also means that winning winemakers benefit from brand-building over the long-term.

The awards are the premier consumer-focused awards competition in New Zealand because affordability and availability of the wines are key criteria for entry. Wines entered into the competition must retail for below $25 per bottle, and there must be at least 500 cases of each wine available for sale. So there you go, it’s a no-brainer – but you’ve got to be in it to win it and entries close on June 3rd.

Turanga Creek Vineyard Manager Margaret Boswell

Turanga Creek Certified Organic!

I love finding out that another winery has been certified organic and this week it’s Auckland’s turn. The team at Turanga Creek are fizzing with the news that their vineyards out in Whitford are now officially organic, and they’re full-steam ahead toward Bio-dynamic production.

“We have been in conversion to organics for years and are now fully certified with Biogro as of March 2011, being the first vineyard in the Auckland Region to do this” says owner Mandy Allen. “It’s been a fascinating journey with many trials and tribulations. The last year has seen many changes, the planting of vegetable gardens and orchard block, growing bio-dynamic preparations and learning how to implement them. We've built our cow pat pit, so we're on our way!”

More information can be found at www.turangacreek.co.nz and 2011 will be their first fully certified organic vintage.

FIVE OF THE BEST

Mission Estate Huchet Syrah 2007 $100 êêêêê

Only 1657 bottles were produced of this wine, which was 5 years in the making and blended from two parcels of fruit from targeted vines in Mission Estate’s Mere Road vineyard in the famed Gimblett Gravels district in Hawke’s Bay. Impenetrable and glossy in the glass, the elegantly spicy aromas of dark chocolate, pepper, rose and sweet smoke are followed by ripe plum and berryfruit flavours and an addictive velvety texture. It’s an incredibly sexy, saucy syrah (I feel weird describing a wine named after a missionary that way, but it’s true). I’ll bet the pleasure you’ll get by owning a bottle of this will beat the pants off the last thing you spend $100 on.

www.huchetwine.co.nz

Church Road TOM Chardonnay 2009 $70 êêêêê

Chardonnay lovers rejoice! The second coming of the lord of the lees has produced a wine with sublime elegance, power and intensity and best of all, certain longevity. Intoxicating aromas of stonefruit and citrus lead to fig and toasted nut flavours followed by layers of tangy, tropical fruit. Clean and beautifully balanced, it’s simply stunning. Available from select fine wine retailers and restaurants alternatively contact the winery www.churchroad.co.nz

Devils Staircase Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010 $24 êêê½

Produced by the talented team at Rockburn Wines, the Devil's Staircase grapes were grown in Rockburn's Gibbston and Parkburn Vineyards and the name is inspired by the scary descent on the road from Queenstown to Kingston, along the shores of Lake Wakatipu. But there’s nothing scary in the drinking with lush cherry, berry and plum notes and a gentle, smooth juiciness on the finish. Better still you can find it in supermarkets everywhere. www.rockburn.co.nz

Valkyrie Brynhild Golden Ale $6.49 500ml

Promoted as ‘beer for more than mere mortals’ this golden ale definitely has a touch of otherworldliness about it. Modelled on the story of a famous Valkyrie, Brynhild, this first beer of Valkyrie Brewing Co has a tasty, nutty aroma and its full-bodied, malty, hoppy flavour is fleshed out with a special addition of Hokey Pokey (or “sponge toffee”). Love it! To buy email sales@beernz.co.nz

Mission Estate Gewurztraminer 2010 $14 êêêê

A snappy little aromatic with real character and representing fantastic value for money. Lovely lychee, ginger and exotic spices merge with crisp tropical notes, a round, ripe mouthfeel and tangy length of flavour. Great stuff, and widely available. www.missionestate.co.nz

www.huchetwine.co.nzwww.churchroad.co.nz

Weather we like it or not...

2011-04-28T02:28:00.000-07:00

“Thank god we got the last of our reds in before the rain!” sighs a relieved Mel Lawson from Cypress Wines in Hawke’s Bay. “It is just horrible here, hosing down in fact. But there are growers out there with fruit still on the vines, so I’ve got no idea how they’ll get on”. That was the state of play on April 26^th, the day before the region experienced severe flooding on the tail end of what’s been a pretty rough year for most North Island wine regions. “We’re all ok here” said Clearview Estate’s Tim Turvey, “The rest of Te Awanga is a bit of a train wreck though. With a bit of fruit still to come in “it’ll be a very late harvest” he adds.

Wet and wild La Nina weather patterns put a real dampener on the 2011 ripening season, and while north island farmers will be gleefully gambolling around in their gumboots, predicting prolific grass growth; our winegrowers greet autumn rain with fists in the air and foul language. Rain encourages bunch rot (botrytis) and thirsty vines soak up water like a sponge, distributing that water up into the berries. This then causes the berries to swell and dilutes those intense, concentrated flavours needed to create fabulous wine.

Nelson has also had it tough with growers really battling the conditions to manage crop spoilage from things like slip-skin and acetobacter, bacteria which can give the grapes a vinegar-like flavour, but wineries like Waiheke Island’s Destiny Bay have adopted the very expensive but extremely effective method of loading all the fruit onto sorting tables where only the best individual berries are selected to go into the ferment. Marlborough is the powerhouse of New Zealand’s production and they’re putting a positive spin on things with growers saying that most grapes in Marlborough have been harvested and winemakers are hoping for a good end to the vintage despite the heavy rain. They’re also not worried about fruit still on the vines with Constellation New Zealand’s viticulture and winemaking manager Darryl Woolley saying that this late in the season canopies were shutting down, so dilution of flavours by vines taking up moisture from the soil shouldn’t be a problem.

What could be a problem though, according to some North Island growers of those big, full-bodied red varieties like syrah, merlot and cabernet sauvignon is that while most of the fruit was bought in flavour-ripe, the sugar levels weren’t as high as they’d usually like. “It just means we’ll have to be careful and creative in the winery” shrugs Mel. It could be a blessing in disguise as lower alcohol levels may mean a swing to the more elegant, gentle red styles that the French are so famed for.

Wine lovers with a sweet tooth won’t be left wanting as the weather across the regions is ideal for fans of the sweet, sticky dessert styles. All this extra moisture and mild daytime temperatures mean botrytis will lay claim to those aromatic whites such as gewürztraminer and riesling, encouraging the berries to shrivel, concentrating all those gorgeous honey, toffee and stonefruit flavours and making me a happy girl indeed.

Two for One Coleraine!

Are you the owner of a bottle of 2005 Te Mata Coleraine? Then the team at Te Mata Estate want to hear from you. They’re in a pickle because they were so impressed with Coleraine 2005 at their Showcase 2011 tastings held around the country recently, that they realised they need more of this wine for their own cellar. So, they’re asking New Zealanders “if you have Coleraine ‘05 then we want to talk to you”. Te Mata will exchange your Coleraine in a two-for-one deal. Every bottle of Coleraine ’05 gets you two bottles of Coleraine ’07. Call Sally Duncan now on 06 877 4399 or email sally@temata.co.nz if you’re interested in turning your good Coleraine into two excellent Coleraines.

Medieval Beer Fest

If your memories of the Oktoberfest in Germany on your O.E back in the day are foggy at best, you can relive some of the glory over in Taranaki at the inaugural Mike’s Brewery Medieval Beer Fest. Held on Saturday 21^st May from 2pm – 11pm, it’ll be a grand opportunity to sample sensational organic beers, enjoy Medieval entertainment (jousting anyone?), an authentic Medieval feast, a free collectors drinking vessel, a groovy live band and best of all there’s buses to and from New Plymouth and Hawera so driving isn’t even in the equation!

Just remember to swap your lederhosen for tights, pointy shoes and a tunic of some description. Suits of armour are also encouraged and even court jesters will be tolerated.

Situated on Main North Road Urenui, the team at Mike’s Organic Brewery want to make the event world famous in Taranaki, so if you’re keen to venture westward tickets are available from www.organicbeer.co.nz or you can email sales@organicbeer.co.nz

A taste of their own medicine…

Italian-born kiwi winery owner Antonio Pasquale has recently returned from Italy with an excellent, yet slightly unusual export order. Hundreds of cases of his Waitaki Valley Pinot Gris (or Pinot Grigio as it is known in Italy) have been ordered by high end restaurants in Milan and other Italian cities. The unusual thing is that pinot gris is one of the signature grapes of Italy, very widely planted and is incredibly popular over there – so why would they want any from New Zealand? “It’s a little like coals to Newcastle” says Antonio. The wine is delicious; I can vouch for that, but being the only kiwi winery at Vinitaly, one of the worlds largest wine fairs definitely helped. “We were the only NZ winery there, and despite being hidden away we were the only ones with long queues to taste our wines. The Italians were stunned by the clarity and minerality in our pinot gris” he shrugs. The expo attracted a record 156,000 people over three days.

Four of the Best

Man O War Gravestone Sauvignon Semillon 2010 $34 (5 Stars)

70% sauvignon blended with 30% semillon has created a masterpiece in this snappy, incredibly complex white. Intense aromas of crushed green herbs, passionfruit, wild flowers, dandelions and hay – seriously it’s that good. Tangy, herbaceous and crisply elegant –this is definitely one wine you won’t forget in a hurry. Buy from fine wine stores or via www.manowarvineyards.co.nz

Spinyback Nelson Chardonnay 2009 $16 (4 Stars)

Fantastic value for money here! Loaded with grapefruit, lemon and lovely tropical melony notes fringed with some toasty, nutty notes on the finish. An absolute crowd-pleaser that has ‘drink me with roast chicken’ written all over it plus money from the sale of every bottle goes toward saving our own Spinyback, the Tuatara. Widely available or visit www.waimeabrands.com to buy.

Mikes Organic Brewery Imperial Porter 750ml $15

The pitch black and brooding Imperial Porter by Mike’s Organic Brewery is a heavyweight at 8.0%ABV and boasts molasses, tar and creamy, smoky flavours. I love this beer with roast duck on a bed of garlicy mashed spuds and swimming in red wine sauce. For stockists visit www.organicbeer.co.nz.

Urlar Gladstone Riesling 2010 $25 (4 Stars)

Beautiful green apple and lemon aromas followed by punchy, tangy acidity and deliciously dry lemon verbena flavours on the finish – this organic, biodynamically produced riesling is lipsmackingly good. Buy from fine wine stores or via www.urlar.co.nz

Easter Sipping

2011-04-12T22:12:00.000-07:00

Eager for Easter Sips

There’s nothing like a public holiday, nay a ‘religious’ holiday to get the festive juices working and the wine thirst calling. We start planning where we’re going to be, or who’ll be coming around. There could also be a bit of panic about what we’re going to eat because chances are it’s very likely to be the last time we use the barbeque. Do we need to make peace with granddad because we haven’t seen him since Waitangi weekend? Is it our turn to do Easter lunch this year? Have we bought enough Easter eggs for the kids? So naturally we start thinking about wine.

Parents the length and breadth of the country are also in the midst of a very busy fortnight. For me, school holidays conjure up daydreams of spending my days baking hot cross buns, pottering around in the garden, bottling fruit, visiting playgrounds and sewing dolls clothes with my little cherubs just like my mum did when I was little. But after a couple of days of trying my hardest to work and keep the house clean and entertain the children with arty, crafty things, what I usually end up with are frustrated, scratchy little cretins suffering from Easter egg overload who demand that I please send them to the YMCA because home is so boring. So again I find myself thinking about wine.

At least it’s autumn. I adore autumn. The firewood’s been delivered and safely stacked away, the electric blanket is dusted off, the rhubarb is ripe and piles of sweet-scented feijoas start appearing in my favourite fruit and veg shops. The figs are fit to bursting; foraging for edible fungus becomes a full-time occupation and best of all it’s quite acceptable to wear long pants every day, which is great because my summer tan is already a shadow of its former self. Autumn is about wrapping up in something warm to catch the last of the afternoon sun, while sitting on my front step clutching a glass of something crisp and aromatic.

‘Aromatic’ is a term given to a group of white wines where so much of their appeal lies in their extremely distinctive aromas. Wines like Riesling with its honeyed, floral, apple, lime and mineral aromas, Pinot Gris and its pear and quince notes, Viognier with it’s orange peel and spicy stone fruit and Gewurztraminer’s distinctive lychee, rose petal and spicy characters. These wines, as a general rule are made without oak, and are matured in stainless steel tanks to preserve these bright, fresh, spritzy characters that make them famous. However, the down side is that due to their delicate nature and high acidity, these wines are also highly prone to spoilage, so once the bottle is opened it will need to be consumed immediately. Screwcaps will help it live overnight as will a vacuvin pump – but please don’t think you can leave an open bottle of aromatic wine in the fridge for a week and have it live up to your expectations.

I won’t attempt to go into who grows the best examples of these styles because you know what? Great aromatic wines are produced right across New Zealand; don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Each November the Canterbury A&P Show hosts the International Aromatic Wine Competition which brings out the best of the best of these styles. Last year, West Auckland winery Westbrook took out the Supreme Champion Trophy with their Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2010.

I love aromatic wines because they go so well with Asian food which my husband and I are addicted to, but they’re also sensational with flavours of a Spanish persuasion, and if you don’t believe me crack any aromatic and enjoy with my never-fail, Feijoa Firecracker Salsa.

8 feijoas, peeled and diced
2 tsp brown sugar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup diced capsicum (try a mixture of red, yellow and orange if you can for extra colour)
Juice of 2 limes, (about 1/4 cup juice)
1 level tsp freshly chopped red chilli (or ½tsp minced chilli from a jar)
2 tblsp chopped coriander
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or sweet onion

Mix everything together and plough into it.

Beer for Brekkie?

As if they didn’t have a beer for every occasion already, the team at Moa have started brewing a Breakfast Beer.

A blend of premium wheat malt, floral Nelson hops and cherries, Moa Breakfast was launched last week at a trendy café in Auckland; but don’t let that put you off because it’s actually pretty good. Brewer Josh Scott and his father Allan would occasionally compliment a leisurely breakfast with beer, which got Josh thinking that if people could enjoy champagne at breakfast time, why not beer? The Breakfast brew has an alcohol content of 5.5%. Like champagne, it is bottle fermented and conditioned and is sealed with a cork, muselet and foil.

Additional ‘Moa Breakfast’ events are set to be held in Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown over the coming months.

Moa Breakfast is available in 375ml bottles in selected stores and premium cafes, bars and restaurants, and a four-pack of Moa Breakfast will cost you around $34.

FIVE OF THE BEST

Lawsons Dry Hills Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2009 $26 êêêê

Big and blousy, but beautiful nonetheless. I love this style of Gewurz, with its luscious lychee, rose and peach aromas pierced with ginger and it’s fleshed out with some sweetness and spice on the back palate. Lawson’s are masters of the lengthy finish and this wine definitely leaves an impression, particularly if you pair it with Thai Larb Gai. www.lawsonsdryhills.co.nz

Georges Road Block Three Waipara Riesling 2010 $23 êêêê½

A few years making wine in Germany clearly infected Kirk Bray with the riesling bug and this superb example has subtle jazz apple, feijoa and lipsmacking lime notes underpinned with beautifully balanced acidity and superb persistence of flavour. Gentle, wild fermentation gives this riesling extra depth and a hint of funk. www.georgesroadwines.co.nz

Rock Ferry Central Otago Viognier 2008 $29 êêêê

Classic aromas of orange zest, cinnamon, jasmine and tangy citrus oil lead to an ultra-clean and lean palate, punctuated by chalky minerality, fruit complexity and elegant length. Super-tasty with pork spare ribs slathered in Hoisin sauce and sizzled under the grill. www.rockferry.co.nz

The Mussel Inn Captain Cooker Manuka Beer 5%alc $5 330ml

Using organic malts, hops and water sourced from a tiny stream in the hills behind the brewery, this little outfit from Onekaka in Nelson’s Golden Bay area is turning out some seriously tasty tipples. The ‘cooker is their signature brew and it boasts a rich, nutty molasses-like aroma, a smooth, creamy texture in the mouth with a hint of anise followed by tangy, ribsticking length of flavour. Also available in 1.3lt PET $8.85. For stockists in your area or to order visit www.musselinn.co.nz

Kurow Village Cricklewood Pinot Gris 2010 $24 êêêê½

Produced from North Otago fruit this is hands down one of the loveliest pinot gris I’ve tried in ages. Scented with classic apple, pear and quince, it delivers a crisp, clean burst of vibrant citrus which morphs into spicy strudel notes on the finish. If you’re a plate of cumin seed gouda, fruit paste and oatcakes I’d be very afraid. www.kurowwinery.co.nz

Summer Lovin'

2011-04-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

Out in the leafy loveliness of west canterbury sits Melton Estate.

If you travel twenty minutes west of Christchurch on the West Coast Road (SH73) you’ll enter the leafy locale known as West Melton which is home to a plucky community of winegrowers including Melton Estate. Previously known as Sherwood Estate, the Melton Estate winery is the brainchild of Philip Caunter, a million-miles-an-hour man who can add ‘software entrepreneur’ and ‘ardent fan of the West Melton RFC’ to his busy business card. He’d asked me to pop out to the vineyard one warm, sunny day a few weeks back to sample some “summer love”. I thought about it. He did sound quite nice on the phone and my husband did happen to be away for a few days so I said “sure, what’s the harm”.

Upon arrival, rather than asking me up to see his etchings Philip led me out into the small, but perfectly formed vineyard where he began talking about Melton Estate’s flagship wine, a sparkling riesling called, wait for it, Summer Love. “I started the sparkling riesling as an experiment” says Peter, “I visited the Yarra Valley and sampled a Pink Moscato, something I’d never tried before at a place called Innocent Bystander. It was spritzy, sweet, refreshing and I loved it. I came back and said to our winemaker “let’s make this” and he said “well clearly we can’t grow Moscato here” and I agreed, but then he said “so we’re gonna make it with riesling and add 10% pinot noir to pink it up” laughs Philip. “We’ve mixed something that’s never been done before and it’s worked”. Initially I thought sparkling riesling sounded cheesy and lightweight, but on sipping it, the end result is anything but. “We’ve been making it for three years now, every batch seems to get better and better so we think we’re onto a winner” he shrugs. Melton have doubled production each year and it still sells out.

Pinot noir is another variety that has Philip fizzing and looking at his pinot noir block it’s incredibly green and lush. “We’ve had a lot of growth this year which is amazing because this block doesn’t get watered at all. And we’ve been very aggressive fruit thinning and leaf plucking aiming for maximum ripeness. Today we’re about 19brix (which is a measure of sugar ripeness) but by harvest we need to be up around 24”. Harvest chaos begins here around the week of April. “Canterbury has a really nice autumn” adds Philip, handing me a taste of the newly bottled 2010 pinot. “Canterbury maintains those essential warm days and cool nights right into May, which is just fantastic for growing grapes. It’s quite even-tempered, but come July it’s custard like the rest of the south island, but the vines bounce back.”

The vineyard is fully netted. “Birds are aggressive here in Canterbury because they’ve got very little to feed on, so they’re going to turn up and decimate your crop if you’re not careful”. Sauvignon blanc isn’t a grape he’s worrying about however, “what’s the point? We could grow great sauvignon, but when you see it in the supermarkets for less than ten bucks a bottle it aint worth it. We make a Marlborough sauvignon that we serve for our events here, and that works for us.” Everything is very compact at Melton Estate, and every inch of land is utilised by the vineyard, a function centre about to undergo some sensational renovations and Philip’s house, unlike much of West Melton’s ‘lifestyle’ surrounds which appear proudly devoted to dogs, ponies and tennis courts instead.

Ninety percent of the wines are sold onsite, and while other cellar doors revel in their rusticity and ramshackle charm, Melton Estate makes no bones about promoting themselves as a slick, high-tech, corporate-friendly function centre. “What we learnt early on is that we had all these people turning up for weddings, functions and corporate events and they only really wanted to drink Heineken and sauvignon blanc” admits Philip. “We realised that rather than overtly or aggressively promoting our wine, we were happier encouraging wine hospitality. People come here for lunch or for an event, and the fact that our wines are nice is an extra bonus”.

Britain’s oldest wine store closes…

I read with sadness the story of the recession forcing Britain's oldest off license to shut down - after almost 400 years. Baker's Wine Merchants in Bishop's Waltham near Southampton has been selling liquor since 1617 but shut the doors for the final time last weekend because the owners could no longer afford the rent. There was also the looming threat of losing business to a new Sainsbury’s supermarket store being planned for the little town. Baker’s was owned by just two families for 244 years.

Managing Director Colin Baker also said there was a lack of customers in the village and that the overheads were just too high. "We had to look at the potential to break even and it just wasn't there", he added.

Manager Oliver Bartley said: "The main problem has been the downturn. Because people are earning less money they want to spend less on wine. "They go to the supermarket and spend just £3 pounds on a bottle of wine, and we can't compete with those prices. The landlord won't drop the rent so we had no hope of surviving”.

FOUR OF THE BEST

Melton Estate Summer Love Sparkling Riesling $25 êêê½

There are three things I like about this wine. First is that a squirt of pinot noir gives it a pretty ballet-shoe pink colour while on the nose it has lovely fresh, vibrant peach stone and citrus aromas followed by a bright, spritzy, fruit-forward burst of flavour. Secondly with a positively demure alcohol content of 6% it’ll hardly knock you sideways and thirdly, it’s also available in a 375ml bottle, just perfect for picnics. www.meltonestate.co.nz

Melton Estate Canterbury Pinot Noir 2010 $25 êêê½

If this is any indication of what the 2010 pinot’s from Canterbury are shaping up like, then I’m a very happy camper. With baked strawberry, rosemary and rhubarb aromas and ripe, summer-pudding berries on the palate, this is definitely a tasty drink. It is still just a puppy, but I can see those layers of flavour developing nicely over the next year or two. www.meltonestate.co.nz

Two Rivers Convergence Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $22 êêêêê

Wow! Intensely pungent pea-pod, green bean, lime and passionfruit aromas leap out of the glass and in the mouth it sings with pure citrus, crushed nettles and a hint of feijoa. The acidity slices across the tongue adding excitement to the clean, tangy length of flavour. Amazing with homemade paua fritters sprinkled with lemon and salt. www.tworivers.co.nz

W5 Marlborough Chardonnay 2009 $14 êêêê

This is a classic rich, juicy chardonnay that oozes layers of tropical undertones and grapefruity goodness all wrapped up in a cosy cardigan of oak. This is not available in shops but all you need do is tap www.blackmarket.co.nz into your browser and you’re away laughing – or should I say ‘sipping’.

The kids are alright

2011-03-29T03:51:00.000-07:00

Some things are best left in the realms of childhood. Things like stubbed toes, skinned knees, loose teeth, nosebleeds and knickerbockers are afflictions that remind me of a time where I tore around the streets of Takapau either barefoot or on my Raleigh Twenty sporting the latest 80’s fashion according to those gigantic Butterick pattern books my mother used to covet. However one part of my childhood I’d rather forget was reawakened this morning when I woke up with an ear infection. My sisters and I were cursed with ear infections when we were little and it drove my mother mad, “they’ll grow out of it” Doctor Broderick used to say, but today the pain was as raw and piercing as it was when I was seven. Eating hurt, sleeping hurt, even sipping a glass of wine hurt - not good, especially when you have a column to produce.

from left: Gary Duke, head winemaker for Hunters Wines, Vic Williams, Jane Hunter and Competition Organiser Terry Dunleavey.

But while my ability to cope with being crook has not improved with age, the good people at Hunter’s Wines are justifiably chuffed that their rieslings have done the exact opposite. A set of three Hunter’s Marlborough Rieslings from 2004, 2007 & 2010 have earned the top prize at the Royal Easter Wine Show, taking the inaugural Heritage Shield.

The new category at the Royal Easter Wine Show has been introduced to identify and reward wines that have the proven capacity to develop grace and complexity over time. For the first time in New Zealand, this national wine competition offers a guide to consumers and wine lovers about cellaring potential of such wines.

“New Zealand Rieslings have always had lengthy cellaring potential and it is very pleasing that this new award recognises wines made in a style that consumers can cellar confidently” said Gary Duke, Chief Winemaker at Hunter’s Wines.

Hunter’s have been making Riesling since the winery’s inception in 1982 and this award is a seal of approval and shows confidence in New Zealand wines ageing potential. Quality not quantity has been an adage that Hunter’s have endorsed for 30 years, taking out over 160 Gold Medals and 30 trophies for its wines over the years.

For Goodness Sake…

Those of you who enjoy the delicate, rich, clean complexity of the signature beverage of Japan will be saddened to hear that many of Japan’s premier sake breweries have disappeared in the wake of the tragic multiple disasters that rocked Japan in March. This ancient alcoholic beverage is brewed using just rice and water, yet the results come in a smorgasbord of styles. Although here in New Zealand we do not consume a great deal of sake, I certainly cannot contemplate drinking anything else when I go to a Japanese restaurant – so the thought of one of my favourite tipples becoming harder to find, or more expensive to enjoy – is a tad worrisome.
The destruction to the sake industry has been extensive in terms of damage and loss of life.
According to Decanter.com, the worst-hit breweries are located in Miyagi prefecture, the epicenter of the earthquake, as well as in Iwate and Fukushima – the location of the seriously-damaged nuclear power plant.
Among the list of badly-damaged breweries are Suisen from Iwate prefecture, which was entirely destroyed with the loss of some 11 employees, and Hakurakusei in Miyagi prefecture, which was not hit by the tsunami but was destroyed by the earthquake. There are over 100 sake breweries in the three prefectures, many of which produce some of Japan’s highest quality, aromatic, elegant sakes.
The damage to the breweries is just one part of the challenges ahead for Japan’s sake industry, with the real challenge in 2011 being planting and tending the rice fields. There are also serious concerns that the nuclear fallout will affect the water supply so vital for sake production.

THE RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Hands up anyone who’s ever nervously stood in a wine shop trying to pick a bottle to take to a dinner party? Hands up anyone who’s spent far too much time and way too much money on said bottle? Your choice will of course say screeds about you personally. Too cheap and you’ll never be invited back. Too expensive and you risk appearing arrogant & snobby. Hands up anyone who’s been left gutted because their precious bottle got shoved to the back of the breakfast bar while the hosts served their own cheaper (and often nastier) wine. What does one say? “Umm, thanks for dinner, now can I have my wine back please?” Or for the less patient, “You peasants! Can you not see that I spent my last dollar choosing the perfect wine in order to impress you all with my impeccable taste and slick sense of style? And you reward me by not even having the decency to open it! So you can take your Tasmanian ocean trout and kumara crumble you cretins, and jam it up your jacksie!”

Clearly it’s good manners to front up with a bottle of wine but it’s bad manners to open it yourself and extremely uncouth to take it home with you. So how to deal with this dilemma? The first rule of scouting and social drinking is ‘be prepared’. This means, for example, that if you bring a warm bottle of white wine – no matter how pricey and rare - then it serves you right if your hosts choose to hang on to it and serve one from their own fridge. So if it’s white, chill it or lose it. If it’s red, you could cut the foil and pull the cork before you leave home and tell your hosts that you’ve been letting it breath for a couple of hours “so it should be ready to drink right now”.

You could also mention (as you hand your bottle over) that you can’t wait to try the wine because it was given to you by your late nana (bless her) and it was her dying wish that you drink it the next time you went out for dinner. Just remember to sniff, wipe an imaginary tear and cross your chest when your glass is poured. The key is to ensure that your bottle is opened and consumed by you during the course of the evening and not by your host’s weeks later over their Friday night fish and chips.

However if you can’t help but bring along a cheap (and possibly nasty) bottle, make sure it’s hidden in a bag so you can take it to the kitchen yourself and in secret agent style, swiftly swap it with someone else’s.

Four of the best

Tuatara APA Hop Head Ale (500ml $8)

Gorgeous orange/amber hued with a healthy, foamy head and delicious aromas of citrus, lifted hops, herbaceous notes and tangy, intense flavours make it the perfect partner for spicy pork kebabs. Find a store closest you on www.tuatarabrewing.co.nz

Hawke’s Ridge Hawke’s Bay Tempranillo 2009 $30 (4 stars)

A saucy Spanish number from the inland Maraekakaho district of Hawke’s Bay. It’s very good and dangerously drinkable. Sweet, spicy oak merges with ripe plum and cocoa flavours to create a red that’s fresh and vibrant yet ribstickingly comforting and satisfying. Visit www.hawkesridge.co.nz for more information on where to buy.

Mud House Swan Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 $36 (4 and a half stars)

Opulent red fruits, cocoa, spicy, earthy flavours wash over the palate finishing with damson plum and black tea notes. This is one lovely pinot with impressive length of flavour and fantastic cellaring potential. Buy from fine wine stores or via www.mudhouse.co.nz

Church Road Reserve Hawke’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $30 (5 stars)

This is what gets me excited about sauvignon blanc – when winemakers throw gorgeous things like wild yeasts and barrel fermentations, lees stirring and the like. This wine has sweet almond, passionfruit, white peach and white pepper, fleshed out with honeydew melon and it’d take a whole ‘nother paragraph to describe the rest but I absolutely love it, and I implore you to try it. Demand it from your local fine wine store.

Bay of Islands Beauties

2011-03-09T15:02:00.000-08:00

Bay of Islands Beauties…

Michael & Barbara Webb of Cottle Hill Vineyards

Cottle Hill has an idyllic setting which sets an indelible stamp on your memory and I almost missed it entirely due to an address typo on the Northland Wine Trail flyer. Situated on the corner of State Highway 10 and Cottle Hill Drive on the outskirts of Kerikeri, its cute potager garden filled with corn, herbs and vegetables and sweeping balcony overlooking acres of carefully tended vineyards makes you ache for it to be a restaurant. But for owner Barbara Webb they’ve decided from experience that they’re much better to focus on their core business of being a winery. “We’ve done a couple of weddings and big parties and that’s great because we think it’s a great venue for it, but we’re not going full-time into food”. Barbara and her husband Michael sailed into Kerikeri on board their 35ft packet yacht Sprig from San Diego California back in the mid 1990’s. “We fell in love with the Bay of Islands and were inspired to get into the wine industry after a road trip to Hawke’s Bay and seeing what was going on down there. With vines sourced from Joe Corban our vineyard was planted in 1996 and we started making wine that same year” says Barbara. In the ground they’ve got Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Chambourcin and Dolcetto plus they make a syrah from fruit grown closer to Kerikeri. Made in a deliberate “old-world style” according to Barbara, the Cottle Hill 2010 Chardonnay has delicious butterscotch and grapefruit aromas, loads of white peach and creamy, leesy flavours fleshed out with vibrant acidity and great persistence of flavour.

Barbara and Michael planted all sorts of other varieties in the early years, however after much experimenting and replanting they feel they’ve hit on the right combination of fruit for the future. This part of New Zealand is notorious for having a climate that acts as atmospheric root burst to most plants, including grapes. “We are lucky in that the early part of the summer was really dry and that kept growth in check, but we’re constantly out there leaf plucking and trimming – the vines just grow like weeds up here” laughs Barbara. She hand over a glass of their famous Dolcetto, and I instantly fall in love with its soft cocoa, mint and lavender aromas and supple, plummy, juicy flavours on the finish. “Everyone told us we couldn’t grow pinot up here, but we love pinot so we put some in the ground and it’s done incredibly well” shrugs Barbara. “We just trust our instincts and it seems to work”.

A few minutes away on Wiroa Road is the world class cellar door and restaurant at Marsden Estate. Back in the 1990’s Marsden and Cottle Hill were the only wineries in Kerikeri and not being trained winemakers meant the first few years consisted of experimentation and trial and error. Today Marsden Estate, under the cool-hand Luke approach of owner/winemaker Rod MacIvor is one of Northland’s most highly awarded producers. “One thing we have to remember up here is not to let things get too ripe” says Rod as we tuck into a heaving plate of juicy Asian prawns, “because of the climate if we go for higher sugar we inevitably lose acidity that creates distinctive wines. Some Northland whites have a history of being a bit flabby, but we know how to fix that now, in fact we’re learning all the time”. Rod remembers 1998 “which was just nuts, an incredible year, but a lot of the wines just tipped over too quickly because we were seduced by these huge sugar levels. But we’ve got the experience now to exercise restraint”.

Sauvignon Blanc has Rod really excited, “we have a different style up here, its super tropical and really juicy” he says, but I think the boutique varieties like Chambourcin will end up becoming Northland’s signature. Chambourcin is a red hybrid that’s only been around since the early 1960’s, but it boasts brilliant resistance to fungal disease making it an ideal grape for Northland’s humidity. “Chambo’s also great eating ” offers Kelvin Mowat from Pukeko Vineyard down the road who’s come to join us at lunch, “I was taking bunches down to the local lunch bar in Waipapa and they were selling heaps every day”. Chambo aside, I recommend trying the Marsden Estate Cavalli 2008 $25. Named after the Cavalli Islands, it’s a delicious, juicy blend of Chambourcin, Pinotage and Merlot that cries out for roast lamb.

L-R Kelvin & Christine Mowat with a fan

After lunch I follow Kelvin up SH10 to Pukeko Vineyard, a 7 acre block he owns with his wife Christine with 4 acres of grapes and 3 acres of miniature ponies, an odd combination, but undeniably cute. “I bought the place 3 years ago when it was an overgrown kiwifruit orchard. The plants were skyscraper high, untended for over 6 years so I just got a bulldozer, pulled them all out, rolled them up and burned the lot – but we still get kiwifruit plants popping up amongst our vines even now” he says handing me a glass of syrah. It’s solid, pepper-driven and fleshed out with plum and violet notes and it’s very good. Prepare yourself for pukeko’s everywhere – hats, t-shirts, stuffed toys, ornaments and umbrellas even, but if merchandise isn’t your thing don’t fret, his sauvignon, chambo and chardonnay will provide plenty of entertainment for your tastebuds.

Hang a left into Puketotara Road and you’re at the home of Bruce and Sue Soland, owners of Fat Pig Vineyard. Sporting a goatee, black t shirt and black wraparound sunglasses, I’m not surprised to learn Bruce was born a Westie and he worked on vineyards as a kid before spending 20 years as a golf pro. Opting for a life back amongst the vines he purchased an old kiwifruit orchard in 2003 and converted it into a vineyard which now produces Syrah, Pig-o-gris (also known as ‘cougar juice’ according to Bruce), Char-boar-nay and Sow-Blanc. If you need a touch more fortification you could give his Wild Boar Port a go, or if something more delicate calls, try the hugely popular Runty Rosé.

Bruce Soland of Fat Pig Vineyards

The cellar door is rustic and raw, and yes there is a pig (named Jenny Craig) that I don’t get to meet, but I can certainly smell. “We have our own wine and food fest up here, which” he whispers “is really just a rage up. We have a big marquee housing all the vineyards in the area, 5 chefs cooking and a fabulous band – it’s just awesome”.

Four of the Best

Marsden Estate Syrah 2009 $36 (4 stars)

Strong, masculine spice and dusty, earthy, peppery notes herald the arrival of a rather delicious syrah. Beautifully balanced, with just the right amount of cedary oak and juicy plummy, berryfruit notes, this is one red that oozes personality and charm. www.marsdenestate.co.nz

Redwood Cellars Old Mout Scrumpy Cider ($16x330ml 4pk)

Recently repackaged with the tag line “we think it’s pretty good”, I think the team at Redwood Cellars are on the money. This scrumpy has solid apple fullness, generous alcohol (8%) and clean, vibrant, tangy length of flavour. Pronounced ‘Old Moot’ it’s definitely a new favourite. www.oldmoutcider.com

Pukeko Vineyard White Tail Pinot Gris 2010 $22 (4 stars)

A super-cute pinot gris that shows jazz apple, pear and quince flavours combined with crunchy acidity and fantastic length of flavour. Crisp, clean, elegant and totally drinkable. pukekovineyard@xtra.co.nz or 0274933458

Fat Pig Runty Rosé 2010 $18 (3 and a half stars)Made from 100% Syrah grapes according to proprietor Bruce Soland this wine has its own cult following in the Far North – I have no idea if that’s true, but it’s really good nonetheless. Lifted strawberry, pepper and rhubarb aromas lead to a super lush and spicy finish. 09 407 3113 www.fatpig.co.nz

polarising pinot gris

2011-02-22T18:35:00.000-08:00

I’m writing this column on Tuesday 22^nd of February from underneath my dining table after the ninth aftershock of the day. I managed to collect the children from school, battling chaotic traffic to bring them home before waiting an anxious four hours to see my husband walk through the door. But we had power, water and thankfully our lives. Watching the news coverage made my mouth dry, but everything I sipped tasted like paper (and believe me I’ve sipped plenty today). So I’m relying on my memories of the delicious bottles I opened yesterday, most of which were pinot gris. Pinot Gris is here to stay and the volumes out there are increasing at a rate we haven’t seen since sauvignon blanc. So it’s a good thing that finally our winemakers are getting their heads around the potential of the fruit and what each region and sub-region are capable of. Finally we’re seeing crisp, clean intensity of flavour, textural elegance and, in more and more cases, solid ability to age.

Pinot gris polarises people which is hardly surprising because it’s a bit tricky identifying what you’re going to get in that bottle. Some pinot gris can be so dry they’re practically skeletal, others ooze sweet, oily lusciousness, but if well made, they should all offer that distinctive pear, quince or nashi-like niceness for which pinot gris is famous. Pinot gris takes practice, it’s important to persevere – if you find one that’s too sweet or too dry for your taste don’t let that put you off the variety, reach for another one – look at the alcohol level, if it’s under 13% then chances are there’ll be a bit of sweetness, any higher and it’ll be drier.

Saint Clair’s Godfrey’s Creek Reserve Marlborough Pinot Gris 2010 ($25) 5 stars is one of my current favourites. It smells of Eskimo lollies, fresh quince, winter cole pear and has clean, crisp, textural length of flavour and a beautifully balanced finish. www.saintclair.co.nz

Urlar Gladstone Pinot Gris 2010 ($28) 4.5 stars An organic, biodynamically produced pinot gris that boasts lovely nashi, granny smith and marshmallow notes that I really like. Hints of sweetness, but a clean, refreshing finish make this one to watch. www.urlar.co.nz

Clark Estate Awatere Valley Pinot Gris 2010 ($23) four stars A single-vineyard wine that’s beautifully textural and shows juicy pear , apple and nectarine notes followed by a gripping, snappy texture. A splash of sweetness gives it extra weight and adds to its lovely complexity. www.clarkestate.com

Seresin Marlborough Pinot Gris 2009 ($30) 4 stars Enticing aromas of pear, dandelion and apricot kernel lead the way to richly flavoursome, quince and white peach flavours on the finish. Definitely a lovely example. www.seresin.co.nz

Main Divide Waipara Pinot Gris 2010 ($19) 4 stars One example which never disappoints, Waipara I think might be the pinot gris capital of New Zealand because they just keep getting better and this wine is a great example. Pear, peach and tangy tropical fruit sliced through with seams of sweetness – definitely one that won’t disappoint. www.maindivide.com

Canterbury Wineries in the quake

Wineries are reporting little damage, with the epicentre of last week’s quake to the east of the city in Lyttelton, rather than in the wine growing areas west of Christchurch.

Speaking to Decanter.com within hours of the quake, Celia Bosman of Sandihurst winery said, 'the whole place was swaying but we are fine, we have been spared this time. We had much more damage last time as we were far closer to the epicentre. '

When the earthquake hit, new tanks were being fitted at Sandihurst to replace those damaged by September's earthquake and work had to be stopped.

Tresillian Estate's Heather Anderson confirmed producers west of the city had escaped relatively unscathed: “We got far more damage last time and are ok because we are out of the city centre.”

Cracroft Chase Vineyards, a producer closer to the city centre in the suburb of Cashmere, also escaped damage to the vineyard and winery but owners Alessandro and Wilma Laryn have suffered damage to their home.

Decanter was unable to contact city centre fine wine retailers Decant and Vino Fino following the earthquake.

ROYAL EASTER DELIVERS GOLD

A record 118 wines have won gold at the 2011 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards.

New Zealand Wine Society director Terry Dunleavy said a 16 percent increase in the number of gold medals awarded this year was evidence of the increasing quality of New Zealand wines.

“What's in the bottle has shown 2010 to be one of the best vintages of the last few years, especially in our number one export variety sauvignon blanc, which won 21 golds, while our stellar red, pinot noir, continued its remarkable progress, also with 21 golds,'' he said.

More than 1500 wines were entered in the competition, up 1.6 percent on last year.

Judges chairwoman Kate Radburnd said the standard of judging was the among the highest she had ever seen.

Villa Maria Estate ended up beating it’s own competition record by being awarded 17 gold medals.“We are fortunate in this country to have a growing band of young professionals working in our wineries who are dedicated not only to making better and better wine, but have become expert in recognising and judging quality,'' she said. Trophy winners will be announced at an awards dinner on 19 March 2011.

THREE OF THE BEST

Brown Brothers Dolcetto & Syrah 2010 $17 2.5 stars

Those who like sticky, sweet, plummy reds will fall over themselves for this wine. A red wine with a hint of spritz that can be chilled right down – it’s a tasty treat for these warm afternoons. Widely available.

MacKenzies Pardon Methode Traditionelle 2008 $18 3.5 stars

Delicate brioche and lemon aromas light the way for smooth, nutty, tongue-tingling mouthfeel. Fantastic value for money, this is a surprisingly good wine of which 25cents from the sale of each bottle goes to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. www.mackenziespardon.co.nz

Ti Point Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay 2010 $22 4 stars If you like a bit of peach, melon and pineapple flavour in your chardonnay then look no further than this juicy number. Winemaker Tracy Haslam has created an ultra-tasty tipple complete with toasty oak and zesty acidity on the finish. Dangerously drinkable

www.tipoint.co.nz

Wine Matching For Christmas Feasting

2010-12-22T00:57:00.000-08:00

Wine Matching for Christmas Feasting

I’m a big believer in wine being a superb digestive aide; therefore it’s inconceivable that I’d be without a glass of something at dinner time whether I’m having fish and chips or feta-filled figs. Christmas is no exception. Problem is, there are so many different dishes and flavours going on, it’s hard to settle on one wine to suit the occasion. But if you want your guests to get the best they can from your feast, here are some winning combinations.

Upon arrival.

I’m bored senseless by that whole ‘waiting for a special occasion’ concept. I think the birth of Christ counts as a bit of an occasion don’t you? Don’t go letting money get in the way of treating yourself to something sensational – affordable fizz does exist…

Champagne Lanvin & Fils Epernay Brut NV $40

This fine fizz has aromas of roast nuts and rising dough with subtle lime and biscuit notes. Tiny, prickling beads and a delicate mousse lead to lovely rich flavours and zingy-fresh acidity

Morton Estate IQ3 $27

A special limited release bubbly which has spent three years maturing on its yeast lees which has given it a heavenly, biscuity, brulee-ish character and excellent persistence of flavour. (ph 0800 MORTON)

Jacobs Creek Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut $13

I love Christmas because inevitably this fantastic sparkler ends up on special pretty much everywhere and it’s fantastic. Aromas of scone dough, almonds and lifted lemon lead to a delicate bead, soft minerality and a lovely, yeasty character. Clean, crisp and utterly brilliant value for money.

If Turkey or Roast Chicken arrives on the table then you’ll want a wine that works with all that rich, white flesh, buttery new potatoes, baby peas, green beans and fatty gravy. So I’d go chardonnay all the way – but not some unwooded example. I’d opt for a big, ripe, fruit-laden, oaky, creamy one.

The Dog Point Marlborough Chardonnay 2008 $34 has gorgeous bruleé and stonefruit aromas and pungent grapefruit and gun-smoke complexity in the mouth, which makes it the perfect partner here. For stockists near you visit www.dogpoint.co.nz

The Mission Estate Reserve Chardonnay 2009 $26 is so clean, elegant and downright juicy. Grapefruit, rich, tropical notes and toasty oak combine to create greatness. Available at supermarkets, wine stores and via www.missionestate.co.nz

Tradition has it there’ll be a Ham, and it will be studded with cloves, covered in orange zest and glazed with all sorts of cellulite-inducing sweeties like marmalade, brown sugar and brandy. Choosing an appropriate wine for salty meat with a candied/savoury element to it wasn’t the easiest job, but after a dozen or so bottles (and one very seedy morning later) I think I cracked it. Viognier.

Pronounced Vee-On-Yay, it is a white wine that sits somewhere between the peachy, creamy, tropical characters of chardonnay and the spicy citrus you’ll find in pinot gris. The perfect wine for this season’s swine.

Villa Maria Private Bin East Coast Viognier 2009 $17

This gorgeous little wine has spicy, mandarin-peel, jasmine and apricot kernel characters abound. Tangy and dry, it’s an absolute winner.

Selaks Winemakers Favourite Hawke’s Bay Viognier 2009 $24

I love the subtle white peach, almond and apricot aromas of this viognier, and its crisp, textural, flavoursome mandarin-like finish makes it a winner with the Christmas ham and one I'll definitely be buying again. Widely available.

Up next, the obligatory Pavlova. Fingers crossed your pav will turn out light, fluffy and deliciously sweet – so toast your success with something equally decadent like a honeyed, marmaladey, toffee-ish dessert wine to cut through that sweet meringue and compliment the fruity toppings and cream.

Any of these stickies will please the crowds: Brown Brothers Patricia Late Harvested Noble Riesling 2006 375ml $30, Hawke’s Ridge Late Harvest Viognier 2009 $20 or the Te Awa Noble Chardonnay 2009 375 ml $20.

But what about the fruit-heavy, nutty, boozy Christmas puddings, Mince Pies and Christmas cake? There are some intense flavour combinations like brandy and butter-soaked raisins, currants with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, mixed peel, nuts, almond icing, sweet pastry and sugar here, so I think the best option here is a soothing Stout. Try the Townshend Brewery Number 9 $6.50 500ml. It’s a deliciously dark, velvety brew that will work well with all of the above and best of all it’ll settle your digestion down a treat.

Art and science collide

Iconic New Zealand artist Dick Frizzell has launched his new collection of Frizzell Wines just in time for summer following the success of the inaugural range launched last year.

This new collection, produced by award winning wine maker Rod McDonald, includes a 2010 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, a 2008 Hawkes Bay Chardonnay and a 2009 Central Otago Pinot Noir, all retaining the unique Dick Frizzell-designed label art.

“I’m thrilled with how well our wines have been received since we launched 18 months ago, and expanding our range was a natural next step. When we started out on this adventure, we wanted to make a real contribution to the New Zealand wine scene, and we hope people enjoy the new range as much as we have enjoyed developing it,” says Dick Frizzell.

In addition to the new releases, Frizzell has also launched a Limited Edition Reserve Range. “It’s very important to me that it’s not just about having a unique label on a bottle but the quality of the wine has to be exceptional too. I’ve been lucky enough to work with such a strong team who are all about keeping standards high and as a result our business has gone from strength to strength,” says Frizzell. The packaging of the Reserve range cleverly resembles a restaurant ‘reserved’ sign – or a Toblerone on steroids – depending on how you look at it. Either way, it’s “eye-catching as!” according to my ten year old daughter. Visit www.frizzellwines.co.nz for more info.

Grin and Beer it…

Paraparaumu’s Tuatara Brewery was set up in 2002 by Carl Vasta with the support of Sean Murrie from the Malthouse and Fraser McInnes of Bar Bodega. It was a tiny operation turning out some of the best boutique brews of the day. Today it’s pushing its 35000 litre capacity to the limit and was named in the Deloitte Fast 50 as one of NZ’s fastest growing companies. They might be bigger, but the beers just keep getting better as I can well vouch for having just tried their Ardennes Strong Golden Ale which is rich, aromatic, sexy and malty and Munich Helles (hell-iz) Lager which has clean, herbaceous, hoppy freshness. “We’ve just launched a mixed six-pack of our top selling brews” says Murrie, “it takes a bit of work because you’re only brewing one type of beer per day, but it’s what our customers have asked for so we’re going for it”. Visit www.tuatarabrewing.co.nz for stockists near you.

Four of the Best

Frizzell Wines Reserve Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet 2007 $45 êêêê½

This big, juicy Hawke’s Bay red oozes aromas of gunsmoke, baked prune, cocoa and dusty, earthy notes. Solid, meaty and muscular in the mouth, with spicy, masculine length of flavour. Available in fine wine stores or via www.frizzellwines.co.nz

Wairau River Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $20 êêêê

Super-clean lime and passionfruit flavours burst forth in this tangalicious, textural sauvignon. Solid, punchy length of flavour adds to the experience, it’s a cracker. Visit www.wairauriverwines.com for stockists near you or to order online.

Brancott Estate Reserve Sparkling Pinot Noir NV $24 êêê

I’ve seen this red version of sparkling pinot noir (which is normally white) on special recently for as low as $12 which is crazy stuff. This is fresh and frisky fizz that has lifted red fruits, floral aromatics and a firm, lingering finish. Widely available.

Moa St. Josephs Belgian-style Tripel 2010 ($20 per 4pk)

It’s sweet, mouthfilling, herbaceous and seriously malty flavour is quite addictive. But beware, at 9.5% alcohol, more than one glass of the St. Josephs might send you sideways. To buy visit www.moabeer.co.nz

Something In The Soil

2010-12-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

The French knew a thing or two when they decided to introduce the appellation system. It was a system of dividing the wine-land into designated areas that produced specific levels of quality wine. Areas like Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy, Chablis and the like. I have a similar thing going on in my garden, the fertile right hand side is known as ‘good cabbage’ whereas the left hand side I call ‘average cabbage’ because the hose doesn’t reach that far and the handle fell off my watering can.

New Zealand is slowly starting to allocate names to its great grape-growing land too; the most famous of which is the Gimblett Gravels, an area that covers 800 hectares of gravely soils, laid down by the Ngaruroro River which was exposed after a huge flood in 1867. It’s an unattractive, infertile heat-trap that before the wine boom, was considered a waste of time for agriculture. I remember it wasn’t much more than a decade or so ago when crops wouldn’t grow, you couldn’t graze stock and word was the farmers ‘couldn’t give the land away’- now it’s some of the most expensive vineyard land in the country!

The thing that makes the Gravels so good is that every type of grape seems to grow well there. It’s where you’ll find succulent chardonnay, mouthfilling merlot’s, chunky, chewy cabernets, amazing aromatics and even international award-winning pinot noir for goodness sake! But the variety that’s ripping the wine-worlds knickers right now is Gimblett Gravels Syrah. Before I get started let’s get one thing clear, especially if you’re a first-time reader. Syrah and Shiraz are the same. Two wines, two different names, same grape.

But the Gimblett Gravels produces a unique style of Syrah that recently collected four out of the 7 gold medals awarded at the prestigious Air New Zealand Wine Awards last month.

Wines from the Gimblett Gravels also swept all 4 trophies for the fuller bodied red wine categories at the awards. Newly elected Chairman of the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association, Nick Aleksich of Mills Reef Winery, was especially pleased at the consistency demonstrated by the wines coming from three different vintages: 2007, 2008, and 2009.

“This result confirms what we in the Gimblett Gravels have long felt; that the Gimblett Gravels can produce fantastic quality wines consistently from vintage to vintage – marking it as a truly great terroir.

Wine lovers can take assurance from the fact that every vintage since 1998 has produced gold medal winning wines from the Gimblett Gravels.

Of course, we’re not resting on our laurels and are focused on continual improvement which is promising an extremely exciting future”.

The Champion Merlot trophy went to Church Road Cuve Series Merlot 2007, the Champion Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot Cabernet blend trophy went to Te Awa’s Leftfield Merlot Malbec 2009, while the trophy for Champion Syrah was awarded to Gavin Yortt for his Squawking Magpie “The Stoned Crow” Gimblett Gravels Syrah 2008. Trinity Hill’s Gimblett Gravels Tempranillo 2008 took home the “Other Red Styles” trophy.

Further cementing Gimblett Gravels’ performance was its dominance in the gold medals awarded to fuller-bodied red wines, dramatically scooping 10 of the 14 golds awarded. Before it was planted in grapes, this patch of land was home to a hot-rod drag strip, the Hastings dump, I think there was a motorcycle gang’s headquarters out there and I think not much else. However looking back over the last decade, wines from this formerly useless patch of dirt have amassed a whopping 400+ gold medals and over 140 trophies in domestic wine competitions. Congratulations are clearly in order.

Don't Confuse the Competition

2010-09-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

I’m wrote this column whilst holed-up in a hotel on Auckland’s north shore; at least I think it was called the north shore. This whole Super-City 're-zoning' business is a tad confusing and the last thing I need after two days of tasting close to three hundred wines is to be confused. There was still one more day to go in judging at the New Zealand International Wine Show, which at over 2000 wines our nations largest wine competition. “Here’s an idea for your column Yvonne” said Kingsley Wood, owner of First Glass Wines in Takapuna and organiser of the event, “you can tell everyone that an unprecedented amount of gold medals have just been awarded for the new 2010 Marlborough sauvignon blancs – which is fantastic news”. “But my readers already know that I’m loving the 2010 Marlborough sauvignon blancs because I’ve been reviewing them for weeks” I retorted. “Tell them anyway” he snapped. He’s in retail. They’re all pretty grumpy at the moment.

Speaking of wine awards, the good folk at Seifried Estate in Nelson had only just cleaned up the mess from the party they threw after winning the trophy for New Zealand’s best Gewurztraminer at the Romeo Bragato Awards in Marlborough a fortnight ago, when the call came to string the coloured lightbulbs back up, crack open the chips and dip, plug in the jukebox and get jiggy with it once again because they’d scored a world-first trifecta. For the third time, this family-run company was awarded the Decanter International Sweet Wine Trophy over £10, last week for its Seifried Winemakers Collection Sweet Agnes Riesling 2009. Decanter Magazine is based in London and runs “the most prestigious wine competition on the planet” according to winemaker Heidi Seifried, and with 10,983 entries this year, it’s also the world’s largest. “Every year that Seifried has entered the Sweet Agnes Riesling in the Decanter competition it has been awarded a trophy” says Heidi.

Chris Seifried, Heidi’s brother and fellow winemaker, likens winning a Decanter trophy to being awarded a Michelin star. “This is a wine we work tirelessly on” he says. Using 100% Riesling fruit, the grapes were hand selected at the peak of ripeness with a large portion of the fruit shrivelled and raisined, due to natural dehydration. The fruit is then pressed, giving a rich syrup-like juice. Finally, the juice is fermented and a golden dessert wine is produced. Decanter’s judges described the 2009 Sweet Agnes (named after their mother, Agnes Seifried) as, “very honeyed and waxy on the nose with loads of floral character. It is aromatic, luscious, juicy and intense with a racy but balanced acidity and has excellent length.”

“Needless to say we are all absolutely over the moon here at the winery” says winemaker Heidi Seifried. “The performance of the Sweet Agnes really is quite unbelievable – this is the fourth year it has achieved at least one Decanter Trophy..... We are absolutely thrilled with our little star wine! And it has an impressive list of GOLD medals every vintage to support it too!” http://www.seifried.co.nz/

Rule Britannia!

What’s not to love about the English? After all, they gave us chip butties, the Two Ronnie’s, Devonshire teas and David Attenborough (and where we’d be without him doesn’t bear thinking about) But one thing kiwis and Brits continually have in common is our never-ending pursuit of putting one over the French. When it comes to making wine it’s no secret that in recent years the quality coming out of New Zealand has given the French pause for thought. Now it’s the Brits turn. While the words ‘English Wine’ were once about as appealing as the words ‘well-done steak’, a huge victory at the Decanter World Wine Awards for a stunning English sparkling have well and truly got the French beaten at their own game. The winemakers at Sussex-based Ridgeview Wine Estate put English sparkling wines on the map by taking the Top Sparkling Wine Trophy. The International Sparkling Wine Trophy was awarded to their Ridgeview Grosvenor 2006, which beat stiff competition from at least five famous French Champagne houses including the likes of Taittinger, Charles Heidsieck and Thienot.

According to Decanter.com, Mardi Roberts, Sales & Marketing Manager reported that the family run company had absolutely no idea they were in the running to win. "It took us completely by surprise to firstly hear our names on the shortlist for the trophy, then to actually have our wine announced as the winner," she said. Proprietor Michael Roberts and his son, winemaker Simon went up to accept the trophy to rapturous applause.

"The whole family is just so pleased at this great accolade," added Mardi. "It's great for Ridgeview and fantastic for English sparkling wines."

Decanter's Tastings Director, Christelle Guibert, said this was an incredible home-grown success. 'What a result,' she said. 'As if further proof was ever needed, this unequivocally rubberstamps England's membership to that exclusive club of truly world class, sparkling wine producers. Up against a clutch of Champagne's finest, Ridgeview has produced a stupendous wine that defeated them all. It's a truly remarkable win.'

Disney gets savvy

Disneyland isn't just about spinning teacups, castles and life-size cartoon characters; the happiest place on earth also happens to be quite wine savvy as Kiwi winemaker Steve Bird recently found out.

The winemaker's 2008 Bird Sauvignon Blanc and 2008 Bird Big Barrel Pinot Noir has just been
selected by WALT DISNEY WORLD for their 2011 core wine list. “It's fantastic news because millions of tourists from around the world visit the theme parks every year, so the exposure for Bird Wines will be phenomenal,'' says Bird. According to Steve, the Bird Big Barrel Pinot Noir stands out from others in its class because it's produced through Vernou Roll Fermentation, a process Bird pioneered for Pinot Noir.
This unique winemaking method uses 900 litre oak barrels which are gently rolled by hand during the fermentation process to ensure the most delicate flavours and aromas are preserved.
Maturing for almost a year, the wine never spends more than a day outside the barrel from crushing to bottling. http://www.birdwines.com/

Register as a Consumer Judge for the NZ Week People's Choice Wine Awards 2010 now!

FOUR OF THE BEST

Turanga Creek Lone Oak Blend 2008 $26 (four stars)

Merlot, malbec and cabernet franc grapes are used to create a wine scented with blackcurrant, toasty oak and soft, earthy spices. To drink it is supple, slippery and elegant in the mouth, it oozes plump fruit and has a supple, clingy texture on the finish. A good drink indeed. Available from La Barrique stores or email Juliet@epicureanwines.co.nz for stockists near you.

Cellar 9 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $10 (2.5 stars)

This cheap and cheerful quaffer ticks all the boxes. Capsicum, lime and preserved lemon aromas lead to a pleasant, passionfruity, refreshingly tangy taste sensation for only ten bucks. Bargain. Exclusive to http://www.winesale.co.nz/ and http://www.vineonline.co.nz/

Pierre André Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes-De-Nuits Beauversant 2008 $37 (4 stars)

Good French chardonnay is always a treat especially when it has lifted peach, mandarin and deliciously sweet and toasty oak aromas. Underpinned with a vein of grapefruit acidity and intense, multi-layered textural characters in the mouth, it is lovely and vibrant on the finish. Imported by Paul Treacher at Ballande New Zealand Limited ph. 09 638 9921 p.treacher@ballande.co.nz

Jacobs Creek Sparkling Moscato Rosé $14 (3 stars)

Good Moscato is springtime in a bottle and this snappy example from Jacobs Creek has lifted stonefruit, creaming soda and strawberry aromas followed by a refreshingly sweet, spritzy, tropical finish. Widely available.

Pinot Gris Past & Present

2010-08-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

Pinot Gris is here to stay and the volumes out there are increasing at a rate we haven’t seen since sauvignon blanc. So it’s a good thing that finally our winemakers are getting their heads around the potential of the fruit and what each region and sub-region are capable of. Finally we’re seeing crisp, clean intensity of flavour, textural elegance and, in a case proven by a 6-vintage vertical tasting of Bilancia’s example, solid ability to age.

I hardly ever get to taste pinot gris that’s over a year or two old, so when Lorraine Leheny from Bilancia delivered a half dozen bottles dating back to their first offering from 2004 I was excited. If I’m honest I was also a little doubtful – but as soon as the caps came off I was blown away. Grown from Hawke’s Bay’s Black Bridge vineyard in Haumoana, the 2004 was still pale yellow, straw-coloured and had delicate aromas of moist hay, dried herbs and minerals. In the mouth it still held fresh quince and hints of honeysuckle – incredible. The 2005 was scented with white flowers, hay and herbs and it held elegant pear character, mealy notes and tangy minerality on the finish. Five years old and still fresh and drinkable.

The 2006 had chalky minerality on the nose and splashes of pear and yellow plum. It’s slippery, elegant, multi-layered and textural with solid length of flavour. The 2007 is when the label changed from ‘grigio’ to ‘gris’ and it had soft pear and peach notes. The finish was crisp, clean and powdery. 2008 produced exceptional peach, quince and ginger aromas followed by solid, juicy, mouthfilling weight. A ribbon of minerality ran through it leaving a clean, dry finish.

And lastly, the Bilancia Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2009 (NZ$24) was perfumed with peach, pear and a lovely underlying almond-meal aroma. In the mouth it was clean, fresh and dry with elegant minerality and gentle, textural length. So there you go. There are still those who feel even the greatest pinot gris taste no better than Uncle Bob’s bathwater, but when made with care and obsessive attention by people like Lorraine Leheny and Warren Gibson – I think its stunning stuff.

Cows go large in Canada.

Who’d have thought that your steak could be marinated from the inside out? An enterprising farmer in British Columbia is helping the local wine industry to get a big boost from a new market segment: Cows. Sadly these cows meet with an unfortunate end, reported the Vancouver Sun last week, but they do spend the last 90 days of their lives relaxing, eating and drinking Okanagan red wine; and it looks as though they like it. Apparently they moo more and are much more social.

The idea of feeding wine to cows was hatched by Janice Ravndahl of Sezmu Meats in Kelowna. (Sezmu is the Egyptian god of wine.) After tasting the meat, local chefs in the area were suitably impressed.

The inspiration hit when she was sitting around, having a glass of wine, watching Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word tv show. She saw him giving a taste of beer to some pigs he was raising – although I’m not sure if that was because he thought it might improve the meat or whether it was some consolation gesture before he sent them off to slaughter – but nonetheless a light bulb went off. Coming from five generations of cattle ranchers, she thought, "why not cows?" She phoned her brother, who told her exactly why not. "Because the carbonation would bloat them," he said. Ravndahl then thought: "Why not wine?"

So they did some trial feeding her free-range, hormone-free, organic Angus cow’s homemade red wine. "We were thrilled with the results," she says. The cows are each fed a litre of red wine every day (the cheap stuff apparently) and they mix it into the feed, but some cows like to drink it.

“After they've had it for a while, when they see us coming with the pitchers, they don't run, but they come faster than usual” she says. Local chefs have been applauding the beef as the best they’d ever tasted.

Former Food Network celebrity chef Ned Bell (Cabana Grille in Kelowna), Stuart Klassen (Delta Grand Okanagan) and Matthew Batey (Mission Hill Winery chef) are serving Sezmu beef. Batey says there's a subtle difference with the wine-fed beef. "It's beautiful beef to begin with. It's just adding one more dimension."

Ravndahl says they fed the cows wine for 120 days, but the flavour difference between 120 days and 90 days wasn't pronounced. "The difference between 30 and 70 days, though, is outstanding." Her beef costs around 15% more than comparable free-range beef.

The Vancouver Sun reported that researchers at Thompson Rivers University's agriculture department are also interested in the wine-drinking cows. In one study involving the cows, they're hypothesizing that the wine diet lessens methane production. They're also wondering if resveratrol in red wine might have benefits for heart health or disease prevention in cows.

(if you like the cow picture above then I strongly suggest you visit http://www.ahayball.co.uk/ - alan hayball is a talented UK-based artist who does gorgeous quirky cow-pics that are too cute. I hope he doesn't mind me using this one)

Five of the Best

Locharburn Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2009 $22 (4.5 stars)

Gorgeous salmon-pink colour and bursting with creaming soda, white peach and raspberry aromas. Super-clean and elegant to drink, it has amazing length of flavour and it’s one of the prettiest, most tasty rosés I’ve tried all year. Go directly to www.locharburnwines.co.nz for details on where to buy.

Alluviale Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2008 $30 (4 stars)

Elegant, earthy notes of pepper, mace, prune and dark chocolate. Fleshed out with berryfruit and hints of peppermint, it’s a beautifully balanced, vibrant wine with gripping, sensuous tannins and a solid, masculine finish. Winemakers and life partners Kate Galloway and David Ramonteau have created a hearty, ribsticking red that works sensationally well with spice-crusted roast leg of lamb slathered in gravy. Buy at fine wine stores or via www.alluviale.com.

Mission Estate Gewurztraminer 2010 $16 (3 stars)

It’s been aaaaages since I’ve tried a gewürztraminer from Mission Estate, no idea why, but clearly I’ve been missing something rather lovely. This has sexy rose petal and lychee aromas with hints of ginger and spice and a splash of tropical fruit to finish. Excellent value for money and a winner with sizzling Thai garlic and chilli prawns. Available in good wine stores or via www.missionestate.co.nz

Corallo Nero d’Avola 2008 $8.99 (3 stars)

I’ve talked about this wine in the past but I think it’s timely to bring it up again because there’s a new vintage and it’s sensational. They might’ve been a little average at the soccer world cup but their winemaking is still world-class, and even though this wine is probably produced in the millions of gallons, the drinkability factor of this wine is too good to deny. Plum, chocolate, pepper and juicy spicy notes – smooth and warming, mouth-coating and gorgeous, it’s a wine that’ll definitely please the crowds. – online www.blackmarket.co.nz

Wild Rock Cupids Arrow Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 $24 (4 stars)

Ripe, red cherry and chocolate aromas followed by voluptuous, fruit-driven flavours and warming, spicy notes in the mouth. It’s an injection of love that’s smooth and textural; this wine has excellent length of flavour, represents great value and is a perfect partner for duck confit. For stockists in your area visit www.wildrockwine.co.nz

http://www.yvonnemarie.co.nz/

Heartbroken for Wine

2010-07-16T18:07:00.000-07:00

I might be a happily married woman now, but back in the day I somehow managed to work my way through enough commitment-phobic artists, actors, musicians and bad boy bartenders to get my heart broken on a regular basis. Each time a relationship soured I turned to Crunchie bars and cabernet – usually simultaneously, but why? It seemed like such a cliché, so very Bridget Jones to turn to booze and chocolate in times of sorrow and woe. Thankfully research just out says that there is actually a very real reason why women turn to wine and chocolate in times of heartbreak; we simply can’t help it. According to an article in the UK’s Daily Mail last week, scientists have found that jilted women have a higher tendency to turn to these things because their bodies are trying to compensate for an addiction to love. New research has linked rejection in romance to brain activity associated with addiction and that romantic love, under both happy and unhappy circumstances may be a ‘natural’ addiction – just like food, wine, scrapbooking or cigarettes. So we’re not just looking for an excuse to ditch Weight Watchers and fall off the wagon, and we’re not just copying those silly, soppy women on telly and in films when we hit the pick ‘n’ mix section at the supermarket. We are in fact following a very primal, basic instinct and that is to love someone and be loved because we are all afflicted with a serious case of the Robert Palmers. When we suffer the pain of breaking up with someone it’s natural that women attempt to immediately fill the void with something that resembles a love fix, like a glass of good vino or a Luxury Flake.

Getting Fizzicle

Lindauer might have made the style the smash hit of summer 2010 by introducing it to the masses, but sparkling sauvignon blanc has actually been around for quite some time. Mount Riley wines of Marlborough were pioneers of the style with Savée ($20), their deliciously spritzy, lime-laden sparkling sauvignon. When I first tried it about 5 years ago it was eye-opening stuff, “why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?” It was elegant, sensuous and delicately flavoured with white peach and herbaceous notes and I’ve been a big fan since. A packaging makeover means it also now looks sensational on the table (shouldn’t be important, but it is) so it’s a must-have for your next dinner party. Last year Lindauer released their overt, grassy, passionfruity sparkling sauvignon ($12) and it was decidedly sweeter, but a real crowd pleaser nonetheless. Chilled down it’s a superb sip for those sun-kissed summer days (they can’t come soon enough) and as a bonus it’s super-affordable. Now a third sparkling Marlborough sauvignon has crossed by my desk and it’s by Goldridge Estate ($18). Oozing crisp capsicum, lemon and green herb characters, it’s clean and refreshingly dry and lengthy on the finish. Clearly sparkling sav is here to stay and that makes me a happy camper.

Four of the Best This Week

Lake Chalice Raptor Marlborough Chardonnay 2009 $27 (4 stars)

A fantastic chardonnay that’s worth every penny because it has punchy grapefruit, japonica and yellow plum flavours fleshed out with some juicy nectarine notes. Elegantly balanced oak and a creamy, textural finish makes for a satisfying chardonnay that works well with scallops wrapped in bacon and sizzled on the grill. The ‘raptor’ refers to the Karearea or NZ falcon, a rare, endemic raptor. Lake Chalice sponsors the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, dedicated to preserving these amazing birds. http://www.lakechalice.co.nz/

Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $10 (3½ stars)

Super-dry, limey and mineral-driven, this is a crisp, clean and classic example of a style we know and love. Vibrant passionfruit, lime and lemon with a hint of sugar-snap pea character makes this a super-sippable, spritzy sauvignon that'll perk up even the most jaded palate. Widely available.

Waimea Estate Nelson Gewurztraminer 2008 $15 (5 stars)

Again, the price of this wine floored me as this wine actually won an Elite Gold at last years Air New Zealand Wine Awards, which makes it one of the highest scoring Gewurztraminers in the country. Lovely lychee, white peach, hints of ginger and tangy tropical tastiness abound in this wine. And you simply can’t go wrong if you’re thinking about having a number 19 crispy squid with chilli coconut sauce from the thai takeaway – this wine is perfect. http://www.waimeaestates.co.nz/

Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewurztraminer 2009 $32 (4½ stars)

Sourced from the oldest gewurztraminer vines in the region, this is one perfectly poised and deliciously elegant example. Lifted lychee, rose, white peach and soft, musky spices mean it’s aromatically stunning and clean, fresh and ultimately drinkable. http://www.pegasusbay.com/

Millton Vineyard Clos de Ste. Anne Narboth’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008 $53 (5 stars)

When you look at where the iconic pinot noirs of New Zealand come from, southern(ish) regions like Martinborough, Marlborough, Nelson, Waipara and Central Otago immediately spring to mind but from today onward I’m adding Gisborne to the list because I’ve just tried the sensational Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Narboth’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008. Fashioned by winemaker James Millton from biodynamically grown grapes from the tiny vineyard named after his wife Annie, this pinot has incredibly seductive, spicy, pine-needle aromas wrapped up with some dried herbs, baked strawberries and rhubarb. To drink it is ripe, lush, slippery and lithe, leaving a hint of bitter chocolate on the finish.

Available from fine wine stores or via http://www.millton.co.nz/

GET AMONGST THESE WINES IMMEDIATELY!

Sommelier Sensations

2010-01-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

TALENTED SOMMELIERS TASTE NEW ZEALAND

“I’m off to Craggy to have dinner with some Master Sommeliers so you’ll have to cook tea” I told my husband last Monday night. “Smelliers? Aren’t they like people who sniff things for a living?” he asked, scratching his head and staring vacantly into the fridge. “No” I offered sweetly, “they’re highly skilled wine service professionals who’re also experts in wine procurement, wine storage, wine cellar rotation, and … (noting his eyes glazing over as I grabbed the car keys off the bench) yes honey, they smell stuff for a living”.
Craggy Range is a member of the Family of Twelve, a group of likeminded wine producers who decided that the best way to get their many and varied stories across is to have overseas wine professionals experience New Zealand themselves. “With this in mind we’ve established a programme that’ll see us investing in bringing key influential people from many markets down to NZ where they’ll receive a guided tour with experienced and well-recognised winemakers in all the quality regions of NZ” says Michael Henley of Craggy Range, “from Kumeu River in the North to Felton Road in Central Otago. We believe that by doing this we will create ambassadors for the quality wines of New Zealand”.

The first such sponsored trip focused on three shiny, young, rising-star sommeliers from the USA, who were accompanied by New Zealand’s own and only Master Sommelier, Cameron Douglas.
As Megan Yelanowski, (Wine and Beverage Manager at the San Diago Bayfront Hilton and the first woman in San Diego to obtain her Advanced Level in the Court of Master Sommeliers); Hristo Zisovski, (Head Sommelier for Jean George restaurant in New York also a qualified ‘Advanced Sommelier’) and Geoff Kruth, (Master Sommelier and Director of Operations for the Guild of Sommeliers) tasted their way through some sensational wine and food they talked openly about their ambition and total devotion to their chosen career path.
“This is something we need to get across to young people in New Zealand” said Cameron, “that the role of a Professional Sommelier is a very real career option within the hospitality industry” and went on to explain the fantastic mentoring and training resources available here for anyone interested in furthering their skills to international standard.
In the US young people wanting a career in wine service are encouraged, respected by their employers and customers alike and, well paid.
Sadly while most kiwi restaurateurs know there’s excellent money to be made in wine sales, and to get those sales you need to train, employ and retain skilled wine staff, many still don’t understand that twelve bucks an hour is an insult, not an incentive.
For info on getting ahead in the wine service business email Cameron Douglas MS at sommelierservices@xtra.co.nz.

A FESTIVAL OF WINE AND CHOCOLATE

Premium organic chocolate makers Green & Black’s decided to team up with yours truly to bring the latest food and wine matching sensation to the Harvest Hawke’s Bay Festival. Wine and chocolate matching is huge overseas but I couldn’t think of anything more gag-inducing. That was until I actually took part in a wine and chocolate matching workshop in Auckland last year, and it is with much joy and jubilation that I can now happily concede that I was wrong and that there are some fabulous combos that’ll definitely get you salivating your socks off. We’ll be sampling delicate white chocolate through to Green & Black’s new, squint-inducingly dry 85% Dark chocolate. And put your airs and graces aside because it’s all about getting our fingers sticky, spitting and generally making a bit of a mess together – all in the best possible taste of course. To book your place call 0800 44 294 630, register at www.harvesthawkesbay.co.nz

THE SPANISH INQUISITION
Ola! To Sophie Cotter and her Spanish importing company St Vincent’s Cave who specialise in supplying high quality Spanish wines, beers and beverages. One of my favourites is the Vins Padro Sangria $16.95. It’s clean, super-fresh and far better than any sangria I’ve ever cobbled together myself. Only high-quality 100% Tempranillo wine is used to make it according to Sophie; no orange juice or spirits are added, only natural Mediterranean fruit extracts. “This way the Sangría conserves the colour, aromas, structure and flavour of the wine intact as opposed to camouflaging a cheap wine with spirits and excessive sugar” she says. Sophie suggests serving it over ice with a slice each of lemon & orange, “it's much nicer than adding soda water or anything to it”.

They’re also bringing in the marvellous Moritz beer, brewed by Cervesas Moritz from the spring waters of the Montseny Mountains of Catalonia and using hops from Saaz. Founded by Alsatian brewmaster Louis Moritz in 1856 the recipe is largely unchanged since. Beautifully malty with hints of caramel and fig on the nose this beer is full-flavoured and Moorish with an incredibly refreshing, tangy length of flavour. To find a stockist near you visit www.stvincentscave.com or call Sophie on 07 839 0414.

Speaking of Spanish, Scenic Cellars in Taupo are holding the 2010 version of their legendary Spanish Fiesta Cellar Dinner on Saturday March 13th. $130 per ticket includes at least 3 courses of fabulous food, all wine and superb entertainment, but I’ve been told half the tickets have already gone so be quick – ring 07 378 5704 or visit www.sceniccellars.co.nz to book.

Four of the Best

Misha’s Vineyard Limelight Central Otago Riesling 2009 $26 (four stars)

Crisp, tangy granny smith apple, beeswax and limey notes burst out of the glass followed by ripe citrus flavours, clean, mineral-driven texture and solid, lovely length of flavour. Contact misha@mishasvineyard.com for stockists.

Brennan Gibbston Pinot Noir 2007 $40 (four and a half stars)

Seductive, exotic aromas of black tea, plum and spiced cherries lead to a warm, meaty, muscular explosion of flavour in the mouth and rich, juicy length of flavour. A big wine from a small producer who’s clearly capable of great things.
Visit www.brennanwines.com for more info.

Matakana Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $22

(four stars) Leafy and limey on the nose with some intriguing aromas of anise, preserved lemon and passionfruit. A tiny portion is left to rest on its lees in older French oak which, if you can tear the wine away from your nose adds some rich, creamy, tropical complexity of flavour. Available only in fine wine stores and selected restaurants. www.matakanaestate.co.nz.

Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2008 $20 (five stars)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…first the aromas of coconut husk, baked prune and molasses made me swoon. The smooth yet spicy, muscular, cocoa-laden loveliness took me over the moon; and the deliciously warming mouthfeel and sexy length of flavour all for only $20 made me feel like a lucky dish who’d just run away with a very expensive spoon. Widely available and superlative value for money indeed. www.eskvalley.co.nz

THE SNIFF TEST

Hand’s up who thinks it’s a good idea to produce scratch ‘n’ sniff wine stamps. Neil Pendock, a South African wine commentator definitely thinks so. According to his blog, the Germans just released a series of fruity stamps and the Brazilians had coffee-scented ones a few years back - so Neil thinks wine producers should get on the bandwagon. Perhaps NZ Post could work with NZ Winegrowers to produce a stamp perfumed with pinot noir, or to educate those still clinging to the romance of the traditional closure, an ‘identifying cork taint’ stamp infused with the aroma of rotting cardboard - ahh yes, the possibilities are endless.

Myths about Wine

2010-01-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

There are many myths (urban and otherwise) out there about wine. But perhaps the one that sticks in my mind more than most is the one my mother told me when I was young. ‘‘Yvonne, there’s nothing cool or grown-up about drinking too much,’’ she said. Actually, that happens to be true, but at 15 it sounded like the biggest crock I’d ever heard. After busting me so many times for taking sneaky sips from her treasured box of Blenheimer when I was a teen, it’s no surprise she still finds it hard to believe that nowadays I actually get paid to drink. But I digress. The myths are still out there and my mother still drinks Blenheimer; but at least I can correct the myths.

Myth number 1 Uncorking a bottle for a few hours before drinking to ‘‘let it breathe’’ will improve and soften the wine. This is bog-standard bollocks because of the small surface area of the wine exposed to air. It’s a bit like expecting a weary backpacker to feel zippy and refreshed nearing the end of a 12-hourbus ride up the Khyber simply because the driver decides to open his air vent. To really let the wine breathe you need to decant it, slosh it around a bit and let it stretch its legs.

Which brings me to myth number 2. That the ‘‘legs’’, ‘‘tears’’ or ‘‘churchwindows’’ inside a glass of wine that’s been swirled indicate thatit’s a high quality wine. All it actuallyshows is that the wine may contain sturdy amounts of alcohol. Despite this being very important to some sippers, it doesn’t really detail whether the wine is going tobe delicious or dishwater.

Speaking of quality, myth number 3 says that smelling the cork will tell you if a wine’sworth drinking. The waiter or sommelier at a restaurant might hand you the cork so you can check to see if there is mould or if the cork is broken. But sniffing it won’t tell you if the wine is faulty or not, it will just announce to everyone else that you’re a ponce. A wine is ‘‘corked’’ when it smells like damp cardboard or a mouldy sack.Thanks to screw caps, these days fewer wines end up being spoiled. But trust some zealously politically correct Californians to be complete spoilsports.

An award-winning adaptation of LittleRed Riding Hood was withdrawn from a recommended reading list by a schoolboard in Culver City, simply because the heroine had included a bottle of wine in thebasket she brought to her grandmother. Only in America.

Political correctness aside, in New Zealand we’re told that drinking and driving is extremely naughty. But that’s a myth if you reside in Uruguay because apparently over there‘‘intoxication’’ is a legal excuse for having a prang in your car. Just imagine. ‘‘Officer I honestly don’t know what happened? One minute I was having my tenth tequila layback and the next minute I’m in my car, wrapped around this tree.’’ ‘‘I completely understand sir, here’s a note for your insurance company. You take care now.’’

Believe it or not one thing I know is true is that I still can’t tell what day of the week it is. Don’t you just love January? Now I’m off to go crank up the barbecue and pop my merlot in the microwave to burn off all those harsh tannins. What? Everybody does it . . .

4 OF THE BEST

Matua Paretai Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $23★★★★1/2

Tangy tomato-stalk,lip-smacking lime and steely, mineral-driven flavours make Matua’s flagship sauvignon rather fantastic for any occasion; but it’s particularly fabulous with fresh-caught,beer-battered gurnard and crunchy salad. Ask for it at your local wine shop or visit http://www.matua.co.nz/ for stockists.

Marsden Estate Black Rocks Chardonnay 2007 $35 ★★★★★

With more medals on its front than Col.Gaddafi’s best jacket and so golden in the glass it could pass for liquid yellow diamonds. This is stunning stuff from theBay of Islands, scentedwith grapefruit,toasted almonds, preserved lemon andpeach; it also oozesripe nectarine and juicy tropical characters on the palate. The finish is long and luxurious and chardonnay lovers should get their skates on because only small amounts were made. Order now fromhttp://www.marsdenestate.co.nz/

Bellbird Spring Block8 Pinot Gris 2009 $30★★★★★

If you’d asked me a couple of years ago whether I’d part with thirty bucks for a bottle of pinot gris I’dhave questioned your sanity. But those werethe bad old days before the likes of Bellbird Spring and their addictively good gris. Subtle pear, jazz apple,lychee and soft spiceson the nose but in the mouth it bursts with opulent, oily tropical juiciness. Big, sweet, sensational bang for your buck—visit http://www.bellbirdspring.co.nz/

Vin Alto Fizzante NV $24★★★
Sometimes the oddest combinations work wonders and that’s why it didn’t surprise me that this fizz from Clevedon ended up as the perfect partner for our summer calamari, fennel and chickpea salad.

I have no idea what this wine’s madefrom, but it’s a limited edition, Italian-style sparkling wine that’slight and tangy with a citrus edge and a hint of spritz. http://www.vinalto.com/

Down on the Farm

2010-01-06T11:31:00.000-08:00

It’s not everyday you get to try a trophy-winning wine down at your local farmers market, but for visitors to the Hastings Farmers Market (held every Sunday morning) that’s all about to change. You see the Trophy for Best Dessert Wine at the 2009 Air New Zealand Awards went to Farmgate Wines (regular farmer’s market fixtures) for their Noble Harvest Riesling 2007,
FARMGATE winemaker and poetry fan, Peter Gough, has long had a penchant for making dessert wine.
“I love Keats description of Autumn” Peter says “as the “season of mist and mellow fruitfulness.”
It’s those autumn mists in our Riesling vineyard that encourage the botrytis infection
(or noble rot) which is the start of the process of producing a dessert wine.”

At a hip-swelling 280g/l of residual sugar Peter describe’s Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007 as being “…decadent with aromas of apricot, honey and marmalade – a rich unctuous palate
with stonefruit, orange and mandarin – balanced with a pineappley acid cut.” So if you’re planning a stay in the ‘Bay make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to taste before it’s all gone.

Everyone’s a Winner

Occasionally I receive press releases that don’t actually make me want to scoop my own eyeballs out with a spoon and this is one of them.
Early Learning Centre Country Kids, in the Moutere Valley and Tasman School near Nelson have both been presented with donations by Blackenbrook Vineyard after a successful first-time fund-raising initiative.
Parents and staff at Country Kids and Tasman School were able to buy heavily reduced bottles of Blackenbrook wine with proceeds going back into the daycare and school. Co-owner of Blackenbrook, Ursula Schwarzenbach says as her children have both been to Country Kids and her son now goes to Tasman, they were delighted to be able to give something back.
“It’s not easy for these places to raise funds, so as a local business we were happy to help out. We also like the fact that we get the chance to thank the people who buy local wine by donating back to help our community’s children,” she says. Country Kids Manager Nickie Hodgkinson says the wine idea was a winner.
“It was hugely popular with parents and staff alike. It was just such easy fundraising and we’re really thrilled that Blackenbrook came up with the idea and were prepared to donate these funds. The money raised will be spent on new bulldozers for the sandpit,” she says. Schwarzenbach says the concept was so successful they’ll definitely look at doing it again in the future.
I love the idea that buying wine might help put more bulldozers in sandpits, as well as encouraging more New Zealanders to buy wine locally, and I hope more wineries give this idea some thought. To find out more about how it was done, contact Blackenbrook at www.blackenbrook.co.nz

SIX OF THE BEST
Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato $13
This recently picked up the Trophy for Best Apéritif-Style Australian Sparkling Wine at the Sydney International Wine Competition and also scooped Top 100 status and a Blue-Gold medal – but shiny medals aside, this is one fabulous little fizz with summer written all over it. It’s compulsory to serve it super-cold to enjoy the delicious tropical pineapple and peach flavours and crisp, spritzy acidity. Light but so lovely. Widely available.
Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $35
Marlborough’s big guns just keep firing from the 2009 sauvignon blanc vintage, and Saint Clair have proved once again that their flagship, the Wairau Reserve is no short-range missile. Boasting pungent aromas of white-flesh nectarine, passionfruit, lemon-verbena and lawn clippings followed by a heart-stopping burst of classic gooseberry, pineapple and lime-laden lusciousness on the palate. Stunning stuff that can be found in good wine stores or via www.saintclair.co.nz
Montana ‘P’ Patutahi Gewurztraminer 2008 $36
This is one of my favourite gewürztraminers because it’s always so fresh, exotically spicy, floral and fabulous. In the 2008 version expect dense concentration of lychee, rose petal, guava and citrus flavours, bold complexity and beautiful length on the finish. Find it in good wine stores nationwide.
Full Circle Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $16
The latest offering from green-guru’s Yealands Estate is grassy and classy but definitely not glassy. Locked inside this lightweight plastic squeezy bottle is a lean, limey, fresh and frisky sauvignon which carries some classic capsicum and herbal characters to round out all that citrus. It might be certified carbon-zero but it’s definitely full-emission where flavour’s concerned. Find it at wine stores and supermarkets everywhere. To find out more visit www.yealands.co.nz
The Ned Waihopai River Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $18
Don’t be fooled by the soft, pillowy nose because this wine positively erupts with punchy pineapple, passionfruit and lime-driven flavours. Clean and minerally to finish, it’s a sure-fire hit with seafood of any description. Good wine stores and supermarkets will stock this or visit http://www.thened.co.nz/
Sacred Hill HALO Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2008 $26
Heavenly aromas of hotcross buns, Christmas pudding, pickled walnuts and pepper numb the nostrils while the tastebuds are coated with warm, plump and plummy flavours which leave a lovely, clinging finish. Dangerously easy to drink and perfect with old-fashioned leg of lamb studded with rosemary and garlic. Widely available www.sacredhill.com

2009-09-25T01:23:00.000-07:00

Reaching Noirvana

When the subject of pinot noir comes up in conversation I’d like to have a dollar for every time I’m told that “It’s a bugger of a thing to grow, and it’s bloody hard to make”, because by now I’d be a seriously wealthy woman. But clearly the love of the grape and the lure of achieving that elusive Pinot Noir-vana outweighs that frustration and keeps many a winemaker coming back for more, vintage after vintage. Most of the winemakers I speak to are happy to have just one, or possibly two pinots in their portfolio – that’s enough thank you very much. But there are some who adore making great pinot so much that one could comfortably describe them as obsessive compulsive. A moniker that doesn’t worry the people at Seresin in Marlborough one bit, in fact they’re so proud of their pinot-mania that they’re in the process of releasing not one, not two, but six individual pinot noirs. “Pinot Noir is the most beautiful grape and potentially the most beautiful wine in the world, I love it. It’s called the heart-break grape for good reason, it is a challenge to make and an even bigger challenge to grow but the quest to make the best possible Pinot Noir is something all of us at Seresin are driven by” says Michael Seresin, owner of Seresin Estate.

The six wines hail from 2007, which was the culmination of new winemaker Clive Dougall and vineyard manager Colin Ross’ first full growing season together. “The ‘Leah’, named for my daughter, is a blend of fruit from our three vineyards; ‘Rachel’, after my mother, is a Pinot made from the best portions available from our Estate each year. From each of our three vineyards we have also produced a single vineyard wine; the ‘Tatou’, ‘Home’ and ‘Raupo Creek’ Pinot Noir illustrate the characteristics of our different sites and soils” explains Seresin.

Put simply pinot noir is a bit like marmite because it polarises people; they either love it or hate it. The flavours are not often clear-cut; they’re mysterious and haunting, savoury, spicy, floral or chocolatey; black tea, black cherry or both? You may find it to be fruity, earthy and fungal all in the same glass. And good pinot isn’t cheap either, why? See paragraph one, sentence one. But I adore it; and as I tasted my way through one excellent wine after another, it became clear that the fruit from 2007 had given Seresin some rather spectacular juice to work with. But it was just one sip of the very last wine that prompted me to put down the glass and sit back in awe. “The unique conditions of the 2007 vintage also allowed us for the first time to make a wine we have called ‘Sun &Moon’” Michael explains, “Cropped at a minimal one bunch per shoot or less, we believe this wine to be our best expression of Pinot Noir. It will only be made when this beautiful heartbreak grape allows us”.
While I write this I want to assure you that I’m of sound mind and body. The nature of my work means I’m in the fortunate position of being able to taste many different wines on a daily basis, so by now I should be hardened, immune if you will, to emotional outbursts where wine tasting’s concerned. I’m also trying really hard not to sound like a complete Womble, but that wine moved me. It was more than the Sun & Moon, it was also the stars. Thank you Michael, thank you Clive, thank you Colin, getting my heart broken never tasted so good.

Sip of the Week

Seresin 2007 Home Pinot Noir $50.00 4 Stars
Upfront cherry and plum aromas with some lush, spicy mulberry flavours combined with ripe fruit, youthful, juicy acidity and lovely comforting warmth. Only 40 cases were made so it’s available only through the Seresin Cellar Door and http://www.seresin.co.nz/

Seresin 2007 Raupo Creek Pinot Noir $50.00 41/2 stars
Dark and inky-coloured like old blood and scented with bracken-berries and shitake mushroom. On the palate it is powerfully spicy with an undercurrent of charred oak, mace and mulberry. Moody in its youthful state, but has the breeding to blossom into a hauntingly beautiful adult I’m sure.

Seresin Tatau Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007 $50 4 stars
Ripe, fragrant raspberry, dark cherry and black tea aromas lead to distinctly spicy, earthy, brooding flavours on the palate. Smooth, lush and incredibly drinkable, but as there were less than 50 cases produced you’ll need to visit the Seresin Cellar Door and http://www.seresin.co.nz/

Seresin 2007 Rachel Pinot Noir $55.00 4½ stars
Lush, forest-floor aromas combined with dark berries and spicy, smoky, earthy notes on the palate. Supple and silky but has some solid grip on the finish. Delicious now, but will reward another 3-4 years in the cellar.

Seresin 2007 Sun & Moon Pinot Noir $120 5 stars
Dark, glossy and exotically scented. It has intensely succulent berry-fruit flavours, and nuances of black tea and pot pourri. Warm, silky and texturally solid; yet it’s also feminine and elegant on the finish. An absolutely stunning pinot that cries out for duck confit; and although it’s pricy, and there’s precious little available and it isn’t released until February 2010, don’t let that stop you from seeking it out, putting your name on the list or doing whatever it is you need to do to get one.

It's Business Time

2009-03-11T18:39:00.000-07:00

How I’m expected to write a column while Flight of the Conchords is on telly I don’t know. So if I suddenly break into “Business Time” please forgive me. I’ve been a bit distracted by weather this past week. Normally I keep track of how the weather is panning around the nations wine regions leading up to harvest, but being based up in Hawkes Bay as I am, the feeling of nail-nibbling dread and impending mouldy doom that’s clouded the region every day for the last fortnight has had me completely consumed.
Today the thought had crossed my mind that I might’ve jinxed Hawkes Bay’s chances of achieving the vintage of the century by writing an article saying that I thought they were going to achieve the vintage of the century if the baking, dry 30-plus degree days continue; and lo, the dampness did cometh.
I guess it’s a bit like when you’re a teenager and you know there’s a party on the weekend, and you even get permission from your parents to go. So you get yourself so excited and wound-up thinking about how great and AWESOME it’s going to be that when the night actually arrives, your mates forget to pick you up so you have to walk and by the time you get there everyone has left for another party, but a girl semi passed out in the kitchen slurs that your boyfriend took off with that slapper who works at Video Ezy before passing you a hipflask of rum which you drink because you’re so heartbroken. An hour later you end up ringing your dad to come pick you up and right in the middle of him saying how disappointed he is that you woke him up at 1am you promptly throw up in the front seat of his Cortina and he grounds you for a month. But the nights that you think “ok, I’ll just go to this shindig and see how it goes” end up being absolutely epic experiences, relived in wistful memories for years to come.
But today winemakers and grapegrowers are upbeat. “The wind we’re having is keeping the rot in check” says Rob Beard of Maimai Creek vineyards in Meeanee, Napier. “But things are looking good, it’s going to be an excellent harvest”. “(the 2009 vintage) is going to sort out the experienced from the not so” says Bob Newton of Newton Forrest Cornerstone Vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels. Hmmm. A hiccup in the weather has the old guard cool and the newcomers worried, but that’s just business. “It’s business” croon the Conchords. “It’s business time. And you know when I’m down to just my socks it`s time for business, that’s why they call it business socks”. Sorry , couldn’t help myself.

Sip This...
Sacred Hill Basket Press Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2008 $20
A new-release red that’s an old favourite with its spicy, savoury aromas and hearty, rib-sticking character. Sourced from fruit grown in Hawkes Bay’s Gimblett Gravels region, it needs to be paired with food to be enjoyed fully and it’s a winner with garlic pepper steak. http://www.sacredhill.com/

Nothing Cheesy About Wine

2008-07-17T18:48:00.000-07:00

Well the recession has officially hit the Lorkin household. SkyTV has gone (my husband is bitter about that one) and there are no more electric blankets or heaters on during the night, just extra blankets. This afternoon I rang the insurance company and changed my husband’s old car policy to third-party because the discount will come in handy. Where once I experienced saintly elation at collecting the biggest supermarket petrol discount voucher, I now just get depressed that the stupid discount lasts for only one week and it just brings the price back to what it was a fortnight ago anyway. One minute I’m thrilled to have sold my wedding dress for $200 on TradeMe only to be told that it’s going to cost $140 to dry-clean! Despite the fact that it’s in pristine condition and has no lace, beads, baubles or dangly bits of any description. How ridiculous. Women are being ripped off royally. So the trade fell through because no bride wants a dress that hasn’t been freshly dry-cleaned. There will be no more guitar, gymnastics, ballet, Brownies, or karate lessons or expensive haircuts or restaurant dinners out and although I haven’t resorted to watering down my wines yet, wine and cheese evenings are definitely a distant memory.
I came home one day recently to find that my husband had grated about half a kilo of Edam onto his nachos. After screaming phrases like “yellow gold” “think of the children!” and “calcium is measured in carats these days!” I calmed down and opened a bottle of Trinity Hill’s Tempranillo ($26) and we made a night of it. Being a Spanish variety it worked beautifully with the beef, refried beans and spices. Tempranillo is best know as the main grape used for making Rioja and it’s also used in Portugal under the moniker Tinta Roriz, where it is used to make port and also the Duero dry reds, with Touriga Nacional. Trinity Hill grows theirs in the stony, free-draining and warm soils of the Gimblett Gravels and they’re one of only a tiny few New Zealand wineries to produce it. It may’ve been my last bottle, but it was worth it.
One thing I do have in abundance however is grapefruit; two teeming trees worth. Friends and family see me coming with bags of grapefruit and they break the land-speed record to escape. Having two trees is a curse and I refuse to make any more marmalade – so I’m going to make wine. Sweet wine I think. If anyone has a half-decent grapefruit wine recipe then I’d love to hear it. So when the depression does actually kick in at least I’ll have my moonshine.
In fact I wonder if there’s a way I could cobble together something that the Holden would happily run on from my profuse supply of squinty citrus? Hmmm.

Sip of the Week

Margrain Rivers Edge Pinot Noir 2007 $39
If this wine were a pie it would scream steak and kidney with a rich, earthy undercurrent and a waft of red liquorice on the nose as you sip. More please Margrain! Visit www.margrainvineyard.co.nz for where to buy.
Wyndham Estate Bin 888 Cabernet Merlot 2005 $16
For those who like their reds chunky, chewy and cheap – here’s your ticket. Roast plum, cedar and slivers of graphite mix with heady spices to produce a very big wine for under twenty bucks. Drink with sticky neck-chop stew.
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007 $29
The 2005 version came out top Pinot in the Cuisine Magazine pinot tasting and the 2006 nabbed the champion pinot trophy at the Royal Easter Show, the 2007 had a lot to live up to. But there’s no mistaking the skyscraper-like structure of this wine, loaded with prunes, tea, earthy bracken and leafy hedgerow characters and a finish like a slightly scratchy, but reassuring cosy electric blanket wrapped around your tongue. Huge potential here.
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Reserve Particuliere NV 750ml $75 One glass is just such a tease, and yet a whole bottle is plain gluttony – good thing then that the people at Nicolas Feuillatte have little 200ml bottles just for such dilemmas. But whatever size you buy, you’ll be met with the delicate fragrances of sweet biscuit dough, soft lemon and popcorn, with crisp white peach, mealy shortbread and youthful, clinging acidity on the palate. If you’re a plate of oysters or freshly grilled crayfish – you’ve met your match. Distributed by Lion Nathan in NZ, you’ll find it at good fine wine stores and online retailers.