The Wine Barrel

Christmas – Published 23.12.11

2011-12-30T14:13:00.000+13:00

Christmas is here at last. For the little ones it probably seems to take forever to arrive but for me it seems like we have just got over Christmas 2010.

A lot has happened in New Zealand in 2011 with everything from natural disasters to the Rugby World Cup and almost everything in between. Fortunately for the vast majority of New Zealanders they fit into the ‘everything in between’ category. No one has been left untouched by the tragic reports emanating from the Christchurch earthquake and closer to home the recent floods will have a long term effect, not only on the region, but particularly on those left without homes and livelihoods at what is supposed to be a celebratory time of the year.
Among the highlights this year has been the outstanding quality of Nelson and New Zealand wine from the 2011 vintage. Local wines have received many accolades and, personally, I have found some new favourites and rediscovered some old ones. Among my new favourite producers is Sea Level Wines. With vineyards on the coast at Mariri and having the wines made at Whitehaven in Marlborough by co-owner and winemaker Sam Smail the first couple of vintages have been outstanding.
Spending a bit of time with Dave Glover reminded me that he produces some great wines under the Glover’s label and having sampled some pinot noir treasures resting in barrels I can’t wait until he bottles and releases them later in 2012.
One of the things I love doing at this time of the year is browsing through our cellar to select some treats to enjoy over the holiday season. We have some fantastic wines in the cellar but we also have what I call our trial corner, the place we put the last bottle or so out of a case and forget about them for several years. We don’t expect anything great from these wines because they are there to learn about how wines age and sometimes when we open them we just pour them down the drain but other times we are very pleasantly surprised.
Ten year old sauvignon blancs may not be fresh, lively and vibrant like they are in their youth but they can develop into really complex, interesting wines if they are well made in the first place and we have a lot of fun trying them with fellow wine lovers.
Of course there is nothing better than dipping into the cellar to find a bottle of premium wine that has been aged well to enjoy with friends. This year we will be at Herzog’s in Marlborough for Christmas lunch but by the time we get home in the late afternoon we will be ready to chill down a bottle of Neudorf 2006 Moutere Chardonnay to enjoy with the crayfish friends have promised us. Then it will probably be time to bring out the Stilton and open a bottle of vintage port - a little luxury at Christmas time.
However you are celebrating Christmas and New Year this year take a few minutes to think about those who have had a very tough year and if you are having a few wines please make sure you don’t drive, we don’t need any more sadness in our community.
I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas, a prosperous New Year and a safe holiday season.

I have been drinking

Parr & Simpson 2010 Barrique Fermented Limestone Bay Chardonnay – RRP$23
From a tiny vineyard high on the hillside above Port Tarakohe in Golden Bay comes this delight. Dry in style, elegant in structure and oozing soft stonefruit, lemon and delicate nut flavours bound together with firm mineral characters and a streak of fresh acidity this is a five star wine and outstanding value in my books.

GreenhoughVineyards 2010 Hope Vineyard Pinot Blanc – RRP$32.00
Made in an off-dry style off-dry but full bodied with a lush, rounded mouthfeel and white peach notes with a touch of soft spice this is a wine lovers wine. It is all about structure and complexity rather than just ripe fruit characters and will be perfect with that left over ham and turkey on Boxing Day. A super wine from one of Nelson’s best producers.

Champagne – Published 09.12.11

2011-12-30T14:04:00.000+13:00

I love champagne! I know sparkling wines made in New Zealand in the same style as those from the Champagne region, the home of bubbles in France, are very good and always rate highly in tastings but there is something just a little ethereal about the real thing I just can’t resist.
Last week I was in heaven at a champagne tasting. Imagine the chance to taste a range of champagnes from three premium producers including three that come with a price tag of over $200 a bottle with one hitting $450. Now this is way beyond my wine buying budget so it was a real treat to be able to try them and see if they are worth the money – and I can report the ultra-premium wines absolutely are worth the money if your budget can stretch to it for a special occasion.

Casa del Vino hosted the New Zealand representatives for the fine Champagne houses Louis Roederer, Taittinger & Bollinger and each had a small selection available for tasting paired with delightful finger food prepared by Hopgood’s Restaurant.

Ju Mannering from Negociants presented two wines from Bollinger along with another couple from Ayala. The Ayala Brut Majeur NV was refined and had just enough creamy sweetness to make it oh so drinkable. With a retail value of about $100 a bottle Bollinger NV Brut is the wine we have for special celebrations and I guess because Sari and I have been to the House of Bollinger we have a soft spot for it. While we enjoy this wine having the chance to try the premium Bollinger La Grande Année 2002 Vintage Prestige (RRP$199) was too good to turn down. With a quite firm brandy character this was a sensational match with Hopgood’s chicken liver parfait.

Juliane Cormier from Eurovintage was there to present Champagnes from Louis Roederer including a stunningly good value for money sparkling wine made by them but produced at Roederer's Californian vineyard - Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut NV (RRP $39.95). This is as good as sparkling wine gets when it isn’t made in Champagne. However for me the wine of the night was the Louis Roederer Cristal 2004 Vintage Prestige (RRP about $450). This wine is so refined and elegant that when you taste it, it simply explodes into a mouthful of champagne mousse in your mouth. I can understand why this is so expensive, it is a stunning wine.

Finally Doug Campbell from Vintners presented a range of wines from Tattinger and my favourite here was the Tatttinger Les Folies de la Marquetterie NV ($120 and 5 stars, No.1 Cuisine Magazine, Nov 2011). Beautifully rich with a touch of fruitiness and a very long dry, satisfying finish with flavours that linger in your mouth for a very long time. I think this will be the wine we see New Year in with this year because I would rather share one bottle of excellent wine than three bottles of good wine.

All of these wines are available at Casa del Vino along with some very fine New Zealand made sparkling wines. Ann has something for everyone to celebrate with this holiday season.

I have been drinking

te Pa 2011 Sauvignon Blanc - RRP$19.95 - $21.95
This first release from the MacDonald family owned vineyard has set a very high benchmark. It has just been awarded 5 stars and named the top wine for the Cuisine magazine 2001 Sauvignon tasting following on from a Blue Gold award at the Sydney Top 100 wine competition. Intense citrus aromas are reflected in the flavours where crisp lime and passionfruit characters dominate while the very long finish has a first burst of minerality. A stunning wine for the price.

Mahi Boundary Farm 2010 Sauvignon Blanc – RRP$29.00

Fermention in French oak barrels using wild yeasts then aged for a further 11 months in the oak makes this a complex, seductive little temptress with power and weight to impress. Soft nut tones compliment the lime and capsicum characters nicely. This style of sauvignon blanc can be aged quite happily for a few more years.

Christmas gifts – Published 25.11.11

2011-11-27T20:43:00.000+13:00

Christmas is only a month away, in fact one month today, so it is time to start buying gifts for the special people in your life if you haven’t already done so. Because this is a column about wine of course I am going to tell you to buy something wine related but it doesn’t have to be a bottle of wine, there are lots of choices for you. Two of my favourite gift-buying places arePage & Blackmore Booksellers on Trafalgar Street and Casa del Vino on Hardy Street. At page and Blackmore you will find a nice selection of wine books that will please any wine loving person. They stock two great books from the person I consider New Zealand’s leading wine writer, Michael Cooper. His annual Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wine ($39.99) is a bible for every buyer of wine, if you have a cellar or just enjoy good wine then this should sit beside your favourite chair. It without doubt is the most comprehensive book that reviews and rates multiple vintages of New Zealand wines.
For something a little lighter Cooper’s 100 Must-Try New Zealand Wines ($34.99) to use his words “.. is to give you a diverse and stimulating array of New Zealand wines to choose from, regardless of whether you are in the mood for a wine of sublime quality, or looking for something new and exciting, or just thirsting for a bargain.” Well laid out and packed with easy to understand information and recommendations this makes a great gift.
Just around the corner at Casa del Vino you are spoiled for choice; Ann has everything from premium glassware to special bottles of liquid nectar that will satisfy every taste and budget. If the special person you are buying for loves a particular variety of wine, chardonnay for example, then why not buy them a couple of glasses designed specifically for that wine.
Riedel make a range of premium glasses designed to enhance every variety of wine, and the right glass does make a difference. To help you choose Ann has a display of glasses and because they can be quite expensive (RRP$55+ a glass) you can buy them in packs of two and she has 10% off all Riedel glassware before Christmas.
If you don’t want to stretch to $55 in cost then check out the range from Spiegelau, another premium maker but their glassware start at about $20 a glass and goes up from there. One really good idea is a tube of four stemless glasses.
Of course Casa del Vino also sells wine and they have plenty of treats. How about a magnum (1.5ltr) of the 2008 Te Mata Coleraine for $185 in a presentation box? Or maybe a magnum of bubbles from Pol Roger for $220, the special person you are buying it for may even share it with you. If you have a whiskey lover in your house then a single malt from Bruichladdich in a presentation box with a purpose designed whiskey glass for less than $100 will be perfect.
Both of these stores have plenty more delights for you to buy the wine lover in your life or maybe you could just treat yourself this Christmas.

I have been drinking

Dibon Cava Brut Reserve - $18.95 at Casadel Vino
Recommended retail price for this Spanish delight is about $25 but Ann has it at this special price just about all the time. Bright, fresh, powdery minerality and with a twist of citrus this sparkling wine is simply delicious. Perfect for every occasion this summer.

Saint Clair Family Estate 2011 Gruner Veltliner – RRP $21.50
As winemakers are coming to grips with one of the newest varieties to be planted in New Zealand and the vines get a wee bit of age the finished wines are getting better and better. This example from Saint Clair smells like gewurztraminer, has pear and soft apple flavours similar to pinot gris, a texture in the mouth reminiscent of chardonnay and a lovely citrus finish, almost like riesling. This New Zealand produced Gruner Veltliner (grew-na velt-leena) is proof this new variety has exciting potential and is one to watch for.

Sea Level Wines – Published 11.11.11

2011-11-27T20:35:00.000+13:00

Occasionally I come across a new wine producer that gets my attention from the very first taste; something quite unusual because it normally takes a couple of vintages for a new producer to get to grips with making the best possible wine from fruit grown in a new vineyard. Sea Level Wines is one such producer. Owned by the father and son team of Mike and Sam Smail this is a new label on the Nelson winemaking scene. Their first wine, a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, hit the shelves in 2010 while the first white wines from the home vineyard at Mariri were produced and released this year.
When I met with Mike and Sam to taste their wines a couple of months ago I quickly understood why the wines are so good so soon, Sam is a senior winemaker for Whitehaven Wines in Marlborough and has a wealth of experience to call on. Mike Smail may be new to the wine industry but is certainly not new to business having been an importer and distributor of goods for many years. His enthusiasm for this new venture is obvious and as well as “bringing resources essential to a fledging wine company” as their website says “he is proving useful at a wide array of tasks including vineyard development, label design and sales.”
Sam has worked for Whitehaven Wines in Marlborough since 1999, having previously
worked vintages in Italy, USA and New Zealand and studied winemaking at the University of Adelaide. Not a bad pedigree for a new wine company winemaker.
The focus of Sea Level Wines is to “make wines with varietal intensity and expressive of the site”. As a small producer Sea Level has a total quality focus and the first wines from the home vineyard reflect the hard work and dedication to quality. Definitive varietal characters, purity and intensity of flavour and perfect balance between fruit ripeness and freshness demand your attention from the first taste.
As well as a Sauvignon Blanc from the Awatere Valley in eastern of Marlborough the Mariri vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer and Chenin Blanc. When I first tasted these wines they hadn’t been bottled very long and needed some time to recover from inevitable bottle shock (wines don’t like being beaten up in the bottling process and need to settle down a bit after bottling) but the individual flavours and structure components were all there.
At the first smell of the 2011 Sea Level Gewurztraminer (RRP $23.95) my senses lit up, this is a special wine; delightful perfumed powdery rose and Turkish delight aromas with a palate weight that is opulent and has multi-layered flavours of soft spice, lychees, green apple and Turkish delight. I rated this as a five star wine then and not long after I tasted it with Mike and Sam the wine won a Gold medal at The New Zealand International Wine Show.
Since I first tasted and rated these wines I have been following Sea Level’s show success with more than a little interest and they have continued to pick up awards including a Pure Gold medal for their 2011 Pinot Gris (RRP$18.95) at the Bragato Wine Awards.
These new boys on the block are creating something very special and I will be following them with a great deal of interest in the years to come. Check out www.sealevelwines.co.nz

I have been drinking

Yealands Estate 2011 Pinot Noir Rose – RRP $19.95
I can see why this wine was crowned as Champion Rose at this year’s Bragato Wine Awards. It is packed with red current and raspberry flavours and is made in a dry style. The mouthwatering acidity in the long finish mean it is perfect with food. This is a vibrant, exciting style that I just love. Try it with smoked fish.

Ti Point Matakana Coast Matriarch Syrah 2010 – RRP $44.95
This is an iron fist in a velvet glove - deep red in colour with rich, complex, savoury red and black berryfruit flavours that finish with a delightful pepper burst and a twist of acidity. Two Gold medals already point to this as another wine to follow from one of my favourite newer producers.

Sauvignon Blanc – Published 28.10.11

2011-11-27T20:28:00.000+13:00

The success of the New Zealand wine industry is based solely on one variety – sauvignon blanc. Sure there are plenty of other varieties grown in New Zealand and our winemakers have developed a huge reputation worldwide for the quality of most varieties they turn their hand to but without sauvignon blanc the world wouldn’t know about or rieslings, pinot noirs, chardonnays, syrahs, merlots, sparkling wines or the many other wine styles produced here. Make no mistake, sauvignon blanc is the backbone, the workhorse and shining star of New Zealand’s wine industry. It accounts for more than 50% of all vines planted and more than 50% of all wines made here, but not every sauvignon is the same; if you buy a sauvignon blanc made in Marlborough then chances are it will have very similar characters, but if you buy one from the Awatere Valley or the Wairau Valley you will find the base sauvignon characters of freshness and zesty acidity are the same as those from the Waihopai Valley but the flavour profiles are quite different.
Comparing sauvignon from these sub-regions is like comparing Nelson sauvignon blanc with Marlborough sauvignon blanc – the same variety but different flavours because the climate and soil structures they are produced in are different.
When we drink sauvignon blanc I think we expect one of two styles, either ripe tropical fruit based characters or juicy gooseberry characters but there are also many variables on these base flavours. Winemakers have been trying to make something that stands out from the crowd by employing a few winemaking techniques to change the texture of the wine and create subtle flavour differences. Fermenting or aging the wine in old oak barrels or letting the wine sit on yeast lees for a while adds a touch of richness to the texture of the wine while letting the grapes ripen a little longer on the vine will soften the acidity noticeably. The trick is making sure the wine still tastes like sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.
One of the latest party tricks winemakers have pulled from the hat is to make a sparkling sauvignon blanc. Again this can be made in a number of styles, medium styles made from riper fruit can have tropical fruit characters and other flavours just like standard sauvignon - but with bubbles. Harvest the fruit less ripe and with lower sugar levels as is done when making champagne and you will find the wine is dry with quite firm herbaceous characters.
In 2008 not only was the vintage challenging because of the weather but it was a huge, record setting harvest. In 2011 we have seen another huge sauvignon blanc crop but this time the quality of the finished wines has generally been outstanding. A number of great examples have crossed my doorstep this year so check out my blog regularly for more of my thoughts on 2011 sauvignon blancs.

I have been drinking

12,000 Miles 2010 Pinot Noir – RRP $26.00
Rich cooked black cherry flavours are balanced beautifully with charred oak and a touch of herbal spice. Made by Gladstone Vineyards in the Wairarapa region the wine is a delightful expression of regional characteristics with a little help from the winemaker to turn it into something quite delicious.

Maui Sauvignon Blanc – RRP $17.00 - $18.00
This strolled away with the trophy for best sauvignon blanc at the 2011 New Zealand International Wine Awards. Made from Marlborough fruit this has everything a great sauvignon needs – crisp, zesty yet juicy acidity that comes from perfectly ripe fruit and then layer after layer of flavour in the palate. From bright gooseberry to lush pineapple and passionfruit. A real treat. Check www.tikiwine.com to find out more.

Rosé – Published 14.10.11

2011-11-27T19:47:00.000+13:00

Just because it is pretty in pink it doesn’t mean rosé wines aren’t serious wines and in recent years we have seen some outstanding examples being produced, not only in this region but from all around New Zealand. It wasn’t so long ago that rosé wines were regarded by some as a ‘ladies sweet lunchtime fun wine’ and you wouldn’t see a bloke within 100 meters of a bottle but how times have changed. As consumers are being a little more adventurous and winemakers have refined the art of making rosés that are seriously good with food and not just a bit of frivolous fun, the style is growing in popularity. In fact I reckon this summer we are going to see a lot more rosé being consumed than ever before.
The deep red colour in red wine comes from the skins of the grape and rosé wines are made by lightly pressing these so there is minimal colour extraction and good rosé wines are made from fruit harvested for the purpose. Yes they are the same grapes that normal pinot noir or merlot wines are made from but they are harvested at a different time and treated quite differently in the winery.
Slightly earlier harvesting means a little more acidity in the wine adding some nice summer freshness while minimal pressing means a lot less tannin. Gentle lees stirring and secondary malo fermentation add a creamy texture and often a sweet whipped cream flavour. Reduce the percentage of malo fermentation and you have a wine that appears much drier in style.
Now here is the warning, there are a few winemakers who have some red wine grapes they don’t need and think they can just lightly squeeze the fruit and bottle it as a rosé. How wrong they are; like any fine wine rosé needs to be crafted and not treated as an afterthought. Fortunately for consumers there are some fine rosés to choose from. A few that have been sent to me for sampling and are well worth searching for are the delicious Neudorf Pinot Rosé 2011 ($22.90 at the cellar door) dry, rich in style with flavours of raspberry and a touch of whipped cream. A long dry finish makes this a perfect food wine. Try it with some pork terrine from Philippe the butcher in Montgomery Square.
Another beauty is the deep raspberry red Pinot Rosé from Waimea Estates (RRP $21) that is bursting with berry fruit flavours woven with a touch of minerality and a dash of creamy vanilla. Another rosé that is perfect with food and the winemaker recommends matching it with Christmas ham.
Finally from Gladstone Vineyard in the Wairarapa comes a Cabernet Franc Rosé (RRP $25). We know about the quality of pinot noir produced in this region so it is no surprise Gladstone have delivered a luscious salmon pink rosé that is simply charming. Elegant sweet fruit with a touch of creaminess and a long mouth watering finish. Just enjoy it by itself late on a Saturday afternoon, maybe with some pate and cheese.
There are plenty of very good rosé wines being produced and you will find a great selection on the shelves of your favourite wine shop so guys, be brave and buy pink!

I have been drinking

Gladstone Vineyard Reserve Sophie’s Choice 2010 – RRP$36
This limited release barrel fermented and barrel aged sauvignon blanc from this boutique Wairarapa vineyard deserves both its reserve status and price tag. A seductive textural weight in the mouth with soft toasted nut and passionfruit flavours, a touch of oak spice and just enough ripe acidity to make your mouth water for more this is a wine that will make you smile.

Saint Clair Family Estate Sawcut Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay – RRP$30.50
While this barrel aged wine has had the full oak and malo treatment it is elegant and refined. Spiced stonefruit aromas of peach and nutmeg are reflected in the flavours along with firm acidity and a dash of chalky minerality. This creamy textured wine is perfect with roasted pork or chicken.

Anchorage Wines – published 30.09.11

2011-11-27T19:37:00.000+13:00

When the Drummond family decided to convert their apple orchards to vineyards in the early 2000’s the wine industry was booming, the economy was growing like crazy and people had plenty of spare cash to enjoy the finer things in life. Creating Anchorage Wines was a sound business decision at the time and while we all knew the bubble had to burst at some stage no one expected all the negative forces to line up with such devastating impact on a single industry. Fortunately the Drummond’s had decided to target the middle ground with their product and while times have been tough, with their vineyards reaching full production just in time to coincide with a bumper 2008 vintage and a downturn, no let’s say plummet, in the world economy they have weathered the storm by delivering good quality wine at a great price.
While the downturn meant selling wine at about the cost of production with very little or no margin for a couple of years Anchorage has always delivered on quality.
Winemaker Justin Papesch has the luxury of selecting fruit from different vineyards from which to craft his product each year. Vineyards at Lower Moutere, Riwaka and beside the Motueka River have quite different climate conditions and soil structures so Anchorage is able to deliver wines with distinct vineyard characters that make the most of each variety.
The Motueka site is located at the mouth of the Motueka River so the soils are quite light, stony and free draining and the Riwaka sites have a similar soil structure while the Lower Moutere site has a top layer of stone filled clay with gravel below that. In 2011 it was decided that the sauvignon blanc fruit from the Motueka River site was delivering the flavours and structure that best represents the Anchorage Wines style for this variety so that is the fruit that went into the Anchorage sauvignon blanc.
Anchorage wines don’t pretend to be $50 wines but they often deliver flavour and quality well above their price range of between $17 and $22. Take the Anchorage 2010 Pinot Noir Rose (RRP $18) as an example; bursting with lush creamy raspberry aromas with rich fruit, a touch of vanilla and minerality in the flavours this is a dangerously easy wine to drink. And you will often find it on special for about $15.
I was particularly impressed with the Anchorage 2010 Reserve Chardonnay (RRP$20). Justin has a soft spot for chardonnays made with the use of seasoned oak as well as new oak barrels. This wine is made in a big, full style but is beautifully balanced with rich peaches and cream flavours and some nice lime freshness in the finish.
Next time you see Anchorage Wines at your favourite wine retailer don’t be shy about picking up a bottle and putting it in your shopping bag, you won’t be buying a premium wine but you will be buying a wine that delivers great flavour and very good value.

I have been drinking

Villa Sandi Prosecco il Fresco DOC (Italy) - $24 at Casa del Vino
Many Proseccos can be quite sweet but while this version has lovely ripe fruit flavours and a modest 11% alcohol it is delightfully dry. The fresh acidity in the finish balances the residual sugar nicely. Fantastic drinking late on a sunny afternoon.

Blackenbrook 2009 Riesling – RRP $23
Selected as one of the wines to represent Nelson in the 1^st XV Competition this went on to win the Best Riesling award. Exceptional balance is the key to this finely crafted wine. With intensely floral aromas and a backbone of fine minerality we see in many Blackenbrook wines this wine not only represents everything great about the 2009 vintage but also the dedication to quality at Blackenbrook. Be like me, by some for the cellar, you won’t regret it.

Recent Awards - Published 16.09.11

2011-11-27T19:20:00.001+13:00

Wine shows are important for the wine industry for a couple of reasons. Firstly because winning a medal and, in particular, a gold medal or trophy means producers get to put a nice shiny sticker on the bottles they are trying to entice you and me to buy. A medal of any colour is a general indication that the wine is of good quality, it may not necessarily be to your taste but it should be a good example of the variety. The second key reason for those in the industry is it lets producers benchmark their product against other wines; as all judging is blind (the judges don’t know whose wine they are tasting) and because judges at wine shows are generally all very experienced, have palates that are able to detect small nuances in wines and are able to express why they prefer one wine over another it is fair to say wine producers find out very quickly whether or not their wines are up to generally accepted industry standards.However we also need to remember that not every winery enters wine competitions, either because they have already established a great name for themselves in the market place and or because of the expense. By the time a winery pays to enter the competition which can be expensive, sends several bottles of each wine entered and then have the cost of attending an awards dinner if they are in the running for a trophy of some sort it is not a cheap exercise.

On top of that some competitions insist you have a certain amount of wine available for sale after the awards and many small wineries simply don’t make the volume of wine required so are excluded from entering by default.

Having said all of that Nelson wineries have performed exceptionally well in the recent round of wine shows, especially for aromatic style wines. Gold medals for sauvignon blanc, riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot noir and syrah are very good results but two trophies for Riesling is simply exciting. Kaimira Estates Iti Selection Brightwater Riesling 2011 (low alcohol) was the Champion Riesling at the New Zealand International Wine Show while Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Riesling 2011was the Champion Riesling at the Bragato Wine Awards. And let’s not forget Seifried Estate winning three gold medals in the same show for three different rieslings, a fantastic achievement.

For one of New Zealand’s smallest wine producing regions the wineries here certainly punch well above their weight. About 3% of New Zealand’s wine is made here but the region won 4.5% of gold medals awarded (200) at the NZ International Wine Show that attracted entries from around the world and 16% (51 awarded) at the Bragato Wine Awards.

On a local note the fiercely competed for Colin Harrison Memorial Trophy for this region’s best Chardonnay was awarded to Rimu Grove’s 2010 Chardonnay, one to look forward to when it is released later in the year.

Over the next few columns I will have a look at the award winning wines, let’s start with

Waimea Estates 2011 Sauvignon Blanc - $19.00

Bursting with pungent floral aromas of white peach and passionfruit with a palate that is full, rich and fruity with lashings of crisp lime flavours to balance the fullness of the passionfruit characters. With a long juicy finish this wine certainly deserves its gold medal status.

Kahurangi Estate Mt Arthur Reserve Chardonnay 2010 - $22.00

There is nothing shy and delicate about this old fashioned beast. Flavours are packed with big oak characters with lovely creamy butterscotch flavours, a dusting of oak toast and some lovely herbal characters all beautifully balanced and wrapped up in a lusciously rich texture.

RWC Part two – Published 02.09.11

2011-11-03T16:57:00.000+13:00

The upcoming Rugby World Cup has been embraced by New Zealand’s wine industry, not necessarily for the rugby but for the promotional opportunities. The chance to show off their wares to an international audience on their home turf doesn’t come along very often and the wine industry is giving visitors and visiting media plenty of opportunities to experience the best the country has to offer.
The industry is also working with other sectors so they can provide a total experience, not just sipping samples. We know about the First XV competition in Nelson and the events around that, and you have probably heard about the Big Balls competition at Te Mania Wines and Richmond Plains. If not get out to McShane Road and check out the vine sculptures, vote for your favourite and get your hands on a bottle of the ripe, juicy and very drinkable Big Balls Syrah.
Our neighbours in Marlborough have a fantastic event lined up for the 30th September - Indulge Marlborough. It is a celebration of the new release Sauvignon Blanc's from eight well respected Marlborough wineries including Astrolabe, Dog Point, Forrest, Hunter’s, Tohu, Villa Maria, Wairau River and Whitehaven. Like others in the wine industry they are joining forces with the arts community but in this case it is the iconic New Zealand fashion labels Kate Sylvester (who, this year is forgoing NZ Fashion Week to exclusively show at Indulge), Kathryn Wilson and Stolen Girlfriends Club. The designers will be in Blenheim at the event to make sure their 2012 Winter Collection will be shown at its very best at the only public viewing in NZ.
So what happens after a fashion show and the launch of eight of New Zealand’s most respected sauvignon blanc wines? A party of course! There will be music and dancing into the wee hours of the night.
A fashion show, sauvignon blanc and a party all for $95 a person (plus drinks at the party). Check out www.indulgemarlborough.co.nz for more details or get tickets from Ticketdirect.
Women’s fashion may not be my thing but wine certainly is and I have been lucky enough to sample the new release sauvignon blancs from these wineries including a low alcohol version from Forrest Estate that is bursting with freshly crushed grape flavours. The overall impression I have after tasting these new wines is that it must have been a great vintage in Marlborough, they are all bursting with ripe flavours, have easy acidity (nothing too harsh) and will make exceptional summer drinking. Check out my blog at www.thewinebarrel.co.nz for my tasting notes on each one.
And finally back to Nelson; don’t forget to get your tickets to the First XV dinner, the tutored tasting or the annual new release launch at the Boat House where you will be able to taste some fantastic gold medal winning aromatic style wines as well as one or two wines that have won trophies recently.
Then of course there is the Nelson Arts Festival that will also feature wines from a couple of our premium producers at the Festival café. So many things to choose from I don’t think I will have time to go to the rugby!

I have been drinking

Blackenbrook Vineyard 2011 Muscat - $23
I loved the 2010 version of this wine and I think this year’s is even better. It doesn’t seem quite as sweet as last year’s but has a lot more complexity. Ripe apples, musky roses, elegant spices and dangerously easy to drink. Another summer delight from a premium producer of aromatic style wines.

Kahurangi Estate 2010 Syrah - $22

Big, ripe and lush blackberry flavours with lashings of spicy pepper, balanced beautifully with refined oak tannin. This is classic cool climate syrah, not too sweet like many from hot climates and it picked up a Gold medal at the Spiegelau International Wine Show, Nelson Syrah at its very best.

First XV – Published 19.08.11

2011-09-01T20:44:00.000+12:00

In case you missed it the Rugby World Cup is coming to Nelson! To make the most of this outstanding business opportunity RWC Ltd has encouraged regions to organise a series of events that leverage off the media coverage RWC will generate.

Some of us aren’t quite so enthusiastic about the RWC and the effectiveness of the opportunities promised but what we will have are some outstanding events we can all enjoy at a local level. One of these is the First XV wine competition being organised by Nelson Wineart, the local winegrowers association.

Again in case you missed it, Nelson will be hosting three RWC games in the city and the Italian team will be using Nelson as its base for a few weeks, the Americans will be here with a huge media contingent for a week or so and the Russians will spend a couple of days here along with the Australian team.

The First XV competition focuses on aromatic style wines from three countries, New Zealand (only Nelson), America and Italy. The Australians were a late addition after the Christchurch earthquake so it was a bit late to include them in the competition and the Russians miss out because it is about wine not vodka.

Each country has run a competition to select their top 15 aromatic style wines and these will be judged against one another in Nelson by a team of international wine judges. The results will be announced at a gala dinner at the stunning underground cellars at Woollaston Estates winery while all of the wines will be available at a tutored public tasting to be held at WOW where you will also get to listen to and meet the international judges. This is a fantastic opportunity to not only taste a range of top flight wines but to learn about how varieties are produced in different ways in each country.

The final event will be the annual new release tasting at The Boathouse where local wineries show off all of their latest release wines.

The showcase event will be the gala dinner at Woollaston Estates hosted by John Hawkesby and catered by the team from Petite Fleur. Each course reflects food from a different country and will be matched with stunning international and local wines. Treats like the finest Nelson seafood out of the shell, then the Italian influenced clear Osso Buco soup with Italian herbs followed by wild venison leg steak or pan-fried local fish and if you are up for it a dessert trio of mini apple pie, mini doughnut and the famous chocolate brownie – from America of course.

This promises to be an outstanding event and bus transport to Woollaston’s will be running so you can indulge to the extreme (well almost) without worrying about drinking and driving. To find out more about these events and to secure your tickets go to www.wineart.co.nz and follow the links to the First XV competition.

I have been drinking

Seifried Estates 2011 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc – RRP $21
This widely available delight is packed with luscious ripe tropical fruit (passionfruit) and crisp apple flavours with zesty acidity and lingering nettle spice. The flavour intensity and purity on the palate reflects a great vintage and sensitive winemaking.

Buller Wines Beverford Vineyard 2011 Muscato – RRP $18

With only 5% alcohol this is a light fresh wine that screams ‘bring on summer!’ Apple and powdery mineral characters in the aromas a touch of spritz and bright freshly squeezed grape flavours ensure this is a tasty treat. And the low alcohol makes it a perfect lunch time or late afternoon wine.

Clos Henri – Published 05.08.11

2011-09-01T20:39:00.000+12:00

A couple of weeks ago Sari and I were guests at the 10th Birthday celebration for Marlborough winery Clos Henri. The Bourgeois family are well know Sancerre winemakers and despite ten generations of winemaking history in the Loire Valley producing sauvignon blanc and pinot noir they were eager to create something new in a country without the restrictions they have to work with in France.

Because Marlborough is world renowned for its production of sauvignon blanc it was an obvious location for the family to choose but rather than simply coming here and growing grapes the same way they do in Sancerre the Bourgeois’ spent time studying the local climate, soil types and viticultural practices, learning as much as they could about their new location before they applied their French winemaking history to the Marlborough business.

The result is a range of wines that could be described as the perfect marriage of New Zealand conditions and French experience. One of the key differences in production is that in France sauvignon blanc isn’t designed for consumption in the year it is made, rather the wines are designed to age and offer complexities we don’t generally see in young, brash Marlbourough sauvignon blanc.

Jean-Marie and Arnaud Bourgeois travelled from Sancerre to host the birthday celebrations at Clos Henri and treated their suppliers, distributors, Marlborough friends and the French Ambassador to a delicious French style luncheon, they also let us taste a range of wines from both Marlborough and the home estate in Sancerre, including the exceptional 1990 Domaine Henri Bourgeois Etienne Henri, a 21 year old sauvignon blanc.

This wine from an exceptional vintage proves that sauvignon blanc is more than a one trick pony and Clos Henri in Marlborough have set about proving that such exceptional wines can be produced in this country. As well as being aged on yeast lees for eight months the 2009 Clos Henri Marlborough sauvignon blanc also had a small amount (8%) of barrel fermented wine included in the final blend and this has resulted in a wine that has developed a lovely rounded, rich mouthfeel while still retaining the freshness of classic Marlborough sauvignon blanc.

Another wine from Sancerre that we were treated to highlighted the minerality and elegance of wines produced there. The 2008 Domaine Henri Bourgeois Jadis is made from vines that are a minimum of 50 year old. It was 50% fermented in barrels and 50% in tanks as well as spending some time resting on lees and treating sauvignon blanc in this way has resulted in a wine that has a seductive, fleshy mouthfeel with ripe floral aromas. Typical powdery minerality in the very long finish is the perfect foil to the soft acidity.

Being invited to join this French family at its 10^th birthday celebration was a delightful experience and showed how the blending of two winemaking regions and cultures can lead to something very special. Check their website for more information about where to buy their wines and next time you are in Marlborough take the time to visit the old church converted into a wine tasting facility five minutes south of Renwick

I have been drinking.

Seifried Estate 2011 Gruner Veltliner (grew-na velt-leena) - RRP$21
This is the second vintage of this European variety from Seifried’s. Delicate aromas with a complex array of flavours from zesty lemon, ripe apple and powdery minerality this dry wine is a lovely alternative to aromatic style wines like pinot gris.

Julicher 2009 Chardonnay – RRP$19-$22

From a boutique Martinborough producer recognised for its outstanding pinot noir this is a rich, mouth-filling wine. Even though this was fermented in a mix of new and old French oak and matured on yeast lees it still retains citrus freshness and river stone like minerality. A fantastic wine and worth hunting down. www.julicher.co.nz

Buller Wines – published 22.07.11

2011-09-01T20:31:00.000+12:00

It makes sense for any business to maximise the use of all of its resources and this basic business principle applies to wine producers too. Wineries have a huge investment in specialist production equipment, equipment that is only used for a few weeks each year but without it a winery would not be able to operate.
Take the press used to extract juice from grapes as an example. A good quality press can cost tens of thousands of dollars or at the top end large capacity premium quality equipment can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars, all for a few weeks work a year. That is only one item of equipment so you can imagine the cost of establishing a full winery operation.

One asset that wineries have and is often over looked as something that can be used for more than its own purposes is a sales team. Owners of small wineries tend to take on this role themselves while others use national distribution chains to get their product to market.

Medium to large producers however often have their own staff who visit restaurants and wine outlets promoting and selling their wares and it is these producers who are starting to look for other products they can sell at the same time. They add wines to their portfolios they don’t produce themselves and fill a gap in the wines they have to offer.

Tohu Wines, based in Nelson, have recently added a range of good quality Australian wines to the portfolio their sales team has to offer. Tohu is a brand owned by Wakatu Incorporation which is in turn owned by four Iwi making it essentially a family owned business, even if it is a very large family, and they have many similarities to the large family owned Buller Wines that was established in 1921 in Rutherglen (Victoria) and is one of the five oldest winemaking businesses in the region.

The key difference however is in the style of wines each produces and this is where working together really pays off; in Australia Buller Wines distribute Tohu wines and on this side of the Tasman Tohu gets to sell a range of wines that are quite different to their own. Buller wines available here include a low alcohol Muscato ($17) that has a refreshing spritz on the palate and is packed with apple and powdery river stone flavours, a range of fleshy cabernet and shiraz based reds and a stunning fine old muscat ($30) that has been fortified with premium brandy – a wine to warm you through and put a smile on your face. And Robert Parker gave this wine 96 points out of 100 and it has won multiple gold medals and a trophy or two.

Buller wines will start appearing on shelves near you very soon, keep an eye out for them as they deliver great value for money.

I have been drinking

Waimea Estates ‘Trev’s Red’ - $23 (cellar door)

Made from Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Syrah the harvested fruit was fermented together. The intention was to make a light, bright easy drinking red but it turned out to be a medium weight, supple wine with savoury chocolate-dipped plum flavours and a nice long toasty oak finish. The perfect winter everyday red.

Clearview 2009 Old Olive Block - $39.99 (RRP)

Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec this wine won both a Gold medal and the Trophy for best Cabernet dominant blend at The 2011 Spiegelau International Wine Competition. Packed with big berry fruit and cassis flavours and layers of spice and oak that evolve in your mouth, all bound together with silky tannins, this complex wine is worth every cent of its price tag.

Waimea Estates

2011-08-31T16:48:00.000+12:00

In recent weeks we have had lots of news about award winning wines from this region but I think one in particular is quite special, not just because of the award but also because of the team behind the production of the wine.
When the general manager and winemaker left Waimea Estates a couple of years ago co-owner and the bloke in charge, Trevor Bolitho, offered the head winemakers job to the young assistant winemaker. There is nothing unusual in the fact she is a woman, there are plenty of female winemakers in New Zealand, but it is not very often we see an all female winemaking team. Winemaker Trudy Shields has stepped up to the challenge in a most successful way.

When I spent a couple of hours chatting with her and tasting some new releases it became obvious why Trevor has such faith in this woman, she credits everyone else for the success of the wines she produces but I detected a quiet, understated self-confidence in her ability.

Trudy told me that the wines produced before she took over had a great track record and that you don’t need to change a winning formula, she then went about telling me about some of the small changes she had made in producing the sauvignon blanc that has won the Regional Trophy at The Decanter World Wine Awards. They may have been very subtle changes and Trudy says the fruit was very good (again crediting someone else) but these small changes were quite insightful and the effect they had on the finished product was significant.

So what is so special about this award? Firstly these are international awards, judged on a regional basis with the regional winners going head-to-head to find the international winner so they are a big deal on the international wine competition scene. Secondly Marlborough is recognised as the home to the variety that has put New Zealand wine on the international stage and a winery from little old Nelson has beaten the big boys at their own game. Finally Waimea Estates 2010 Sauvignon Blanc is the first delivered by the new wine producing partnership of viticulturist Ben Bolitho and winemaker Trudy Shields. I think the skill of Ben in the vineyards and attention to detail of Trudy in the winery is a winemaking partnership worth keeping an eye on.

And anyone who can get Trevor Bolitho into a pink polo shirt obviously has his respect!

I have been drinking

Vidal Reserve Series Gimblett Gravels 2009 Syrah – RRP $29.99
The first release in a new tier of wines from Vidals is already flexing its muscles. Deep plum red in colour with aromas of black pepper, floral blackberry and soft spice backed up with intense fruit flavours, a lovely medium tannin structure and a nice twist of toasted coffee in the finish this is drinking well now and will cellar for five to six years.

Neudorf Vineyards
2010 Nelson Chardonnay – Cellar Door $29.20
The 2010 vintage in Nelson was outstanding and this wine proves the point nicely. Rich, luscious stonefruit with a touch of creaminess, a kiss of toasty oak and lashings of minerality add up to another great wine from the masters of chardonnay.

Casa del Vino

2011-06-28T16:43:00.000+12:00

I don’t know about you but I am fed up with wet weekends. Working inside all week I really look forward to getting outside at the weekend, whether it is the Saturday market, lunch at a café or stopping in at one of my favourite stores Casa del Vino. Fortunately it doesn’t have to be fine to visit this little treasure of a wine shop on Hardy St. and Saturdays are the perfect day because every week Ann has some bottles open for free in-store tasting. Some of these tasting give you the chance to talk to the owner or winemaker while other weeks the focus is on either a grape variety or maybe a different country.
When I stopped in last Saturday there were two South American reds open and both were varieties we don’t grow much of in New Zealand, Santa Ana Eco Malbec 2010 from Argentina ($22.50) and Chateau Los Boldos Carmenere 2008 from Chile ($24.95).
Malbec is Argentina's flagship variety and Santa Ana Winery is a quality producer based in the Maipu area of Mendoza (the main wine region in Argentina located in the foothills of the Andes). Santa Ana Eco is made from 100% organically grown, hand harvested Malbec. It is lush and ripe, packed with soft sweet blackberry and plum flavours. Very soft tannins mean this is great drinking right now.
Carmenere is Chile's signature grape - the red variety that disappeared from Bordeaux vineyards in the mid-19th century and reappeared among Chile's Merlot vines a hundred years later. Chateau Los Boldos is located in the Cachapoal Valley, in the Rapel region south of Santiago. The Momentos was made from 100% Carmenere, hand-harvested and aged 6 months in French (50%) and American (50%) oak barrels.
The Carmenere is a different beast to the silky malbec. Big, rich and supple this has classic flavours of blackberries and chocolate with plenty blackcurrant freshness to add some excitement. The tannins are a little more drying but pair it with a nice steak and an open fire and you have the perfect wet Saturday night in.
As well as these Saturday tastings (where the wines being tasted are always on special for the day) Ann also has monthly tutored tastings. These can cover anything from exciting new producers to the classic wines of Bordeaux and Champagne. To find out about these check out their website and register to get the weekly emails. www.casadelvino.co.nz

I have been drinking

Clearview Estate 2009 Enigma - $49.99 RRP
From a great Hawke’s Bay vintage this blended red is an absolute classic. Made from Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon the flavours are bursting with ripe, luscious fruit characters. The more you taste the more the wine offers as it opens up in the glass, from dark plum to sweet blackcurrent and savoury mushroom characters. While it is good drinking right now put a few bottles in your cellar for five years and you will have a great wine.

Seifried Estate 2011 Gewurztraminer - $25 RRP
My first taste of a 2011 vintage was anything but a disappointment. Made in a medium floral style rather than the deep and rich style we normally associate with Seifrieds lets the purity of fruit flavour shine. Fruit harvested in pristine condition means there isn’t a hint of honey, rather softly spiced sweet honeysuckle, powdery Turkish delight and supple lychee sweetness with a hint of cinnamon in the finish make it a wine to enjoy with flavoursome Asian foods or may as an aperitif with pate and cheese. Me, I prefer to just drink it on its own so I can savour the subtle complexities it delivers.

Melbourne & Mornington

2011-06-28T16:26:00.002+12:00

Our interest was tweaked a few weeks ago by an ad we saw in the newspaper for the King Tutankhamun exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. A quick phone call to travel agent Tim and before we knew it we were on a plane to the land of Oz for a long weekend. And the fact there are a couple of fantastic wine regions within an hour or so of Melbourne had absolutely nothing to do with deciding to go! We stayed in the centre of the city so we would be close to many of those delightful restaurants we hear so much about and of course they also have shops there that needed visiting.
We only had a few days so we dedicated one day to wine, we rented a car for the day and headed to the Mornington Peninsula where there are about 200 wineries and 50 cellar door outlets you can visit. Because we had a day that meant we also had a problem – so many wines to taste and so little time! The delightful people at the Mornington township I-Site visitor centre helped us plan a day that took in some great wines and ensured we were well fed.
By the time we travelled from Melbourne (about 75 minutes) we had time for lunch and to visit three or four wineries. We decided to have lunch at Port Phillip Estate where they not only have a fantastic restaurant but some excellent wines too.
With a climate not dissimilar to Nelson the wines produced in the region include chardonnay, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, arneis and pinot noir so it was an interesting exercise to compare their wines with ours.
At Port Phillip Estate we really enjoyed their Chardonnays, in particular the Kooyong Estate 2008 (A$38) and the single vineyard 2008 Faultline Chardonnay (A$60). From the selection of pinot noirs available my favourite and the most expensive (of course) at A$65 was their Single Vineyard Haven 2008 Pinot Noir. While this is still a young wine it is packed with rich, meaty, savoury berry fruit flavours with a hit of liquorice in the finish. The restaurant at Port Phillip Estate is a fine dining experience with food that would not be out of place in a top restaurant in any city and service that was faultless.

Stunning food in a stunning environment at Port Phillip Estate Restaurant

A grey winter's day at Port Phillip Estate

Stunning architectural design at Port Phillip Estate tasting room and restuarant

On a much smaller scale Main Ridge Estate was established in 1975 by Rosalie and Nat White and every drop of juice that finds its way into a bottle there comes from their own small vineyard. Producing predominantly chardonnay and pinot noir with some pinot meunier and merlot completing the range and a dedication to quality the wines are very good. When we were there the merlot had sold out and other wines were available in limited quantities (on bottle per person) such is the popularity of these wines. Top of my list was the 2009 Half Acre Pinot Noir (A$65), a wine packed with flavour concentration and character. This is boutique wine making of a very high standard.
A long weekend break in Melbourne can be quite cheap if you keep your eyes open for good deals on flights. We will be back and we will be spending more than a day in the Mornington Peninsula wine region next time.
Check out www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org

I have been drinking

Kina Beach 2010 Sauvignon Blanc (about $16)
With vibrant tropical fruit aromas and a smooth textured mouthfeel this is a luscious and spicy wine packed with passionfruit and stonefruit flavours and juicy fresh acidity in the finish this is almost too easy to drink.

Blackenbrook Vineyard Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 ($39)
Another five star wine from a five star producer. This is still a very young wine with appealing concentrated spiced red/black cherry flavours, a touch of gaminess and silky tannins this is another beauty from the talented Daniel Schwarzenbach.

Recent Releases

2011-06-28T15:34:00.000+12:00

When to release wines to the marketplace can be a vexed decision for winemakers but is primarily driven by two things – when is it ready and how much of the previous vintage do we have left? Some varieties need to be aged a little before you and I get to taste them, chardonnay and most red wines in particular. Many of these wines produced in 2010 are being released now while some premium wines from earlier vintages are just starting to hit the shelves.
At the other end of the scale the first wines from the 2011 vintage have been released. It is a few weeks since the last fruit was harvested and only around two months since vintage started. The most surprising thing for me is the first release I have heard about this year isn’t sauvignon blanc but gewurztraminer.
Seifried Estate had sold out of the previous vintage and the market wanted some so they have created an early release blend to satisfy market demand. The rest of the 2011 gewurztraminer won’t be blended and bottled for a few weeks yet and it will be a really interesting exercise to try both blends in a few months time to see how the bright, fresh floral and tempting Turkish delight characters have behaved.
Until I get my hands on a bottle of each of these blends I have had to satisfy my curiosity by tasting quite a few new releases from last year, and there have been plenty of them. Some of the highlights have been:

Blackenbrook Wines 2010 Pinot Gris (RRP$26)
This is a five star wine that dances on your tongue but packs a punch. Bright, fresh, pure flavours are bound up in a lush texture and touched with a dash of spice and fresh acidity in the finish. The elegance of this wine hides the 15% alcohol punch. This is one of the best pinot gris’ I have tried in a long time.

Blackenbrook Wines 2009 Nelson Reserve Chardonnay (RRP$32)
Twelve months gentle aging in 500ltr oak barrels (normal size is 225ltr) this wine has a opulent texture and oozes classic butter, toasted nut and tropical fruit characters. A few bottles of this will find their way into our cellar to age for another few years, if we can keep our hands off it!

Sacred Hill 2010 Wine Thief Chardonnay (RRP$29.99)
There is absolutely no doubt this is a serious chardonnay, big, rich and very drinkable if you love chardonnay. Dry in style this has been through a secondary malo fermentation adding a lush texture to the big and ripe peach flavours. A touch of marmalade juiciness balances the richness. A well balanced chardonnay from a very good vintage.

Neudorf Vineyards 2010 Maggies Block Pinot Gris ($24.90 at the cellar door)
As you would expect from one of New Zealand’s best wine producers this is another wine that is simply delightful. Purity of flavour and texture are hallmarks of all Neudorf wines and this is no exception. I like the fact this is off-dry in style without too much residual sugar. This lets the flavours shine rather than being dominated by sweetness. Softly spiced poached pear flavours hang from a full, rounded mouthfeel.

Rimu Grove 2010 Pinot Gris (RRP$29)
This is the wine that ensured the Rimu Grove name is near the top of quality producers in New Zealand. The stunningly good fruit that was harvested last year meant the winemaker could make the wine a little drier than the previous couple of years and still retain incredible flavour depth with an elegant structure. Simply bursting with lush fruit flavours and with a firm mineral backbone this is a cracker.

Phil Gully tasting wine in Blackenbrook Vineyards winery

Rimu Grove

2011-06-28T15:10:00.001+12:00

The 2011 wine vintage is one that winemakers and viticulturists will remember for a long time. Not only did rain make it a challenging end to harvest with some fruit left unpicked as the inclement weather had an impact but there were also some fantastic wines produced.In the words of the chairman of the Nelson WineGrowers Association, Mike Brown, “2011 is going to be a year to follow wineries not regions as quality is going to be highly dependent on vineyard management”.
And that is where small boutique producers have to deal with a double edged sword; they can manage their vineyards more intensely but they don’t always have the resource to harvest and process a lot of fruit very quickly.
Pat Stowe, the owner of Rimu Grove Wines, comes from a science background and this has made him a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to making wine. He isn’t happy to harvest fruit based just on what the testing equipments says, he also trusts his palate and instincts, only harvesting when the grapes have great flavour as well as being technically ripe.
As with other wineries this year’s harvest was early so he was able to bring in about 90% of his fruit in pristine condition, the rest stayed on the vines or was dropped on the grass – quality was not compromised for quantity.
One of the things I like about Pat is his outright enthusiasm for producing great wine. When we talked about the harvest his eyes lit up as he told me he had some of the best fruit ever for some varieties, particularly chardonnay and pinot gris. 2010 was the stunning year for pinot noir and while this season was not as good he rates it up there with the 2007 and 2008 vintages and I think they were pretty good.
Rimu Grove was one of the earliest in the region to plant pinot gris vines (1999) and that means these more established vines produce delightfully intense wine with great structure and, along with a superb sloping vineyard aspect and Pat’s passion, is one of the reasons Rimu Grove pinot gris has a bit of a cult following around New Zealand. The same applies to their chardonnay; even though this variety has been off the fashion list in recent years there is still a strong market for lovers of the variety and Rimu Grove’s delightfully well balanced version is as popular as ever.
I think you need to be just a little unbalanced to grow and produce pinot noir as she can be a very sulky child to deal with but when handled with patience and care she blossoms into something very special. Add a little gentle aging before release and his pinots turn into very classy little ladies that love being paired with fine food. While some may think Pat is a little obsessed with his pinot I think he has every reason to be. The hard work he puts into making this wine both in the vineyard and the winery is evident in the finished product.
Drop in to Rimu Grove’s new cellar door on Bronte Road after about 1pm in the winter and check out their current releases.

I have been drinking

Neudorf Vineyards 2010 Moutere Pinot Gris - RRP $29

In two words – multi-layered purity. With the aromas of delicate minerality and soft creamy pear tones that belie the intensity of the flavours this wine delivers more each time you taste it. The opulent silky texture has a powdery mineral backbone holding delightfully warm pip fruit and quince spice flavours together. A wonderfully long finish makes you just want more. Another five star wine from a classic producer.

Gisselbrecht Tradition 2008 Pinot Gris – $21.99
From Alsace this is a different beast compared to the Neudorf. Big punchy flavours packed with ripe pear and spiced honey characters make it perfect with spicy food. There is nothing pure or elegant about this but the age has added complexity and makes for great drinking.

Neudorf Vineyards 1992 Chardonnay

2011-06-04T21:26:00.001+12:00

Wow! Have just opened a 1992 Neudorf Vineyards Moutere Chardonnay and can't believe how good it is.
We have a reasonable wine cellar and tuck the last few bottles of a case into a corner and forget about it for a few years. The purpose of this corner of the cellar is to see how wines change with age, to learn more about wine. We don't have great exectations from wines we try from this part of the cellar but are regularly surprised at how good some of them are. Ten year old sauvignon blancs may not be bright, vibrant and fresh but they can be really interesting and good to drink.
We have a number of vintages of Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay in the cellar and have never been disappointed (other than tough vintages that we didn't expect much from anyway) however this particular wine was a huge surprise.
When we first opened it the wine still had bright fresh acidity, big but rounded oak, cooked white peach and hazel nut flavours and mid gold in colour. As the wine opened up in the glass the flavours evolved through a citrus spectrum - mandrin with a touch of oak bitterness, crisp marmalade to juicy fresh lime characters and finally soft butter tones. All the while the texture on the palate was rich without being creamy and the acidity was juicy on the gums.
Tim Finn has a reputation as one of the finest winemkers in New Zealand and as one of the very best in the wolrd at producing fine chardonnay and this wine does nothing to tarnish that reputation. A wine that is simply stunning almost 20 years after it was made.
And we still have two more bottles!

Waipara

2011-05-12T19:55:00.000+12:00

I have been talking to plenty of people who don’t really want to visit Christchurch so soon after the recent earthquakes but having been there recently I have seen a community that just keeps going. Sure it is different and it will never be the same Christchurch but there is still a lot the Canterbury region has to offer visitors. For me one of the attractions is the wine industry and in particular Waipara. If you are not ready to visit Christchurch yet why don’t you do what we did a few weeks ago, spend a couple of nights in Hanmer Springs and take a day trip through to Waipara, an hour’s drive away.
While Waipara has many vineyards and wineries there are only about three or four you can visit to taste wine without arranging something with the owners so you can spend a very comfortable day checking out the best Waipara has to offer.
If you travel down the centre of the island on a reasonably regular basis you will have noticed the vineyard in a stunning location above the Waiau River, about five minutes drive south of the Hanmer Springs turn off on SH7. I have been watching the evolution of Marble Point Winery with a certain amount of curiosity for about the last five years as I have whizzed past on my way to or from Christchurch. I say with curiosity because the vineyard seems to be established in pretty inhospitable territory and no one else has plantings in the area. This time we decided to stop in on our way back from Waipara to check out the wines.
Situated on old alluvial terraces of the Waiau River the location isn’t just stunning but the old river bed soils are perfectly suited to winemaking, particularly riesling. The natural environmental conditions (heat in the summer, very cold in the winter) means the fruit develops ripe characters quite quickly and without too much sugar and that means well structured wines packed with flavour at reasonably low alcohol levels.
On reflection and with a little more knowledge about the people behind Marble Point Wines I shouldn’t be surprised at the exceptional quality of their product. Owners Sheryl Dennis and Richard Campbell met Kerry Hitchcock in Hanmer Springs. Kerry has been involved with the wine industry all his life, starting as a wine maker for Cook’s and finishing as marketer for Montana. Kerry now works as a consultant for the industry and has been the guiding hand behind the enthusiasm of Sheryl and Dennis.
Marble point currently produce riesling, sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and pinot noir and have received favourable early reviews. Michael Cooper rated the 2008 Marble point pinot noir as a 3.5 star wine when it was just released and about a year later Sue Courtney said it deserved 4.5 stars. While this wine is packed with character and flavour my favourites have to be the two superbly well balanced medium and dry rieslings. The 2009 chardonnay is also a very smart wine, nutty, softly creamed stonefruit flavours with a touch of oak spice while retaining the stony mineral character that is evident in all of the wines.
Go to http://www.marblepointwines.co.nz/ to find out more.

I have been drinking

Lawson’s Dry Hills 2007 Riesling – $23 but on special for $14.99 at FreshChoice Nelson
How often can you buy a trophy winning wine for less than $15? This delight won the riesling trophy at the 2010 Royal Esater Wine Show. Packed with softly cooked citrus flavours, a touch of mandarin, backbone of minerality and juicy acidity – this wine has it all.

Halo Hawke’s Bay 2009 Chardonnay - $24.99
From Sacred Hill this is classic Hawke’s Bay chardonnay at its best with layers of complexity on the palate and in the flavours. Creamy in texture the wine is rich yet has subtle nut and stone fruit characters. From an outstanding vintage this is a delightful wine to discover.

Milcrest

2011-05-12T09:00:00.000+12:00

The 2011 grape harvest was looking like one of the best for many years until Mother Nature stuck her nose in and delivered rain at just the wrong time for some growers. Those whose crop was ready to harvest early have been lucky enough to beat the rain with Blackenbrook Vineyards, Seifried Estates and Waimea Estates among those to celebrate but for growers in areas where ripening is a little slower the news is not so great; not a disaster but a good vintage rather than a classic vintage and some varieties have been effected more than others.
One producer who has had a bit of a baptism by fire since they entered the industry is Milcrest Wines. Not only was their very first vintage in 2008 (another wet vintage) but they have launched a new label when there has been a glut of wine in the market place, further compounded by the economic downturn.
But Terry Milton just chuckles, says ‘what can you do about it’ and he and Christine Cook have instead focussed on the future. Having established their vineyard they are now working hard on establishing the Milcrest Estate label in the market place. Early results from this fledgling operation are not only promising but they are quite exciting.
Having picked up a handful of silver and bronze medals, almost sold out of some wines and with a couple of beauties from the 2010 vintage yet to be released things are looking good. And to top it off their fruit has not been impacted too much by the rain this year. The location of the Milcrest vineyard in Haycock Road (at the bottom of the Hope foothills) has proved to be perfect for growing grapes. Plenty of sun, a slight elevation, exposure to a gentle breeze and protection from the hills means they have a little micro-climate that helps deal with any rain. Hard work in the vineyard managing the leaf canopy also helps.
Among the wines on offer are an dry, rich and spicy 2009 pinot gris ($22.50) that is outstanding with seafood – try it with sushi at Sachi Sushi in New St. With silver and 2 bronze medals in its very first vintage I think these guys are on to a winner with this style of wine.
Chardonnay has been a little out of favour with wine drinkers in recent years so Terry and Christine only made 150 cases but it has been so popular they only have a few cases of their Reserve Chardonnay ($26.50) left. This is a bright, lively wine that has a luscious texture and beautifully balanced flavours of peach, subtle burnt cream and a touch of spicy oak.
They have an award winning pinot noir ($25.50) and another not yet released that I am sure will add to the Milcrest medal tally. A 5 star quality (in my opinion) cool climate Syrah ($34.95) is a cracker - full, ripe and succulent with plum, pepper and subtle herb flavours.
Visit the cellar door at Milcrest Estate in Haycock Road and check out their website (http://www.milcrestestate.co.nz/) to find out more.

I have been drinking

Running With Bulls 2009 Tempranillo - $19.99 at FreshChoice
With cooler days we start looking for warming wines and this powerful brut from the Barossa fits the bill perfectly. Deep, rich plum red in colour with big spicy blackberry, tamarillo and cigar box flavours to match. Without being sweet and jammy this delivers on both flavour and great value for money.

Sacred Hill 2010 Hawke’s Bay Merlot Cabernet - $21.99 (RRP)
This very young red wine with elegant, complex flavours already has a silver medal under its belt. Plum, red berry fruit, liquorice and a floral touch in the palate with firm tannins and a touch of juicy acidity make it the ideal early winter warmer.

Kahurangi Estate

2011-05-12T08:54:00.000+12:00

The vineyards of Kahurangi Estate at Upper Moutere are the home of the modern winemaking era in Nelson and contain some of the oldest vines in the region.
To thrive in any industry owners need to keep changing their business and this applies to the wine industry in a significant way, whether it be growing new markets, planting new desirable varieties, expanding plantings, or even reducing the size of vineyards, change is vital.
The Seifried family recognised their need to change when they built their current facility and moved from Upper Moutere while the current owners of this important site know they need to do more than grow grapes. For Greg and Amanda Day Kahurangi Estate is much more than a producer of fine Nelson wines, it is the public face of a business with many arms.
Sure they grow grapes and make very good wine but they also bottle wine for others using their mobile bottling plants, they store and distribute wine for a number of wineries and finally they import and distribute a wide range of premium international wines, after all if you have a sales team on the road selling wine you may as well give them plenty of things to sell.
Included in the range of premium products the Days are the New Zealand distributors for are Tyrells Wines, Godet Cognac, Krohn Ports and premium Bordeaux wines from the Mahler Besse stable that includes Chateau Palmer, one of the most highly regarded and sought after producers in Bordeaux.
I must admit to having a few bottles of Krohn vintage port in the cellar and am a fan of the Godet Pearadise (sweet pear cognac with a kick!). I recently tried a couple of wines from the Bordeaux selection and will be adding some of these to our cellar as well.
The 2007 Chateau Picard Saint Estephe Cru Bourgeois ($36.90 from the cellar door) deep berry red in colour with lovely soft smoky highlights in the aromas. Blackberry flavours with hints of boysenberry sweetness sit on a tannin foundation that is firm but not too aggressive. Drink it now but get the best out of it in about 5 years time.
The other wine to really impress was Chateau La Couronne Saint Emilion Grand Cru 2007 ($39.60). We decanted this before we drank it to help the flavours open up. This is a very serious wine with a more elegant tannin structure than the Chateau Picard. The aromas have smoky vanilla oak characters while full bodied flavours of red berries and blackcurrant are just starting to shine. Drink now or cellar for about 10 years.
Admittedly you can’t call these wines cheap by supermarket standards but they offer exceptional value for money if you want to start exploring the delights Bordeaux wines have to offer. If you are feeling a little more expansive you can also buy a limited range of Mahler Besse wines in magnums or you can always dip into the savings for a bottle or two of 2006 Chateau Palmer ($396). You can cellar this until about 2030 so maybe it’s something to buy now for a special anniversary in 20 years time.
Check out www.kahurangiwine.com for more about these special wines.

I have been drinking

Saint Clair Family Estate Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block 2009 Pinot Noir – RRP $33.50
Wow, the name is a mouthful and the wine lives up to it. Made from a small parcel of outstanding quality fruit this wine packs a very elegant punch. The pale colour belies the intensity of red cherry and toasty oak flavours. Powdery tannins and a twist of acidity add to the delightful liquorice and spice flavours in the finish.

Sacred Hill Marlborough Pinot Noir 2010 – RP $21.99
Ripe, sweet red and black cherry fruit dominate the initial impressions but the dense smoky oak soon holds up its hand. Sweet juicy fruit characters linger in the very long finish. Another very good wine from a great vintage.

Kaimira Estate

2011-05-12T08:46:00.000+12:00

With the 2011 vintage grape harvest underway it is a very nervous time for winemakers. The crop across the region is a good size, not too big but plenty of outstanding quality fruit that is packed with flavour and at the moment is in pristine condition.
A few vineyards have some minor issues with botrytis (rot) but nothing that can’t be handled by winemakers experienced in making wine in a sometimes wet cool climate winemaking region. The nervousness is nothing unusual for winemakers at this time of the year as they wait for that final flavour boost in their fruit that bright sunny days and cool nights deliver while keeping a close eye on long range weather forecasts. The message right now is ‘please Mr Weatherman, no more rain!’
As wineries prepare for this year’s harvest it is also time to clear the decks of remnants from the last few years. At Kaimira Estate at Brightwater this means a one day sale to move on the last few cases of some wines.
When I was there last week checking on the state of the current vintage (winemaker Sally had a big grin on her face as we talked about the quality) June Hamilton treated me to a taste of some of the wines being sold at their annual sale where you will be able to taste and buy wines that sell for $18 - $28 for between $9 and $11.
Included are wines from the very good 2006 and 2007 vintages and some bin ends from the 2008 vintage. The 2008 wines I tasted (gewurztraminer and pinot gris) are both very well made wines with elegant fruit flavours and soft acidity. At $9 a bottle or $50 for a six pack these are absolute bargains.
I have been a fan of Kaimira’s Brightwater riesling since I first tasted it way back in 2001 and have been following it ever since. In 2001 it was selling for about $12 a bottle so being able to buy some from the great 2007 vintage now for $9 a bottle is almost criminal. This wine is starting to show some classic riesling age characters, deep rich cooked lemon/lime flavours with a luscious texture and very fine mineral based acidity. If you want to find out what happens when you age riesling then at this price this is a great place to start.
Kaimira’s 2006 Vintners Selection Pinot Noir -$11 a bottle (normally $28) or $60 for a six pack this is another outstanding bargain. Complex layers of flavour balanced with elegant oak spice and a touch of smoky bacon fat it is a complete wine. I have my six pack on order.

Blog followers - sorry I am late posting this article I wrote for The Nelson Mail about a month ago, the celar door sale has been and gone!

I have been drinking

Golden Hills 2009 Syrah - $34.90 at the winery
A double Gold medal winning wine made in a cool climate Northern Rhone style. Packed with rich fruit flavours and balanced with exciting pepper spice this proves you can make great syrah in Nelson. We served this at a degustation dinner recently and it was perfectly matched with a beef and mushroom dish.

Marble Point 2009 Dry Riesling about $20 at the winery
This is a reasonably new label and one to keep an eye on. Located about 5 minutes drive past the Hanmer turnoff this winery is producing wines with purity of flavour, texture in the mouthfeel and a freshness that is very enticing. This particular wine is bursting with lemon and lime citrus characters while a little time on yeast lees has added weight and softness to the mouthfeel. 4 stars from Michael Cooper and worth searching for.

Glovers

2011-05-12T08:35:00.001+12:00

Dave Glover is one of those characters that add soul to the wine industry. As the rest of New Zealand has moved to screwcap closures Dave is sticking with corks because they affect the way the wine ages and he likes old wines. This is one of the reasons his current release pinot noir is from the 2004 vintage, he says it has the characters he likes in a pinot and it is ready to drink so he is prepared to sell it.
This philosophy of making wine he likes to drink and releasing it when he says it is ok for drinking (he cellars it for you) is also reflected in other aspects of his wine making. He says there are plenty of good wines on the market but many of them are a bit ‘cookie cutter’ and he wants to make something a little different and being a small boutique winery that means he gets to play a wee bit.
Take the current release Glover Vineyards Rosé Fiamma (flame in Italian and $20) as an example, surprisingly it is from the 2009 vintage – young by Glover standards but it is ready to drink. The wine is made in a method called maceration carbonique where whole bunches of grapes are dumped into large vats filled with carbon dioxide, the bottom grapes are crushed by the weight of the grapes above them, and fermentation starts naturally. This develops more carbon dioxide gas, which envelops the upper layers of uncrushed grapes and blocks air exposure that normally would occur. When fermentation begins in the whole grapes they begin to ooze more juice.
The result with the rosé is a wine that is rich with lovely depth of flavour but is not sweet.
While I love Dave’s attitude of trying to produce something just a little different there are a couple of downsides; firstly whenever I visit him we spend most of our time sampling trial wines from barrels that are made in small quantities just to see what happens and all that sampling means I need a sober driver whenever I go to see him. The second thing is that I get to taste some great wines from barrels (like the 2010 pinot – outstanding!) but can’t buy them yet.
The third downside is that with the way we are consuming wine now we tend to go to the supermarket and purchase by price first, variety second and name third. In such a commodity driven market wines like those Dave Glover produces in small quantities don’t make it to the supermarket shelf and I think that is a pity. Dave will say ‘stuff the supermarkets, if people want my wines they can buy it from me’ and there is something in me that likes that attitude.
He can be a stubborn bugger but he does add colour and soul to a wine industry that many people see as losing some of its soul, particularly in the case of corporate producers.
By the way, his current release wines are worth the visit to Gardener’s Valley, they are outstanding value, they are not cookie cutter wines and you are likely to be treated to a couple of samples of yet to be released gems while you are there.

I have been drinking

Monmousseau Cuvee Brut J.M. Rosé – about $25 at Casa del Vino
A sparkling rosé from the Touraine region in France this is not only an elegant dry style wine it is packed with flavour. It has a delicate salmon pink colour, fine mousse and bursting with strawberry and raspberry characters. Better than many rosé champagnes at a fraction of the price.

Seifried Nelson 2010 Pinot Gris – $18 at the cellar door
Seifrieds produce some outstanding aromatic style wines and with a gold medal tucked in the drawer for this one it is easy to see why they are also very popular. This wine has classic pear and soft spicy aromas with rich stonefruit and spiced quince flavours. A luscious texture and balanced acidity make it a delightful anytime wine. Perfect late on a Sunday afternoon.

Biodynamic Winemaking

2011-05-11T20:56:00.000+12:00

When people ask questions about biodynamic winemaking for the first time and are told about some of the more esoteric principles of this form of growing grapes most probably think ‘Cosmic rays, lunar cycles, cow horns filled with cow dung and buried in the ground, what the heck is this all about?’
However, leave what many consider the slightly weird parts of biodynamics aside and the principles not only make sense they are actually quite easy to follow. In its absolute simplest form biodynamics is taking organic production to the next step, focusing on improving soil and therefore plant health by encouraging and enhancing the development of naturally occurring bio-organisms in the soil structure.
I knew a little about this form of winemaking but wanted to know more so last week I spent a couple of hours walking around the only fully certified biodynamic vineyard in the region with David Holmes the former owner who is now back in the vineyard helping current owner Lars Jensen and Jon Harrey from Te Mania Wines move their vineyards to the next level. In Te Mania’s case this means full BioGro Organic certification and for the Richmond Plains label it means full Bio-dynamic certification.
At the heart of the vineyard is the compost heap. Any gardener will tell you good compost is great for the garden so a good compost heap in the vineyard makes sense. Obviously it would take a huge amount of compost to spread around a vineyard like you do in your garden at home and this is where the biodynamic wizardry takes place. Compost is developed in a number of forms, from cow dung in horns buried in the ground to fermenting compost in water with some biodynamic ‘super’ additives. These super additives are naturally occurring fungi and micro-organisms in concentrated form and the various composts we had a looked at were literally teeming with worms and other bugs doing their work creating a highly concentrated biodynamic compound.
To spread this around the vineyard about 100kg of compost is soaked in about 400 litres of water for 24 hours and then spread around the vineyard via the drip irrigation system in the vineyard. As to the cow horns, well it turns out they are a great vessel to develop super intense forms of biodynamic compounds to use as additives in the final compost mix – nothing spooky about this even if it does sound a little strange.
So what difference does it make to the wine? Firstly because of the reliance on natural growing conditions the wines truly reflect the growing environment where the weather conditions have the final say therefore each vintage will be a reflection of the weather conditions during the year. Secondly the lack of manipulation means there are no chemical, pesticide or herbicide residues in the finished product, something the Japanese have jumped on with them buying almost all of Richmond Plains biodynamic certified 2010 sauvignon blanc.
I still haven’t got my head around some of the more esoteric aspects of biodynamic winemaking but if they make as much sense as encouraging a healthy soil structure then maybe they aren’t as weird as some people think.

I have been drinking

Ti Point Chardonnay 2010 - RRP$21
Made from fruit grown in Hawke’s Bay this wine has layers of flavour that very gently encourage you to want just one more taste. Toasted nut aromas, a creamy texture up front with fresh lime crispness in the finish that round out softly spiced stonefruit flavours. A summer delight.

Ellero 2008 Central Otago Pinot Noir - RRP$36
With plenty of mouthwatering ripe acidity this wine has classic spiced red cherry flavours with a fine tannin backbone. If you want to try this and other wines from Ellero before you buy then pop into Casa del Vino of Saturday 26th where Roberta from Ellero wines will have them open for tasting

Fossil Ridge

2011-05-11T20:46:00.001+12:00

There are many delightful vineyards in New Zealand, some with magnificent facilities, some in stunning locations and others where the natural beauty of a site is enhanced by sympathetic development.
Fossil Ridge’s vineyard, cellar door and cafe are located at the end of Hart Road in the Richmond foothills and falls firmly into the last category.
The tasting room and café is perched on the edge of a pond that supports a range of wildlife and is surrounded by little dining areas. Add to this the delightful decks that give space to sample the wines and enjoy super food in the shade.
Of course they also sell wine. Fossil Ridge has six wines available and you can taste them by buying a tasting plate that includes four wines, a bowl of nuts and a bowl of estate grown olives. What a delightful way to relax and sample a range of wines.
Fossil Ridge wines are aged before being released (other than their rose which is from the current 2010 vintage) so you get to enjoy wines that have had time to develop complexities that only come from bottle age. As an example their 2007 Riesling ($20) has fresh citrus aromas with a hint of richness in the background while the flavours are packed with zesty lemon citrus flavours held together with powdery minerality. The wine is just starting to show deep honey characters and there is enough fruit and acidity to ensure it will continue to live for a long time yet (sealed with a screwcap).
Unlike many others on the market Fossil Ridge 2010 Pinot Noir Rose ($22.50) is made in a dry style so works exceptionally well with food. With a delicate pale salmon pink colour and crisp, clean raspberry and red berryfruit flavours this is vibrant and fresh rather than sweet and creamy.
When you visit Fossil Ridge you can’t help but notice the manicured vineyards and the huge effort that goes into maintaining the vineyards in the best possible condition is one reason owners Darryl and Tranja Fry are able to produce a very good wine from the very fickle gewurztraminer grape. The current release is 2008 ($22.50) and everything about this wine reflects the effort in the vineyard – from the sparkling pale lemon gold colour with a blush of pink to the sweet Turkish delight and rose petal aromas followed by flavours of turkish delight and slightly honeyed lychees and a lush texture in the mouth this is a delightful anytime wine.

Fossil Ridge are open from Wednesday to Sunday each week but will be closed on Waitangi Day.

I have been drinking
Neudorf 2010 Nelson Chardonnay ($29 at the cellar door)
This used to be the little brother to the renowned Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay but it now stands as a fantastic in its own right. Rather than having layers of flavour the characters in this wine are already in complete harmony. The powdery mineral texture to flavours of subtle peach with a twist of lemon and delicate toasty oak come together to make a complete wine. This is another delight from Neudorf Vineyards.

Woollaston Estates 2010 Pinot Gris (about $20)
Made in the same very popular elegant style Woollaston’s have produced for a number of years this is off-dry and packed with flavour – ripe pears, a touch of ginger, soft nectarine and plenty of stony minerality. A beautiful pinot gris with flavour and character.

Woollaston Estates

2011-01-24T16:25:00.001+13:00

I first met Philip and Chan Woollaston when Philip was Mayor of Nelson in the early 1990’s and we soon discovered we had a mutual love of wine. For me this turned into writing about it but for Philip and Chan a small hobby vineyard on the banks of the Wai-iti River at Brightwater has grown into a huge enterprise that is now housed in a state-of-the-art facility in the Moutere Hills at Mahana.
Woollaston’s website says “Philip and Chan met Glenn and Renée Schaeffer and discovered they shared a vision of creating an estate where fine wines would be crafted. They also share a love of art, literature and the Nelson landscape, so their dream was to develop a winery that was not only highly functional, but was also sensitive to the natural aesthetic of the area and reflected their creative passion.”
They are now into their 7th vintage at the new facility and the vineyards are about ten years old so as wine producers they are starting to reach maturity and this maturity is reflected in the wines they now produce.
With vine age comes flavour depth and complexity and Andrew Sutherland and his team in the winery have learnt all about the idiosyncrasies of the four-level gravity fed winemaking facility. With three vineyards in different locations in the region under their ownership viticulturist Julian Coakley has the ability to grow varieties in soil types and climate conditions that best suit each variety. Moving to full BioGro organic certification means more options are opened up to the winemaking team.
I recently had the opportunity to explore the range of wines offered under the Woollaston Estates label (they also produce wines under the Tussock and Mahana labels) and the current releases show how this organisation has developed over the years. The Woollaston Estates 2010 Sauvignon Blanc ($18) has ripe tropical fruit aromas with underlying fresh herbal characters. The palate delivers vibrant tropical fruits (zesty pineapple and limes) with crisp acidity that seems to last forever in the finish. This is a style I love.
Their Rose ($17) has been both very good and very popular for many years and for the followers of this wine you will not be disappointed by the 2010 version. Made from Pinot Noir grapes the delicate salmon pink colour hints at the elegance of the aromas but belies the dry, spicy richness of the flavours.
Having selected a vineyard site specifically to grow pinot noir grapes it is no surprise Woollaston Estates has a couple of beauties in their stable. The 2008 vintage ($35) is packed with summer berry fruit and lush licorice flavours that are nicely complemented with delicate smoky oak characters. Fine grained tannins add an elegant texture.
While Philip has stepped back from the day-to-day operation of the company that bears his name he is still a director and from his house perched on the edge of the picturesque Mahana vineyard continues to take a keen interest in the business and is still passionate about the ‘hobby vineyard’ he and Chan started in 1993.
Watch future columns for my thoughts on other Woollaston Estates Wines.

I have been drinking
Yalumba Sangiovese Rose - $18 but $11.99 on special at Nelson City Freshchoice
From South Australia this has a dry finish but is loaded with sweet, ripe cherry fruit flavours with a twist of spice. Great value chilled summer drinking.

Seifried Estates 2009 Winemaker’s Collection Gewurztraminer – RRP $23
Seifried’s Sweet Agnes Riesling has picked up so many national and international trophies it is almost embarrassing but don’t overlook the outstanding quality of other wines in the range. This gewurztraminer is a pure delight; rich, seductive exotic fruit and fresh ginger aromas, intense lychee, apricot and spice flavours all balanced with linger fresh acidity. It deserves every one of the 4 ½ stars Michael Cooper awarded this wine.

New Year's Eve

2011-01-24T16:19:00.001+13:00

Happy New Year! I trust you have had a great start to 2011 even if we have had a touch of rain in the last day or so. What did you do on New Year’s Eve? I don’t know about you but as I get a bit older I am over going into town and working on a headache; I would much rather have a quiet night around the dinner table.
Now a quiet night doesn’t mean boring, Sari and I use it as another excuse to dip into the cellar to select some older wines to plan a menu around. This year we shared dinner with our favourite dinner companions, Phil and Anna who love wine and food like us and appreciate some of the gems we find in the dark depths of the cellar. They also have some great wines in their collection so it is always a treat to see what they come up with.
Of course you should always start a celebration with Champagne and our choice was Bollinger. This is one of our favourite treats (rich, luscious and so very elegant) and we save it for special occasions. We decided to head to Europe for this dinner so we paired the succulent and juicy Dr Loosen 2000 Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese (plenty of rich flavour, luscious residual sugar and stunningly well balanced acidity) with a goat’s cheese tart. Now if you don’t like goat’s cheese because it is too ‘goaty’ then you have to try the soft cheese made by Meadowcroft Cheeses in Golden Bay, it is rich and creamy without any of that feral goat flavour.
Phil and Anna brought a 2003 Te Mata Estate Elston Chardonnay to enjoy with the main course and we opened and decanted a bottle of 1996 Chateau Canon-la-Gaffeliere Saint Emillion Grand Cru. Both wines were outstanding and complimented the smoked beef steaks with garlicky potato dauphinois perfectly. The chardonnay is a fully oaked style with enough acidity to liven up the taste buds while the Saint Emillion (merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon blend) was silky smooth and bursting with huge plum and blackcurrent characters.
We probably didn’t need dessert but we had a non-vintage bottle of Domaine du Mas Blanc Banyuls (a fortified red dessert wine from France very much like a Port) begging to be opened so we had a super-rich chocolate pot with it. Only one of us (not me!) managed to get to the bottom of the cup the dessert was served in and there were mixed reactions to the wine. Personally I loved it but for a couple of our diners it didn’t really work, never mind – more for me!
While we sat in the big comfy chairs and digested dinner midnight rolled around and that of course meant another bottle of bubbles. A hugely decadent night of fine food and great wines shared with good friends, for me the perfect way to welcome the New Year.
However you celebrated I wish you a healthy and prosperous 2011 and don’t forget to get out and enjoy the treats our local wineries have to offer this summer, including live Jazz on the lawn at Woollaston Estates 12 noon to 2.30pm on Sunday. Free admission and bring your own lunch.

I have been drinking
Lindauer Rose
This is a light, fun summer fizz that is perfect late in the afternoon. Pretty salmon pink in colour the wine is medium dry and crisp with full fresh cherry and peach flavours. Once again Lindauer proves they can deliver a quality wine at a fantastic price.

No 1 Family Estate Shooting Star - $22
There is something about sparkling sauvignon blanc that just doesn’t quite work for me, I just can’t get my head around a champagne style wine that tastes like bright fresh and vibrant Marlborough sauvignon. However this one is a very well made (you would expect nothing less from the remarkable Daniel Le Brun stable) and if you love sauvignon blanc then give this a go it does what it says on the label very well.

End of the year

2010-12-27T14:03:00.000+13:00

Wow, what a year. We have had everything from tough economic times to an earthquake that made the world sit up and take notice then the tragedy at Pike River that has effected so many people on the West Coast in a number of ways.
Sitting at the top of the South Island we seem to have been sheltered from much of the direct pain suffered others; our economy hasn’t been too bad, not easy but not disastrous. We supported our fellow New Zealanders in their tough times in Canterbury and on the Coast and we supported wine industry by continuing to buy local and searching out some great deals at the supermarkets and liquor outlets.
While the wine industry has been struggling on a national basis, particularly in Marlborough, local wineries have hunkered down, keeping costs under control and focusing on producing some outstanding wines from a great vintage so they can thrive into the future.
In recent weeks we have seen the release of some super wines to enjoy over the holiday season and here are a few I will be enjoying. I already have my Christmas French bubbles sorted – a bottle of Pol Roger ‘Pure’ from Casa del Vino but I think I will make sure there is a bottle or two of No 1 Family Estate’s ‘2006 vintage Virginie Cuvee’ ($58 - a rich mousse and palate with flavours of hazelnut and fresh lemon zest crispness) and their new Rose ($45 – merest blush of salmon pink colour, delightfully well balanced dry style with lashings of cherry and soft nut characters) floating around to welcome in the New Year.
While I am having some time off in the summer sun I am bound to enjoy a bottle of Pied Stilt Pinot Gris ($14.95, fresh and delicate rather than big and sweet, aromas with apple and citrus characters) with a seafood lunch somewhere and more than one bottle of Greenhough Vineyards gewurztraminer ($20 – rich aromas, lush full bodied style bursting with lychee and stonefruit flavours) will find its way to our barbecue table.
On Christmas Day other than champagne there is only one thing certain, we will be enjoying the world class Seifried Estate Sweet Agnes Riesling (about $20) with dessert. 375ml of seductive, lush sweetness to finish the meal with.
I may not make it over the hill to Golden Bay but if you do be sure to check out some of the local wineries. If you are like me and won’t get there then you can still get a taste of the Bay’s wines by popping into Casa del Vino and selecting something from the range made by Parr & Simpson. They produce a beautiful range of wines that have a European style elegance rather than just big fruity wines.
Whatever your plans are for this holiday season please don’t drink and drive, enjoy wine in moderation with food and I will see you again next year. I hope you have a safe and happy Christmas and a very prosperous New Year.

I have been drinking

Parr & Simpson Limestone Bay 2009 Chardonnay - $22
Michael Cooper gave this wine 4 ½ stars and says Parr & Simpson is a label worth discovering. Now that he has told everyone about them you need to make sure you get your share quickly. This chardonnay has a full palate weight with stonefruit, citrus, nut and cream flavours. A slight austerity in the mid-palate adds a complexity that is quite exciting. This is a true delight.

Ohau Gravels 2010 Pinot Gris - $25
Classic quince and pear aromas are reflected in the flavours but with a twist of mandarin and a streak of minerality. Juicy acidity with a hint of Turkish delight sweetness in the finish make this a complete pinot gris experience.

Nelson Ark

2010-12-14T08:52:00.000+13:00

One of the fantastic things about the wine industry is the amount of support they give the local community. In the past I have talked about wineries that support the arts and other sectors but there is one business that is supporting a very cool community project – The Nelson ARK.
I am a bit of a softie when it comes to animals (as our two dogs and two cats can testify) and I think these guys are doing a great job not only for animals but for people too. The Nelson ARK (a Charitable Trust) is a community centre which houses a fully functioning no-kill animal rescue shelter.
Its website says that “youth-at-risk and older people are brought together with the animals, as volunteers or participants to help each other in a variety of educational rehabilitative and integrative programmes. The Nelson ARK believes that joining these groups together in a meaningful and caring endeavour will benefit not only the animal and human participants but will have positive effects for the entire community. Our APART (Animals, People And Rehabilitative Training) programme, which is based on successful programmes in the US and Canada, brings together young people, older people as mentors, and animals in an intensive training environment. Dog training teaches the value of patience, discipline and hard work. It also offers young people the opportunity to learn co-operative ways of dealing with problems in the training which will in turn provide alternative coping strategies in their own life. The programmes give youth an opportunity to participate in positive, rewarding experiences where respect for themselves, other people and animals is reinforced.”
So what has this got to do with wine? Well the guys at Richmond Plains are supporting this great programme by donating 20% of all sales from specially labeled bottles of their sauvignon blanc to the Nelson ARK. This isn’t some gimmick to get rid of surplus wine, Michael Cooper gave this wine four stars and it is one of their top selling wines; I love the classic, ripe Nelson sauvignon characters.
At a time of the year when we all think about others and donate to causes like the food bank I think it is fantastic someone is thinking about the animals in our community so when you see bottles with photo’s of dogs on the label at Fresh Choice Richmond and Nelson, and New World Nelson remember that 20% is going to help this great initiative. You can also buy it from Richmond Plains winery in McShane Road. The perfect Christmas gift if you are looking for something for clients or friends.

I have been drinking
We tasted these wines with our friends Nic and Tim so for a change I thought I would tell you what someone else thinks as well as my thoughts.

Sacred Hill Halo Hawke’s Bay Syrah – RRP $24.90
The colour is dark, deep inky red and the flavours are bursting with intense blackberry characters without being sweet and jammy. Layers of black pepper, lashings of elegant oak spice and firm but easy-to-manage tannins make for a complete wine experience and Nic says it is too easy to drink (as he enjoyed more than one glass) and is exceptional buying at this price. You will find it at premium wine outlets or go to www.sacredhill.com

Julicher Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc – RRP $18.75
Produced from Martinborough fruit this is similar to a Nelson style sauvignon rather than a Marlborough style. The palate is rich and textural with lush tropical fruit and citrus characters. Ripe fruit acidity ensures it is juicy in the mouth without being harsh. Tim managed to get to the bottom of the bottle (with a little help) and asked if there was any more.

Christmas is coming

2010-12-14T08:43:00.000+13:00

It seems like Christmas was only yesterday but like me I am sure you know it is already that time of year again. One month from today and we will all be reflecting on Christmas Day 2010 but before we can reflect we need to plan and as this is a wine column we need to plan what we will be drinking on the big day.
If you like to start Christmas Day with a glass of bubbles you have got time to shop around and pick up either some great value New Zealand sparkling wines or to save your pennies for a bottle of something special from the French region of Champagne.
For Sari and I we always start with champagne; if we can’t be a little decadent on Christmas Day when can we be? Because the world economy is still recovering very slowly champagne houses in France have a bit of surplus stock so you will find some pretty good deals being offered by many retailers. Fifty dollars will buy you a very respectable bottle of Champagne but if you want to push the boat out a bit then the sky is the limit - $300 plus for rare or ultra premium wines.
I know this sounds expensive but a mid-range champagne at around the $100 mark can make your Christmas a very special occasion and you have four weeks to plan for it.
Last week I went to a tasting of Pol Roger and Charles Heidsieck Champagnes at Casa del Vino where we tasted everything from the $110 Pol Roger Pure NV through to the $320 Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1999. The latter was the star of the tasting as you would expect but the Rosé Champagnes ($150 & $240) were stunningly elegant and oh-so-drinkable. If you want premium champagne for your Christmas Day then drop in and see Anne and she will help you choose the right wine for you.
If your budget won’t quite stretch to premium bubbles then you have some great New Zealand choices. Old favourites like Cloudy Bay’s Pelorus, Daniel Le Brun’s No 1 Family Estate Number Eight or Allied Domeque’s Deutz are absolutely reliable wines made in the traditional champagne method and you will find them on special for $20 – $45 depending on the wine. Then there is always the old faithful Lindauer. It doesn’t set the world in fire but you can always find it somewhere for about $10 a bottle.
Whichever sparkling wine you choose stay away from the ultra-cheap ($4 - $7) carbonated wines, the bubbles are artificial like soft drinks and will just give you a huge headache.
If you see very cheap imported champagne be wary if it is parallel imported. The storage and age is not guaranteed by a distributor and the quality can vary significantly from bottle-to-bottle. They can be great value but if it is not as exciting as you expected then you have been warned.

I have been drinking
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 2008 Lone Gum Gewurztraminer - $21
This multi-trophy winning wine is simply stunning. The wine is full bodied and bursting with rose petal and Turkish delight characters with lashings of sweet lychee and delicate spice all bound together in a luscious, oily texture in the mouth. Named as Winestate’s New Zealand Winery of the Year 2010 it comes as no surprise the trophies for this wine contribute to 100 trophies the winery has won over the years.

Julicher Estate 2009 99 Rows Pinot Noir - $25.45
A gold medal Martinborough pinot noir for $25? They do exist and this is living proof. The light colour understates the delightful intensity of this wine. Packed with ripe dark cherry, elegant vanilla and soft toasted oak flavours wrapped around silky tannins this wine is a warm delight.

Golden Hills

2010-12-14T08:31:00.001+13:00

Nestled in the foothills at the northern end of Waimea West is one of the most delightful vineyards in the region - Golden Hills Estates.
Geoff and Sophie Marr set out to establish more than a simple productive wine venture, they wanted to create something special for people to enjoy, and even though it is still a work in progress the vineyards are a delight to spend some time in.
It may not be obvious when you arrive at the tasting room that is located at the business end of the property near sheds and other areas still under development. But take a stroll around the outside of the house and enjoy the views across the gently sloping vineyards to the lake below. The bones of a deck over the lake are in place and when time permits Geoff and Sophie will get it finished, hopefully in the not too distant future.
Another feature of the vineyard is the wide spacing between the rows. Geoff says this is for a couple of key reasons; firstly they wanted to get a full size tractor on the sloping land so they can operate safely. Secondly they lay a reflective cloth between the rows to increase the temperature in the vineyard at key times of the year – at flowering time and prior to harvest to help ripen the fruit. Wide row spacing not only makes it easier to lay and pick up the cloth but also allows more sunlight to penetrate between the vines. An unintended benefit is that is makes it easier for visitors to stroll around the vineyard when it is safe to do so.
When the Marrs bought the property in 2002 they planted avocado trees and as well as producing avocados for sale they also tree ripen a large volume for pressing to make avocado oil.
Then they met Trevor Bolitho from Waimea Estates who encouraged them to establish a vineyard - so they did. However not satisfied with just growing varieties considered normal at the time they also planted a few rows of an Italian variety, Dolcetto, and this has proved to be a very successful variety for them.
The Marrs are delivering Dolcetto under the Golden Hills label along with their award winning sauvignon blanc and pinot gris as well as a pinot noir, syrah and merlot.
They also want share the environment they have created and welcome visitors who want to have a picnic beside the lake or even ride their horses around the 30 acre property. Before you turn up with your horse give them a call to make sure it is safe to have them in the vineyard. Have a look at www.goldenhillsestates.co.nz

I have been drinking

Golden Hills Estates 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - $20
The 2009 edition of this wine won a Blue Gold medal at the Sydney Top 100 wine awards last year and the pedigree is reflected in this edition. As the back label says “a fruit salad of flavours” with gooseberry and grapefruit characters and a touch of minerality in the finish to balance the fresh, mouthwatering acidity. Perfect summer drinking.

Neudorf Vineyards 2009 Moutere Chardonnay - $55 at the cellar door
This wine has cult status, even when chardonnay has been out of favour with many wine drinkers, and is regularly rated as one of the very best chardonnays not only in New Zealand but in the world. If you are a regular buyer of this wine you won’t be disappointed with the 2009 vintage. Sparkling pale gold in colour with refined warm biscuit and floral aromas that hint at the complexity of the flavours. Full flavoured yet elegantly refined, the winemaking team at Neudorf has delivered another super wine. A small crop means small volumes of this so get yours quickly because it will sell out once again.

2010-12-09T19:27:00.000+13:00

Sari and I are delighted to be regular supporters of the annual Nelson Arts Festival that is held in various venues around the region in the second half of October each year. For the last four years we have sponsored a show and each year have been proud to be associated with the performances we have been associated with through Sari’s business, Savage & Savage, Chartered Accountants.
For rather obvious reasons we have been sponsoring shows that take place in wineries and to ensure we make the most of our sponsorship we invite a few people to join us at each performance.
This year Baker Suite performed two shows, one at Founders Park and the other at Neudorf Vineyards. We would like to thank not only the great team who organise the Arts Festival but Tim and Judy Finn who this year handed over their dining room to us so we could have lunch before the show.
Of course over lunch we enjoyed a bottle or two of Neudorf wine; everything from a flavour-filled off-dry merlot rose to the deeply complex 2009 Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir was sampled by our small group. I must say they seemed to enjoy the Moutere Pinot quite a bit!
The previous night at Founders we enjoyed a range of product from the other Arts Festival wine sponsor, Woollaston Estates. Their 2006 Pinot Noir was enjoyed in reasonable but responsible quantities by our small group along with a couple of refreshing Founders Brewery’s Show Hopper III beers.
Arts Festival sponsors like Neudorf and Woollaston’s not only make their outstanding venues available to stage various performances but their sponsorship of this festival and other events during the year add vibrancy and life to the region. Their businesses are about more than just making a product and selling it, they enrich our region.
Another business that also happens to be an Arts Festival sponsor that we can be exceptionally proud of in this region is Page & Blackmore Booksellers. This year they have been named New Zealand’s Best Independent Bookseller and as a direct result of this Michael Cooper will be at their store in November to celebrate his latest book. Cooper is New Zealand’s most respected wine writer and critic so visit www.pageandblackmore.co.nz and register for their newsletter to ensure you receive the event details when they are finalised. You will need to get a ticket to the event as numbers are limited and there is a rumour there may even be a couple of local wines available for tasting.
Over the next few months I will be visiting as many wineries in the region as I can and intend to tell you about them so you can spend a bit of time this summer searching out some vinous treats to enhance your summer, just like the Nelson Arts Festival and sponsors like Neudorf Vineyards, Woollaston Estates and Page & Blackmore enhance this delightful place we are lucky enough to call home.

I have been drinking

Neudorf Vineyards 2009 Brightwater Riesling - $22.90 at the cellar door
Another classic wine from a classic New Zealand producer. This just off-dry wine has aromas of powdery lime with a hint of sweet orange blossom in the background and vibrant citrus flavours with a delightfully rounded texture in the mouth. A refreshing twist of fresh acidity makes this a mouth watering palate cleanser or the perfect accompaniment to fish and chips on the beach this summer.

Seifried Estate Nelson 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - $21.00 RRP
This is typical Nelson Sauvignon Blanc – ripe tropical fruit flavours with herbaceous capsicum spice and refreshing acidity. Seifried’s has produced yet another delightful wine that is packed with flavour and is oh so easy to drink on a warm summer day. Shop around because you are bound to find this on many supermarket shelves this summer for less than the recommended retail price.

Nelson WineArt regional tasting

2010-12-09T19:01:00.001+13:00

It has been a few weeks since I added posts to this blog - let's blame it on the holiday and then the workload after the holiday that makes it seem like months since we spent some time in the sun in the Cook Islands - so here is a bit of a catch-up.
Cheers
Neil

In October Nelson Wineart held their annual new release tasting at the Boathouse on Wakefield Quay. With well over 100 wines available for tasting I was never going to be able to sample them all in the couple of hours I had, however I did manage to get through a fair few of them.

With a tasting of this size it is impossible to taste and rate each wine on offer in a serious manner so I treat this annual event as an opportunity to get an overall snapshot of what is happening in this delightful wine region.

The overall impression I got this year, particularly of the 2010 vintage wines available for tasting, was great depth of varietal flavour and beautifully clean characters. By ‘clean’ I mean wines that have been made from ripe fruit harvested in pristine condition so there are no extraneous characters that can appear after a wet or difficult vintage.

The summer of 2009/10 was very kind to winemakers in Nelson and the long days of sunshine are reflected in the wines.

There were a number of highlights at the tasting and a few wines had winemakers making a bee-line to other stands to find out what everyone was talking about.

Waimea Estates have just won a gold medal and trophy for Commercial White Wine at the New Zealand International Show following up on the gold medal and trophy for Champion Other White Variety at the Bragato Wine Competition – both awards for their 2009 Viognier ($21.90 and available at good wine stores). The all female winemaking team of Trudy and Wietske are bursting with pride about this wine as they are with the seductively drinkable 2010 Pinot Rose ($18.50).

Milcrest Estate 2010 sauvignon blanc is a bright flavoursome delight. Packed with big ripe fruit flavours and balanced beautifully with juicy acidity this wine from label that has only been around for a couple of years really caught my attention as did the lovely ripe, fresh flavours delivered by the Kina Cliffs Vineyard 2010 sauvignon blanc.

While on the subject of Kina Cliffs they have a stunning premium 2009 Reserve Pinot Noir ($45). Again lovely full fruit flavours with a savoury twist and silky tannins make this one stand out from the crowd.

Some old favourites continue to deliver great wines. Greenhough Vineyards must be the producer most under-rated by the public. Fellow winemakers and critics hold them in high regard and they deliver wines that are exceptional value for money. Hand crafted wines like their 2009 Greenhough Hope Pinot Blanc ($30), the delicate yet highly aromatic 2009 Gewurztraminer and refreshing 2010 Greenhough Apple Valley Riesling reinforce the reliable quality of their chardonnay and pinot noirs.

Kaimira Estate Brightwater 2009 Pinot Gris has a luscious mouthfeel and is bursting with spiced pear and ginger characters.

Nelson winemakers have continued to develop their craft and that means you and I can buy Nelson wines with a huge amount of confidence when we see them on the shelf.

I have been drinking

Seifried Estate 2010 Gruner Veltiner - $21 at Casa del Vino and the cellar door

Gruner Veltliner is a European aromatic variety being trialled in Nelson by a couple of growers and this version is not only the first to hit the market it is the first with the new look Seifried label. Made in very limited quantities and fermented to dry with powdery minerality and soft acidity to round out the floral flavours this will make delightful summer drinking.

Brancott Reserve Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc - RRP$23.95
In with the new - Brancott Estate – and out with the old – Montana. And to launch the new name they have a bright new label as well. Furthermore it is what the label says it is, sparkling sauvignon blanc with bright, fresh, round and satisfying capsicum based flavours. This is an easy drinking wine that has enough acidity to cleanse the palate before you tuck into something serious.

Tohu Wines

2010-10-14T08:32:00.001+13:00

Over many years Wakatu Incorporation, the investment and business vehicle for a number of local Iwi, has invested heavily in the future of the Nelson region while also investing in the future of its people in a number of ways; they have provided education opportunities and have developed their own businesses to provide employment opportunities.

In recent times we have heard quite a bit about their investment in aquaculture research and development in association with The Cawthron Institute but Wakatu Incorporation also now owns all of Tohu Wines (Check out this web site - it is worth a click to visit). They have always had a big stake in this wine business but recently bought out their partners and have set about restructuring and further developing the business.

One of the first things they did after they took full ownership was employ Mike Brown, chairman of Nelson Winegrowers Association and former winemaker at Waimea Estates, as their new CEO. A couple of weeks ago I spent an afternoon with Mike, Tohu Wines winemaker, Bruce Taylor, and the man responsible for turning approx 33ha of gorse covered hillsides in the Moutere Hills into vineyards, Jonny Hiscox.

All three of these people are relatively youthful in terms of their outlook on life and want to create something for future generations. They are prepared to try some slightly different things (don’t tell Jonny it can’t be done!) and I am sure we will see Mike’s hand in new aromatic varieties planned for the future.

Jonny loves growing things and his passion for the land goes well beyond planting grape vines, he has made sure the irrigation pond also support wildlife and has planted around 10,000 native trees, shrubs, flaxes and grasses in various areas around the vineyard that will provide material for traditional Maori cultural uses.

Of the 60ha of scrub covered land available only 33ha was able to be planted in vines and the plan for the balance is to get rid of gorse and plant more indigenous trees and plants and develop some low maintenance amenity areas.

Murray Moffatt is a vital team member in the vineyard and in his very reserved manner said the place has ‘a really nice feel’. If you meet Murray you will know that this simple statement really means Wakatu Incorporation and Tohu Wines are creating something very special in the Moutere Hills.

The delightful vineyard is only part of developing a great wine brand of the future, making good wine is also pretty important and the attention to detail going into this vineyard development will ensure Tohu Wines can expand the range of fine wines they currently produce, predominantly from fruit grown on their Awatere Valley vineyards in Marlborough. Watch this space.

Finally if you haven’t got your ticket yet to the annual regional tasting at The Boathouse on Tuesday next week contact Gisela at Nelson Wineart. Phone 021-1010-366

I have been drinking

Tohu 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - $19.90
This wine recently picked up a gold medal and the trophy for best sauvignon blanc in show at the Bragato Wine Awards. Rather than being a big punchy wine this has elegantly restrained aromas but with beautifully clean apple, gooseberry and lemongrass flavours. Plenty of balanced, ripe acidity and a streak of minerality in the finish make this a perfect match with seafood. A classy wine at a great price.

Ti Point 2010 Rosé – RRP $21.90
Made from merlot grapes grown on the Matakana Coast this is a delightful reminder summer is only a few rainy days away. Pretty in the glass, pretty floral aromas and pretty creamy summer fruit flavours with a twist of lime in the finish adds up to something a lot more than a pretty wine. This is a serious wine to enjoy on a warm, sunny afternoon.

Gort Vintners

2010-10-14T08:21:00.000+13:00

In the last couple of weeks we have seen the incredible New Zealand ability to support those affected by the earthquake disaster in Canterbury but a few months ago, on a much smaller scale, winemakers in Marlborough showed the same generosity in helping one of their own.

Gordon (Gort) Forshaw from Gort Vintners in Marlborough lost about $40,000 through the theft of stock and damage caused by partying thieves who smashed bottles, glued bottles to walls threw paint bombs and scrawled graffiti on walls in his Blenheim warehouse before making off with 86 cases of wine along with a five hundred litre tank and several barrels of wine.

However there is a silver lining for this battler from Blenheim. The local industry, co-ordinated by Mike Just from Clayridge Wines, donated wine to help Gort get back on his feet and the wine has been released under the Gort Vintners label as the Wine Thief range.

Being able to have a bit of fun has helped Gort move on from the wonton vandalism he suffered and part of that fun has been putting together a case of wine called The Court Case Jury’s Decision which includes gems like Magistrates Merlot (Hawke’s Bay fruit), Ripped Off Riesling (Waipara), Guilty Gewurztraminer (Marlborough), Stolen Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough) and Pilfered Pinot Gris (Marlborough).

There are 250 cases of The Court Case Jury’s Decision available and while there will be a mix of wines in each case with the exact mix depending on wines left. Receiving your case will be a bit like waiting for the jury’s decision! A few days ago I sat down with Gort and tasted the range of wines and I can tell you they are all very well made, flavoursome wines that will not disappoint and at $140 delivered to your door are exceptional value.

You can order a case by contacting Gort (gort@ihug.co.nz), 03-579-5506 or from Clayridge Wines.

On the Nelson scene if you would like to taste a wide range of new release wines from Nelson then get your ticket to the annual Nelson WineArt tasting at the Boathouse on the 5th October. More than 20 wineries will be there showing off their latest release wines and maybe a few older wines as well.

Tickets are $35 and include a glass to take home, delightful nibbles and tastings of dozens of wines. This event is growing in popularity and tickets are selling out earlier each year so get yours quickly at http://www.nelsonwineart.co.nz/ or by calling the organiser, Gisela, on 021-1010-3566. See you there!

I have been drinking

Mt Difficulty Dry Riesling 2009
We are seeing plenty of ripe fruit-driven styles of riesling on the shelves these days but well made, balanced dry wines like this are still one of my favourite styles and Mt Difficulty are geniuses at producing it year-after-year. Fermented to absolute dry and with a little late harvest riesling added to the final blend this treads the delicate dry acid/fruit sweetness balance line with precision. With aromatic citrus blossom, touches of apple and firm lemon/lime flavours this is fantastic. It is only available from the cellar door for about $25 so contact them and make up a mixed case of Central Otago delights. Maybe include the sweeter Target Gully riesling and a few bottles of affordable premium Pinot Noir. http://www.mtdifficulty.co.nz/

Gort Vintners Magistrates Merlot 2008 - $28
This is now only available as part of the Court Case Jury’s Verdict pack (two bottles in each pack) and is a cracker. Made from Hawke’s Bay fruit from a single vineyard this unfiltered, unfined wine is packed with big punchy berryfruit, plum and toast flavours with talcum powder fine tannins and a touch of acidity to make your taste buds want ‘just another glass please’.

New wine labels

2010-10-14T08:11:00.001+13:00

I have come across a couple of labels in the last few weeks that are new to me and I think they are both worth talking about. One is from Nelson and one from Central Otago.
Auburn Wines only produce riesling with the ambition of building a portfolio of rieslings from each of the sub-regions of Central Otago, wines that express the site differentiation. Each wine in this selection of rieslings will be named after their respective sub-regions (Lowburn only from 2009, Lowburn and Alexandra from 2010, and Lowburn, Alexandra, Bendigo and Northburn for 2011). The intention is to make this regional selection in a very clean and pure style so the key differences will be imparted by soil and climate conditions rather than winemaker influence.

Rounding out the range will be a selection of wines that have had some winemaker influence. The incorporation of botrytis, indigenous ferments, skin contact and other influences will add variety to the pure styles of the regional selection and satisfy the winemaker’s desire to experiment. The “Twilight” from 2009 (harvested from the same site as the Lowburn, except with botrytis fruit and skin contact) is a great example but is unfortunately sold out.

In keeping with the boutique nature of the business only 1000 bottles of each wine will be produced. Find out more at www.auburnwines.co.nz .

The second label is local, Gareth and Alex Partington’s Partington Wines label. They purchased a lovely parcel of land in Wills Road, Upper Moutere about eight years ago and have since developed a BioGro certified organic vineyard. The small selection of wines is fully organic, BioGro certified and made in a truly artisan manner.

I particularly like this quote from their website “We believe the extra "hands-on" care we take at every stage allow this wine to express the subtleties of Nelson sunshine and our love and passion for creating an organic wine that treads lightly on the land.”

The wines currently on offer include 2007 ($38.00) and 2008 ($49.50) Pinot Noirs and 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($24.00)

It is winemakers like Gareth and Alex Partington who make the wine industry so interesting. They are investing huge amounts of energy into creating artisan wines that gives us, the consumers, something exciting to look forward to. This is a new label worth exploring now and following in future years, I certainly will be.

Find out more about them and buy their wines at http://www.partingtonwines.co.nz/

I have been drinking

Partington 2008 Pinot Noir ($49.50) – sealed with a cork
The bronze medal this was awarded at the Liquorland International Wine Competition this year is only the beginning for this wine. Bright spiced dark cherry aromas are seductive and the taste is simply packed with flavour and complexity. Fine tannins provide the backbone for the flavours to hang from while a nice twist of minerality in the background adds even more complexity. A super, handcrafted wine that is worth searching for.

Auburn ‘Lowburn’ 2009 Riesling - $28 from the winery
Made from fruit sourced from 16 year old vines in Lowburn this is a pure expression of riesling grown in the region. The 31gms/ltr of residual sugar are delightfully balanced with low pH, ripe acidity. Delicate floral citrus aromas and flavours will be suppressed if you over-chill the wine but enjoy this lower alcohol wine (9%) late on a Sunday afternoon in the bright sprin

Events and new releases

2010-10-13T20:53:00.001+13:00

We are getting to the time of the year where all sorts of interesting things are happening. I know it is early but we can feel spring in the air as the days get noticeably longer and the temperatures are warming up. There is bound to be a sting in winter’s tail but a bit more sunshine makes us feel a bit more positive and encourages us to get out and about a bit.

We are seeing 2010 vintage wines on the shelves with some exciting new wines, there are dinners to attend, courses to gather information from and of course wine to enjoy.

NMIT’s restaurant, The Rata Room, has a number of events coming up. On the 1st September they have a degustation dinner with Fleur Sullivan from the well known and highly regarded Fleur’s Place at Moeraki on the east coast near Oamaru. Located in the most stunning location on the wharf at Moeraki Fleur’s is one of the best places to enjoy New Zealand’s great seafood. The last dinner Fleur created at The Rata Room was outstanding and this is an event not to be missed.

Also at The Rata Room NMIT’s hospitality training team have joined forces with Nelson Wine Art to deliver a series of seminars to help you learn about wine. The first session in the series of six is on the 31st August 7.00pm – 9.00pm where I will host an introduction to wine tasting then each Tuesday for the following five weeks a different winemaker will help you explore a range of wine varieties. The cost is $150 for the whole series and you get to taste about six wines at each session. Book your space by calling 0800-422-733.

On the new release front one of the most exciting new wines to be released in Nelson for some time is a variety new to this region, Muscat. Blackenbrook Vineyards planted what they believe to be the first Muscat vines in the South Island a few years ago and this first release is stunning. Most people are familiar with Muscat as a dessert wine produced widely in Australian and European warmer climates.

As the Nelson region is considered a cool climate region for grape growing planting the vines was very much experimental but the results have been outstanding and reinforce this region’s ability to extract wonderful flavours from aromatic style wine varieties.

Finally a few days ago I had the somewhat dubious pleasure of judging a cooking and wine and food matching competition at the Katrina Gordon Trade Show. Local celebrities were asked to recreate a dish prepared by a chef and then match a wine with the dish. A lot of fun was had by everyone, the results were somewhat mixed and Jonathan Poff and Afeleki Pelenisi from the Makos emerged from the carnage as the winner by making a fine job of recreating NMIT Tutor Matt Fahie’s Venison dish and matching it with Kaimira Estate 2008 Pinot Noir.

I have been drinking

Blackenbrook Vineyard 2010 Muscat - $23 from Casa del Vino and Mediterranean Foods

This is a highly aromatic wine with aromas that excite the senses. It is bursting with rich, floral and spicy Turkish delight and orange blossom aromas that are reflected in the sweet, intense flavours. Delightfully balanced with soft minerality and tantalising ginger spice flavours in the very long finish with ripe acidity that leaves your mouth watering for more of this luscious delight. I will be drinking plenty of this fantastic wine in the coming summer months.

Millton Opou Vineyard 2008 Riesling - $27.50 but look for it on special for about $20

8.5% alcohol, plenty of succulent residual sugar and delicately balanced acidity make this the perfect aperitif. Luscious honeyed citrus flavours mean it will also work very well with seafood.

Tyrrels Wines Dinner in Christchurch

2010-10-13T20:09:00.000+13:00

One of the little bonuses, and they are very pleasant little bonuses, that come my way because I have the onerous task of writing a few words about wine is the occasional dinner invitation, even if I do have to travel to Christchurch to partake.

As well as making great wines Greg and Amanda Day from Kahurangi Estate have another string to their bow, Kahurangi International Selections is the brand that imports and distributes a range of international wines. One of these labels is Tyrrell’s Wines from Australia and last week they hosted a number of luncheons and dinners in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch where aged and current release Tyrrell’s wines were served with six courses of delightful food.

Sari and I were invited to the Christchurch dinner held at Riccarton House and sat with Bruce Tyrrell, the fourth generation owner of Tyrrell’s Wines, and Graeme Stringer, the wine writer from The Press. You can probably guess that we talked about all sorts of things happening in the wine industry in both New Zealand and Australia over dinner.

Tyrrell’s Wines were established in 1858 but didn’t start selling their wines under their own label until 1959 and since then have helped shape the Australian wine industry. They were the first to open a cellar door for wine sales so you could argue they started wine tourism in Australia. While Tyrrell’s Wines home is in the Hunter Valley, north easy of Sydney, they have vineyards in most of the premium wine growing regions in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Selecting premium vineyard sites in each region means they can produce a wide range of wine varieties and styles.

At dinner we were treated to Tyrrell’s Vat 1 Semillon 2002 ($79.99, 13 gold medals) as an aperitif. Dry in style with balanced juicy citrus flavoured acidity and a powdery texture the dried apricot and slight kerosene age characters set the scene for the rest of the meal. Tyrrell’s semillons dominate this category at all of the wine shows in Australia. The first wine served with food was the highly awarded Belford Semillon 2004 ($49.99, 3 trophies, seven gold medals) and the luscious cooked lime and soft acidity were perfectly matched to a fillet of Akaroa salmon.

The Rufus Stone Heathcote Shiraz 2008 ($29.99) has just collected a gold medal at the Decanter international Wine Show in London and is being served by the glass in many London Restaurants, including the Grill Room at The Dorchester Hotel. This is a big wine but avoids being sweet and jammy. A little viognier in the ferment has given the wine freshness with some mouth-watering acidity and lashings of white pepper to balance the bright Berryfruit flavours. The match with Pepper cured beef fillet was perfect.

Tyrrell’s Wines are available from FreshChoice and New World supermarkets or from the cellar door at Kahurangi Estate.

I have been drinking

Knappstein Watervale Riesling 2005 - $20
From the Clare Valley in South Australia this is classic Clare riesling. Floral citrus aromas, rich lemon and lime flavours that are well balanced with low pH acidity. Lashings of minerality tie it all together. If you are a riesling lover then get your hands on some. I got mine from Liquor King in Christchurch but you won’t have to look too far to find it locally.

Edmond Briottet Crème de Cassis - from Casa del Vino
Ribena on steroids! From Dijon in France this blackcurrent based liqueur is fantastic straight-up or add a little hot water for a delightful winter hot toddy. In the spring add a cube of ice and soda water for a refreshing aperitif.

Wine & Food Matching

2010-08-04T16:53:00.001+12:00

When we start talking about wine and food matching it can get more than a little confusing and I often see people’s eyes glaze over, however the more you try it the better at it you will get.

There is one very general rule that the wine and food matching beginner can follow and that is ‘white wine with white meat and seafood and red wine with red meat’. This is a great place to start but if you don’t like red wine you will need to find a white that can work with red meat and that is where the fun starts.

When you start thinking beyond ‘white with white and red with red’ I recommend thinking on a regional basis. For me it makes sense that foods grown in a particular area will work well with wines grown and produced in the same climate. Once again this is a very general rule but is a good place to start.

It makes sense that in Marlborough where sauvignon blanc is the dominant regional wine it is likely to work well with green shell mussels, the dominant seafood produced in the region. Then if you consider what foods were produced successfully in Marlborough before grapes dominated the landscape then it makes sense that lamb and cherries are good matches with pinot noir, another wine produced to a high standard in Marlborough.

Consider Hawke’s Bay and the best wines in my opinion are the fuller style red wines, syrah and merlot in particular but chardonnay is also a successful variety in the region. Some of the country’s best beef is produced in the region and fuller style reds work very well with beef. As an alternative a fuller style chardonnay also works well with beef.

Nelson is New Zealand’s largest seafood port and the aromatic style wines produced here like pinot gris, sauvignon blanc and riesling are a good match with seafood. Give me a dozen sweet, succulent Nelson scallops with a flavour packed pinot gris and I am in heaven. Nelson also produces a wide range of pip fruits and berry fruits as well as lamb so if you are thinking about an apple based dessert consider a fruiter style riesling to pair with it.

In Central Otago rabbits used to rule the landscape so it is no surprise that the pinot noir grown there works well with rabbit. Stonefruits like apricots grown in the region work well with riesling, a variety that performs also well there. We also relate fantastic cherries with Central Otago and cherry flavours are often found in pinot noir.

Are you starting to get the idea? These are very basic guidelines because each region can produce a wide range of foods and wine styles but if you want to explore wine and food matching then regional thinking isn’t a bad place to start.

I have been drinking.

Trinity Hill 2008 Arneis
A specialty of the Piedmont region in the North West of Italy where the variety was saved from extinction this is a floral delight. With spicy characters reminiscent of gewurztraminer with lean, minerality in the mid-palate this is an aromatic wine that is drinking beautifully right now and is worth searching for.

Petit Bourgeois 2008 Sauvignon Blanc
Don’t expect this Loire Valley, France wine to taste like a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. The flavours are fresh and green in character. By ‘green’ I mean flavours like green table grapes and nettles rather than unripe grapes. Without harsh acidity but with lovely powdery minerality this is a great apperitf.

New Varieties

2010-07-14T19:03:00.001+12:00

2010 vintage wines are starting to hit the retail shelves about now and I can’t wait to wrap my tastebuds around them. The release of the first new seasons wines seems to arrive quite quickly after harvest but about now it seems like we have to wait ages for them, even though the better sauvignon blancs are only a matter of week away.

While I have been talking to winemakers and vineyard owners about the 2010 vintage a number of them have told me about different varieties they are trialling. Trying new things in vineyards and wineries is simply part of making better wine but adding varieties that are common in Europe comes with both risk and reward. The risk is that the variety simply doesn’t deliver the flavour profiles when planted here but when they do deliver the results can be outstanding.

Another risk is that you and I are less likely to pick a wine off the shelf if it has a name we don’t recognise, for example what does Grüner Veltliner taste like – sweet, dry, fruity, austere, oaky, citrus, stonefruit? Is it a red wine or a white wine?

Now being grown in small quantities in Nelson Grüner Veltliner is a white aromatic style wine commonly grown in Austria. Regarded as a perfect food wine it is expected the variety will do well in Nelson’s cool climate and I can’t wait to find out. Waimea Estates have produced a very small trial batch this year that is highly unlikely to be sold but I am going to twist a few arms and get my hands on a bottle later in the year.

The Spanish variety Albarino is also being trialled in the region. Best known for red varieties Albarino is regarded as one of the few white varieties that produces reasonable white wine in Spain. Again, its fresh, crisp peachy characters are expected to suit Nelson’s climate.

In Nelson’s cooler climate varieties like cabernet sauvignon and merlot have limited success because, other than in little microclimate spots in the region, we don’t have enough heat for the fruit to develop fully ripe characters. However varieties like montepulciano from Italy and zweigelt from Austria deliver great flavour in our cooler climate. You will find fine examples of these at Blackenbrook Vineyards (montepulciano) and Seifried Estate (zweilgelt – bottled under the Sylvia label by Seifrieds). Others are also trialling monetipulciano so watch this space with interest.

The Italian variety dolcetto is being grown with some success by Golden Hills and again is also being trialled by other growers in the region.

Nelson may be very well known for it’s chardonnay, riesling, pinot gris, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, dessert wines and to a lesser extent gewurztraminer but the pioneering attitude of the family owned wine producers in the region means there are lots more treats in store for you and me in the years to come.

I have been drinking

If you want to know how the use of different oak affects a wine get your hands on both of these and find out for yourself. Using the same juice, the same ratio of new oak to older, both wines were fermented with the same yeast and all winemaking processes were the same – except for the oak.

Saint Clair 2009 Omaka Reserve Chardonnay (RRP $32.95)

Fermented in American oak barrels this has a rich, generous mouthfeel, a hint of creaminess with underlying stone fruit flavours. A delicious wine.

Saint Clair Pioneer Block 10 Twin Hills 2009 Chardonnay (RRP $29.95)

Fermented using French oak barrels this is rather more restrained with delightful minerality, tropical fruit flavours with hints of fresh baked biscuits in the aromas. Beautifully elegant.

Wine Tours

2010-07-14T18:54:00.001+12:00

Sari (my partner) and I organise a fundraising dinner each year for The Suter Art Gallery and for my sins she auctions me off to the highest bidder; that is she auctions my services as a tour guide.

Arranging tours of wineries is not something I normally do, in fact this is the only one I do each year as there are commercial operators out there who do a fine job catering for tour groups.

Each year I make sure the tour has a focus on something in particular and this year it was aromatic style wines. First stop was Te Mania Wines and Richmond Plains where David Holmes introduced us to a white wine made from red grapes (Richmond Plains Blanc de Noir made from pinot noir fruit) and talked about organic production.

I thought 10am might be a bit early to be tasting wines but not for this heroic bunch, they approached the task with gusto as David lead them through a tasting of finished wines and tank samples. The tank samples proved just how good the last harvest was with all of the wines bursting with clean, pure varietal flavours.

Back in the van at 11am and off to Blackenbrook Wines at Tasman where co-owner and winemaker Daniel Schwarzenbach showed us around his winery, talked about how he makes wine and let my bunch of wine lovers taste some of his product, comparing finished wines with new season tank samples. The group were astounded at Daniel’s passion and dedication to quality in everything he does. For me Blackenbrook’s 2007 reserve gewürztraminer was the best match with the still warm home baked bread Ursula produced for us.

12.30pm meant arrival at Neudorf Vineyards for lunch and a wine tasting and chat with Tim and Judy Finn. Tim is widely regarded as one of the country’s premiere winemakers who has an affinity with the environment that contributes so much to the flavours and textures delivered in every bottle of Neudorf wine and for this group the chance to sit down over lunch (in the sun believe it or not) and chat with him about his winemaking philosophy, the continual search for new techniques, technologies and research to help improve his product was a unique opportunity.

By 3pm we were driving through bitterly cold pouring rain heading to Seifried Estate to meet Chris Seifried who not only talked with passion and a deep understanding of the things that make Seifried Estate the success they are but he simply couldn’t resist pouring ‘just one more’ tank or barrel sample. Learning about the almost extreme lengths they go to in making Sweet Agnes Riesling in an ice wine style showed us how even a large winery puts huge effort into creating something very special.

5.15pm and my tour group was tucked up in the warmth of their homes and I got to put my feet up for another year.

I have been drinking

Golden Hills 2009 Dolcetto - $34.90 from the winery

I have been following this wine for a couple of years and I am just as impressed with the latest release as I have been with previous versions. Medium to full palate weight and packed with elegant cherry and aniseed flavours. A delight

Morton Estate ‘The Regent of Morton’ 2002 - $54.99 but on special for $21.99 at Freshchoice Nelson City

This eight year old blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc is a beauty. The age means the flavours have had time to get to know one another, the tannins are still firm but are nicely integrated into the refined mouthfeel and to top it off you can save $33. Fantastic wine at a fantastic price.

Wine Lists

2010-07-14T18:48:00.001+12:00

For the last few years I have been asked to judge the annual Hospitality Awards Outstanding Wine List award and this year’s task was the most difficult to date.

It has always been challenging comparing wine lists from café/bars with those from formal style restaurants but this year the step up in wines being offered was significant.

When deciding the best wine list I considered a number of criteria with an over-riding consideration for balance. By balance I mean does the list have something for everyone and does it reflect the focus of the establishment. For example I don’t expect a bar to offer the same high value wine I would expect to see on a fine dining style restaurant list but I do expect them to offer wines that reflect the style of food they serve, the price point their customers expect to pay and have a selection of Nelson, New Zealand and international wines.

Just because these establishments are in Nelson it doesn’t mean they should have only Nelson wines on their lists. I think they should have a good representation of Nelson wine but when I go out I also like to drink wine from other regions in New Zealand and I like to try wines from overseas. For example Nelson is not really suited to making full bodied red wines so there should be a choice from Hawke’s Bay or Australia to pair with a rich steak.

In recent years wine marketing companies have been putting a lot of effort into helping the industry offer you, the consumer, better choices and the owners have been investing in more and higher quality stock holdings. This raises another issue faced by the industry, consumer reluctance to pay reasonable money for wines they serve.

I can understand people thinking ‘why should I pay x when I can buy it for y in the supermarket?’ The answer is simply that the establishment has to invest in the stock and have it sitting on the shelf so you can have choices, they need to provide and clean glassware, replace glassware broken by customers, have trained and licensed staff (who they need to pay more to), meet liquor licensing requirements and finally they are a business that needs to make a profit.

The wine lists I judged this year showed that owners are prepared to invest in good product so you can have choices when buying wine in a bar, a café or a restaurant. They are also putting a lot of effort into helping you make good wine buying decisions with many establishments now including a description of the wine so you know whether it is sweet, dry, full bodied or rich and fruity. Some are also making wine match suggestions on their menus so when you are deciding what to eat you can choose a wine the chef thinks will go well with the dish.

When you are dining at one of our fantastic hospitality venues have a closer look at the wine list, you just might be surprised at the well considered selection you have to choose from.

By the way this year’s winner was Hopgood’s Restaurant and Bar.

I have been drinking

Chateau Marguerite Fronton 2007 - $24.95 from Mediterranean Foods

From the South West area of France this is a delightfully rich wine. With plums, prunes, black berry fruit flavours, firm but balanced tannins and a long satisfying finish this is a cracker.

Petaluma 2008 Hanlin Hill Riesling - $28

I bought my bottle of this from Liquor King in Christchurch but it is worth searching for if riesling is your thing. From the Clare Valley in Australia this is a rich, powerful dry wine. Packed with ripe citrus and mineral characters and has a nice oily texture. Great now and perfect for the cellar.

Neudorf Vineyards 30th Anniversary Dinner at Hopgoods restaurant

2010-07-14T18:41:00.002+12:00

Thirty years ago this month Tim and Judy Finn completed their first vintage at Neudorf Vineyards and to celebrate this milestone and a year packed with awards and accolades they joined forces with Cuisine Restaurant of the Year category winner, Hopgood’s Restaurant, to present a celebration dinner.

Over the years Neudorf Vineyards has proved to be one of New Zealand’s leading producers of fine wine and a long history of top accolades has been added to in the last 12 months; named New Zealand’s Greatest Winery for 2009 in The Wine Report by Tom Stevenson, Winner of Champion White Wine at the Tri Nations in Sydney (also winner of the Chardonnay Trophy and runner up for the Riesling Trophy), Decanter magazine chose Neudorf Chardonnay as ‘New Zealand’s Best’ and Michael Cooper awarded all the Neudorf Moutere wines Five Stars in his indispensible Guide to NZ Wine.

The six course celebration dinner was held on the 10th May and each course was matched with a premium Neudorf wine. I would like to say ‘my favourite course was xyz’ but I can’t, all of the food was simply outstanding and the careful pairing of the wines made sure the dinner was simply faultless.

Some of the delights about 80 diners enjoyed included dishes like Smoked Venison carpaccio with a fried quails egg, creamy celeriac and beet jelly served with Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2007’ followed by ‘Salmon and crayfish ravioli with watercress, apple & fennel salad and sorrel cream paired with Neudorf Moutere Chardonnay 2004’

The skill and imagination of Kevin Hopgood and his head chef Aaron Ballantyne were displayed throughout the entire meal with little treats like the quail eggs that were poached, removed from the shell, crumbed then quickly deep fried and duck that can be quite dry but in this case was rich and succulent.

As to the wines, well they were as good as we expected – refined and elegant. One thing that did make me sit up and take note was the pinot gris. From the 2005 vintage the Neudorf Moutere version reminded me that good pinot gris can age magnificently.

In recent years pinot gris has had plenty of bad press (from me included) because there are a number of bland, boring, flavourless versions being sold for about $10 or less however when made well from grapes grown with care and attention pinot gris can be a super wine and will age beautifully. Buy a good version, put it in the cellar or cupboard for a few years and be pleasantly surprised.

To top it off for Neudorf Vineyards the dinner was held about a week after one of the best vintages ever in the region came to an end.

These two outstanding Nelson businesses are proof that quality will always shine.

To see what is happening at Neudorf or to check out the stunning vineyards go to their website and have a look at the live webcam images. Tim moves the camera occasionally, depending on what is happening on any day.

I have been drinking

Neudorf Moutere Pinot Gris 2009 - $28 at the cellar door

This is a luscious wine designed to last the distance. It has enough acidity to hold the fruit flavours together while the full palate weight continues to develop complexity that results from extended yeast lees contact. Bursting with spiced nashi pear and quince flavours and a little twist of ginger in the background this is delightful autumn drinking right now. Perfect with cheese.

Blackenbrook Vineyards Pinot Gris 2009 - $23.90 at the cellar door

This is another wine designed to stand the test of time. The big, rich mouthfeel is there predominantly because of the huge 15% alcohol. The alcohol is high because the sugars have been fermented out resulting in a drier style wine packed with ripe flavours but without being too sweet. A beautifully balanced delight.

Riedel Glassware

2010-05-12T09:14:00.001+12:00

I think it is pretty safe to assume that we all know drinking from a glass is much more satisfying and a far greater experience than drinking from a recycled jam jar but does using the right glass improve the wine?

Improve the wine, no, but improve the enjoyment of the wine, absolutely. A couple of weeks ago I attended a Riedel (pronounced ‘reedle’ like ‘needle’) tasting at Casa del Vino where the focus wasn’t on the wine but on the glassware the wine was served in. While it sounds a bit poncy saying you must serve each variety of wine in the correct glass, the correct glass does make a difference to the way we taste a wine.

While the science is quite simple Riedel have dedicated decades of research to the development exquisite glassware that makes a difference to how we taste wine. In short here is how it works; different parts of our tongue taste different flavour components and a glass shaped to deliver the wine to the tongue in just the right spot changes how we experience the flavour and texture of a wine.

With sauvignon blanc for example a glass with a narrower opening at the top will deliver wine to the centre of the tongue first so we can taste the sweet fruit of the wine before the crisp acidity kicks in. If you taste the same wine from a glass with a wide opening where the wine is delivered to the whole tongue the acid totally dominates the experience and you miss out on the sweeter fruit burst.

This principle can be applied to each variety of wine, red or white.

Taking an oaky chardonnay as another example, drinking this style from a glass with a wide opening means the wine is delivered to all parts of the tongue at the same time and in this case you experience a full range of flavours at the same time. Using a glass with a narrow opening puts the focus on bitter oak components that are sensed at the back of our tongue and makes the wine taste quite bitter rather than full and rounded.

There are many other little things that make Rieldel glassware both perfect and expensive, like being made with a large component of lead crystal and they have cut and polished rims rather than chunky rolled rims so the wine pours nicely from the glass and they are beautiful to both look at and use – form and function.

Yes they are very pricy at $50+ a glass but if you look after them they will last for many years and will enhance every glass of wine you drink or you can pay a lot of money for one bottle of wine and serve it from average glassware.

My advice is buy a few Riedel glasses to suit the wine you drink most often and then have a set of good quality multi purpose glasses you can use for other wines. Ann and Mark at Casa del Vino can help you choose the right glassware for your use.

I have been drinking

Saint Clair Marlborough Riesling 2009 ($20.95)

Bursting with ripe lime and grapefruit aromas with lashings of minerality and a full citrus palate this is a true delight. That minerality and fresh but ripe acidity in the finish makes this worth putting in your shopping basket.

La Strada Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007 - $34.90 from O’Neill’s Gourmet Butchery and Deli at the Richmond Mall.

Made by those pinot geniuses at Fromm Winery this wine is a beauty. Layers of ripe spiced cherry, subtle mushroom, black liquorice and delicate oak are complimented by just enough juicy acidity to make one glass simply not enough.

2010 Grape Harvest in Nelson

2010-05-06T09:41:00.002+12:00

The 2010 wine grape harvest in the Nelson region is winding down with the vast majority of fruit safely harvested and being processed in wineries. Each year I spend some time visiting wineries in the region tasting freshly pressed and partially fermented juice to get an overview of the quality of the fruit being harvested and the likely quality of the finished product.

I can tell you that this year I have tasted some of the most flavoursome juice I have ever tasted in the region. Not only were the harvested grapes in pristine condition but they are packed with incredibly pure varietal flavours. In fact the word ‘purity’ is one word you will read a lot more of in this column in future months.

It can be difficult sometimes to predict what a finished wine will be like when you taste the fresh juice because often the true flavours are disguised by high sugar characters (sugars are fermented into alcohol so the sweetness we see now is reduced markedly as the juice is turned into wine). This is often the case with varieties like pinot gris where you can’t really taste fruit flavours at this stage, however this year the pinot gris juice I tasted is already bursting with ripe pear and spiced quince characters that are clean and pure - no honeyed botrytis characters to overshadow the fruit.

Neudorf Vineyards are celebrating their 30th vintage this year and when I spent some time with Tim Finn and winemaker John Kavanagh last week they were smiling contentedly as we tasted the fresh juice, it will be a vintage of superb quality to mark the 30 year milestone.

Daniel Schwarzenbach from Blackenbrook Vineyards has a smile from ear-to-ear as he proudly lets me taste juice that has such delightful balance and flavour purity that you could almost bottle it now as grape juice, something I would not normally be saying about wine grape juice.

Pat Stowe from Rimu Grove Wines had a similar beaming smile as we tasted some fantastic freshly pressed juice while he declared it was the very best fruit he has seen in the history of Rimu Grove.

Even the notoriously cautious Hermann Seifried from Seifried Estate is happy to talk about the great quality of this year’s vintage. He does however caution that even if producers make great wine this year they still need to sell it and the international market is still very fickle.

It doesn’t matter how good this vintage has been it will be remembered in this region for the tragic loss of viticulturist David McIntosh who has made a significant contribution to the local industry. The whole industry has been affected by the tragedy but none more so than the team at Greenhough Vineyards where he was a close friend as well as a workmate. The industry’s thoughts are with David’s family and his workmates.

No 1 Family Estate Remy Cuvee - RRP $55
Made by bubbly guru Daniel Le Brun and named after their 21 year old son Remy this is a real treat. The wine is lively, fresh, delicate and complex at the same time. Fresh apples in the aromas with just enough lively acidity in the luscious palate and a satisfying biscuity finish make it a delight.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Hawke’s Bay 2009 Viognier – RRP $21.99
It already has a gold medal and trophy hanging from its belt and I think we can expect it to win many more. A luscious palate weight packed with flavours of spiced quince, yellow peach and just a touch of honey combine to make a multi-layered wine of great complexity. Perfect autumn drinking.

Blended White Wines

2010-04-16T20:54:00.001+12:00

A couple of years ago I commented on the production of blended white wine and noted at the time that “blending different wine varieties and styles has happened all over the world for centuries, all in the name of producing a finished product that is better than the individual parts.”

We see this approach in France where Bordeaux red wines are generally made from blending four red wine varieties; they still produce single varietals like Merlot but blends tend to dominate in this famous region. Winemakers have also been blending the white varieties of semillon and sauvignon blanc for many years.

In 2006 John Forrest released the first version of his “The White”, a blended white wine that came with a $50 price tag at the time. In developing The White Forrest set out to make a wine with defining characters that are expressively New Zealand – great aromatics and ripe fruit flavours with fresh acidity.

But does it make sense to blend the pure flavours of some white wine varieties with others? I think it does. Take Forrest’s White as an example. This is a blend of seven different white wine varieties and is made using fruit grown in regions of New Zealand best suited to each variety (viognier from the warm, stony Gimblett Gravels, pinot gris from the limestone soils of North Otago’s Waitaki Valley and sauvignon blanc, riesling, chardonnay, chenin blanc and gewürztraminer from Marlborough) and the distinctive characters of each variety contribute flavour and texture components to the finished wine.

The trend for producing blended white wines has increased significantly in the last year or so and while the cynical talk about it being a way to use up surplus juice I think it is a sign that the winemaking industry in New Zealand is starting to find its place in the world.

New Zealand white wines are characterised by a delightful purity and brightness in flavour and winemakers have been working tirelessly to produce the very best varietal wines they can so is there anything wrong with taking beautiful wines with lush fruit flavours from varieties like gewurztraminer and pinot gris and combining them with the purity and fresh acidity of varieties like riesling then maybe adding a twist of complexity with some chardonnay?

Sure, these wines are not a pure varietal expression but when made with thought and balance they can be an expression of everything that is great about New Zealand white wines and I still stand by my earlier thoughts that blending white wines can turn the mundane into the enchanting.

I have been drinking

Waimea Estates 2009 Edel - RRP $21.90

This is a blend of riesling (47%), pinot gris (38%) and gewürztraminer (15%). Combining the spiciness and rich palate weight of gewürztraminer with the fruitiness of and luscious texture of pinot gris along with the purity and freshness of riesling then making sure there is a little bit of residual sugar to balance the acidity has resulted in a wine that is delightful as a late afternoon aperitif, a great match with Asian dishes and perfect with sweet Nelson seafood. Actually, I could just drink this by itself anytime because it offers so many flavours and characters. A thoughtful wine that is super drinking.

Running With Bulls 2008 Barossa Tempranillo - $17.99

It smells like ripe boysenberries overlayed with smoky oak and tastes like blended juicy black berry fruits with a hint of dark chocolate and has lashings of powdery tannins in the finish. If you like ripe Aussie reds without jammy sweetness then this one fits the bill. Fantastic value, easy drinking elegant red with great flavour and balance that is even better on the second night.

Kaimira Wines - 10th vintage

2010-03-31T08:26:00.001+13:00

The vast majority of wine is consumed within a few days of purchase and I must say this tends to be encouraged by many winemakers who tell us to enjoy the young, fresh and vibrant flavours of some wine varieties, sauvignon blanc for example.

Unlike 30 years ago when many wines were imported and because the better wines being sold needed to be cellared for a few years people who were even slightly interested in wine needed to have a cellar to age wines before they could enjoy a reasonable drink.

Today however wine styles have changed significantly, the New Zealand industry has grown beyond all recognition and the quality of readily available, easy to understand, affordable wines has increased exponentially.

All of this means we are now impulse consumers of wine; we buy what we want when we want to consume it. While this is fantastic in many ways we tend to miss out on some of the intriguing magic to be found in aged wines so I always take the opportunity to try older wines when I am offered the chance.

Last weekend I visited Kaimira Estate who are celebrating their tenth anniversary of producing wine. They decided to deal with a small problem they had at the same time. Having the last five or ten cases of a wine floating around a winery causes a few management hassles, the volume left is not really a commercial quantity and it is a nuisance keeping track of them in the store room. So Kaimira decided to sell their ‘bin ends’ at knockdown prices, some for as little as $8 a bottle.

For me however the real treat was that some of these wines were four or five years old and I had the chance to taste them alongside current releases, providing the perfect opportunity to get an insight into how wines made from grapes grown on the same vineyards would change over time.

I have been a fan of Kaimira’s Brightwater Vineyard Riesling from the first time I tasted it, I love the dry minerality with luscious citrus characters but most of all I love the fact it is a dry style wine that allows the aging characters to show in the flavours. They tend to develop a nice oily texture and waxy kerosene characters that can be quite intriguing.

Tasting their 2004 pinot noir was also an eye-opener for me. 2004 was a very wet vintage in the Nelson region and we have not seen many very good wines from it and we certainly have not seen many that stand the test of time, so the fantastic complexity showing in this wine was a real surprise. It is light in colour but has a lush palate weight, is packed with flavour and is perfect drinking right now. Buying it for about $10 a bottle was an opportunity I was not going to miss.

I have been drinking

Kaimira Estate Brightwater Vineyards 2009 Gewurztraminer (about $20 from the winery)

Another great comparison was the 2007 ($18) vs 2009 Kaimira Brightwater vineyards Gewurztraminer. The 2007 was made in a dry (or low residual sugar) style while the 2009 was produced retaining about 30gms/ltr of sugar. Even though it is technically a much sweeter wine juicy acidity provides exceptional balance. This is also a great example of a technically sweet wine that doesn’t taste sweet and is great with food. Try it with blue cheese or Thai food.

Wine releases

2010-03-18T14:38:00.001+13:00

In the wine world we live in these days there is a continual stream of new wines being released by producers all year round, some are sent to market while they are young and fresh while winemakers retain some for release later in the year when the wines have spent a little time resting in bottles.

Red wines in particular are generally released a year or more after being bottled and many winemakers like to make us wait until the flavour and structure components are a little more in sync with each other before we get our hands on varieties like chardonnay and riesling. When they are initially bottled some components dominate others and letting the wine age a little before release gives the wine a chance to show what it is really made of.

Each year there is a race to see who can get the first sauvignon blanc onto the shelves, a practice I am not particularly fond of because I don’t think the wine is being released when it is ready. Some of these wines are ok but they will never be great. Last year we saw a few sauvignon blancs made from grapes harvested in late March and early April hitting the shelves in June, in my opinion way too soon. August, September and October saw a slew of 2009 wines leaving wineries and heading for the shelves and about the same time we started seeing a number of 2008 red wines being offered for sale.

However Neudorf Vineyards always release the sauvignon blanc they make in one year at the beginning of March the following year, just before they start harvesting the next vintage. Why? The complex, weighty style of sauvignon blanc they make takes a little time to reach its peak drinking potential and the Finns want you to enjoy their wines at their best.

Just over 10% of the Neudorf Vineyards 2009 sauvignon blanc ($22) was fermented on old oak barrels to add some texture complexity and the result is a sauvignon with a luscious viscosity to the texture as well as bright fresh tropical fruit flavours.

With the cooler weather we have had this summer the 2010 harvest is running about two weeks late so this year most of the region’s winemakers will get to enjoy Easter working 24/7 in the vineyards and wineries while you and I get to enjoy the early autumn sun. Even though the season is running a little late with an overall slightly lower yield this year (not a bad thing with an oversupply of some varieties) all reports point to fantastic quality in the vineyards.

I have been drinking

Woven Stone Ohau 2009 Sauvignon Blanc – RRP $16-17

This is the first vintage of this wine made from grapes grown near the Ohau river on the Kapiti Coast north of Wellington. Green capsicum tones dominate the aromas and blend delightfully with green apples and passionfruit in the palate. Mouth-watering acidity and a flash of flinty minerality make it dangerously easy to drink.

Neudorf Vineyards 2008 Moutere Pinot Noir - $49 from the cellar door

This wine is made from a blend of fruit grown on Neudorf Vineyards home vineyard and from a small block of vines in Pomona Road and the result is a seductive delight with flavours and textures that flow through your palate. Upfront spiced cherry fruit flavours with a touch of charred oak give way to floral violet tones then the talcum fine tannins and a touch of juicy acidity take over. This wine is very young but has all the hallmarks of a quality pint noir.

Ernst Loosen

2010-03-08T09:05:00.001+13:00

In my last column I wrote about the recent symposium to explore aromatic wines that was hosted by Nelson winemakers. This was the second such symposium and this time the focus was on riesling and gewürztraminer.

One of the international guests at the symposium was Ernst Loosen who was born into a great tradition of German winemaking. In the 1980’s he made the move from archaeology to taking the reins of the 200 year old winemaking dynasty that is Weingut Dr Loosen.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Ernst for an hour or so and talk about his thoughts on New Zealand aromatic style wines. It is obvious that he has thrown himself at the challenge of learning about wine, not just 200 years of tradition at the family estate but also about winemaking around the world. He has taken many things he has seen and learned on his travels and incorporated them into Dr Loosen winemaking today, ensuring that not only is heritage preserved but that it continues to evolve.

This attitude to learning about wine is reflected in his thoughts on New Zealand wines. He is quite firm in his belief that New Zealand winemakers must continue to learn about their land and grape growing conditions so they can make the best possible wine from the best quality grapes their piece of paradise can produce.

This wine could be anything from sweet to dry and austere in style and he says there is no point in trying to make something you think the consumer wants if it is not good quality. The focus should always be on quality and then go out and find a market that wants the style of wine produced. He says, for example, there is no point in trying to sell fruity floral wines in Germany where their tastes are more accustomed to dry style wines.

As we talked about the quality of the wines he tasted in his time here he kept coming back to two wines in particular, Stonecroft Gewurztraminer and Vinoptima Gewurztraminer. To use his words “I was totally impressed by the gewürztraminers, that is the style of gewürztraminer I really like …The Stonecroft and the Vinoptima we had in the tasting, even if they are so different I totally understand the style and would say ‘where is the Munster cheese?, they are fantastic wines”

Ernst also told me he does not drink a lot of gewürztraminer but he was excited about not just the quality of the winemaking but the incredible flavours and structure balance. He says New Zealand winemakers are starting to understand the importance of place and this is reflected in Nick Nobilo from Vinoptima growing just a single variety of grape, gewürztraminer, and making the absolute best example of this variety he can. It shows in the finished product.

His final piece of advice for selling our wines overseas – “not only am I a winemaker I am the average consumer and to sell your wines you need to open them with as many people as possible so they can taste them, if they haven’t tasted them they may not buy them”.

I have been drinking

Olssens 2008 Riesling

From Central Otago this vibrant dry wine has lots of flavour (apple, citrus and subtle honey) with a streak of delightful steely minerality in the finish. This isn’t a shy style, you know you are drinking riesling and you know you are drinking quality.

Big Villa 2007 Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay

Big Villa is the house brand for Advintage Wines who have a reputation for delivering wines that are as they describe them and at great value. In typical chardonnay fashion this is packed with butterscotch and lightly toasted nut characters. Check them out at http://www.advintage.co.nz/ and join their mail list.

Wild South 2009 Chardonnay

2010-02-16T20:37:00.000+13:00

One of the great things about wine is that there are many different ways of treating each grape variety. With chardonnay the winemaker can influence the flavours we taste by ageing the wine in oak for varying lengths of time. In this case the use of oak has been minimal resulting in a clean, fresh wine with lemon/marmalade flavours. Background minerality and juicy acidity make this a nice dry style chardonnay that is nicely balanced and not dominated by big oak characters.

Montana Reserve 2009 Marlborough Sauvignon Gris

2010-02-16T20:32:00.000+13:00

This is not a blend of sauvignon blanc and pinot gris, it is in fact a variety in its own right that is new to this country. Pear, nectarine and blackcurrent flavours are delicate rather than big and punchy. Crisp acidity makes this a lovely summer wine.

Aromatics Symposium

2010-02-16T20:27:00.004+13:00

On Waitangi Day about 160 people gathered at Upper Moutere to discuss and taste the wine varieties Riesling and Gewurztraminer. As well as wine enthusiasts most local winemakers were in attendance along with winemakers and wine writers from around New Zealand.

But most importantly there were a large number of world renown wine writers, commentators, restaurateurs and buyers from most parts of the globe – Hong Kong, Singapore, London, New York, Sydney and of course the key note speaker, Ernst Loosen, from the Mosel region in Germany.

The Aromatics Symposium had a focus on learning by sharing knowledge and tasting a range of wines from here and overseas. Speakers like Andrew Caillard (Master of Wine, wine writer and author from the UK) Ernst Loosen from Weingut Dr Loosen (200 years history of winemaking in Germany) and Simon Tam (wine commentator from Hong Kong) had important messages to pass on to wine producers in this country while Alan Limmer (Stonecroft Wines) and Nick Nobilo (Vinoptima) shared their passion for producing gewürztraminer.

To top the day off from an international awareness point of view TV personality and the owner of arguably one of the best palates in the world, Oz Clarke, not only shared his immense knowledge and thoughts on New Zealand’s wine and its place in the world market but he had a film crew in tow. Assuming some of the several hours of footage he took away with him appears on international television screens Nelson will be the recipient of some fantastic regional promotion – for free!

During the day and at the evening function at Neudorf I managed to spend some time talking with Clarke about wine and food in general. He makes a point of drinking and eating local produce where ever he is. He says this gives him a real ‘sense of place’ about a region and its people. He also has a deep fondness for good beer and was mightily impressed with the local brews he managed to taste here. He was particularly impressed with the things the guys at the Moutere Inn are doing in there efforts to foster the local brewing industry.

Congratulations to Nelson Winemakers for arranging an outstanding weekend.

During the day we tasted wines from New Zealand and overseas so how did our wines stack up? In the opinion of everyone there, very well indeed. A few highlights included a fleshy Greenhough Vineyards 2007 Riesling, beautifully balanced Mount Edward 2007 Riesling from Central Otago. From Germany we tasted a rich Jesutengarten 2007 Riesling delightfully balanced with piercing acidity and from Austria a Dursteiner Hollerin 2007 Riesling that had superb aroma complexity with luscious, ripe stonefruit characters.

In my next column I will tell you the Gewurztraminers we tried.

Huia 2004 Blanc de Blancs

2010-02-09T13:42:00.001+13:00

Huia 2004 Blanc de Blancs - $30 from the vineyard

This sparkling wine from Marlborough is made from chardonnay grapes, was matured in oak barrels for a period and then tucked away in the cellar to age gracefully in the bottle before being finished. Fresh bread yeasty characters with an elegant, creamy mid palate and beautiful cleansing freshness in the finish make this a super aperitif or simply a fantastic good value wine for a celebration. http://www.huia.net.nz/

Pegasus Bay 2008 Riesling

2010-02-09T13:38:00.001+13:00

Pegasus Bay 2008 Riesling - $22.95 (on special at Freshchoice)

The Donaldson family in Waipara (North Canterbury) have been making a range of outstanding and extremely popular rieslings for many years and this 2008 medium style is a delight. Not too sweet, bursting with zingy citrus flavours that are countered with a touch of honey richness. A luscious wine.

Festivals

2010-02-09T13:33:00.002+13:00

Summer is wine and food festival time and we have some great choices in the top of the south.

Last weekend we had the annual Sarau Festival at Upper Moutere while the week before the good folk in the ‘bay’ delivered the first Golden Bay Cultural Food and Wine Festival and by all accounts it was a glowing success.

I was lucky enough to be at the very first Marlborough Wine Festival more than 25 years ago and in that time New Zealand’s longest running festival has evolved to meet the changing desires of both attendees and the booming wine industry in the region, the whole time maintaining the relaxed and fun atmosphere that makes the festival so special.

This year’s Wine Marlborough Festival will be held at the Brancott Estate vineyards, same site we have all become familiar with over the years, on Saturday 13th February. Tickets for this festival are strictly limited but if you go to their website you may still be in luck – http://www.wine-marlborough-festival.co.nz/ . Tickets are about $48

Much closer to home the following weekend (11am, Sunday 21st February) the Rotary Club of Richmond hosts the Brightwater Wine and Food Festival. This event has grown each year and become an important date on the wine calendar in Nelson. Tickets are $20 if you get one from Everyman in Nelson or Specsavers in Richmond Mall but $25 if you buy one at the gate. Kids under 12 get in free. Go to http://www.bwff.co.nz/ for lots more information, especially to check out the bus timetable.

If you happen to be in Auckland on the same weekend as the Brightwater festival don’t panic, the Rotary Club of Devonport is also hosting their annual two day wine and food festival (http://www.devonportwinefestival.co.nz/)

Festivals are not only a great day out but for the wine aficionado they are also a good place to taste a wide range of current release wines, as well as a few special treats many of the wineries bring out on the day.

If you want to learn a bit about wine then it is also a good time to find out about different styles of wine by comparing the many styles made by this region’s producers.

On top of all this Nelson Wineart is also hosting the tri-annual Aromtaics Symposium at the Upper Moutere Recreation Centre. This symposium has attracted many of the world’s elite wine writers including Judy Sarris (editor of Australian Gourmet Traveller) and the highly regarded and influential Oz Clarke, Matthew Jukes and top producers of aromatic wine styles from Alsace and Australia.

Unfortunately seats at this event sold out weeks ago but don’t fret I promise to tell you about the treats you missed out on.

So many choices – so little time!!

Old wine treats

2010-01-20T08:19:00.002+13:00

Over the summer break I have been lucky enough to enjoy some fantastic wines including a number of older wines.

A couple of weeks ago a friend of ours invited us to lunch with a small group of fellow wine lovers. After we had enjoyed some vinous treats with lunch sitting around the table on a miserably wet Sunday our host disappeared into his cellar and reappeared with a bottle of 1990 Henscke Hill of Grace. This stunning aged South Australian shiraz was appreciated and enjoyed by the small gathering but because it didn’t last long our host disappeared again and returned with a bottle of 1977 (considered the best vintage of the last century) port. Another stunning wine and I can’t think of a better way to spend a wet afternoon, enjoying fine wine with friends and great food.

Also this month Brightwater Vineyards are celebrating their tenth vintage producing wine under their own label and they are doing this by opening a bottle of wine from each vintage of one variety every weekend.

They started with 10 vintages of sauvignon blanc. The next weekend 10 vintages of chardonnay then 10 vintages of riesling. Finally this coming weekend they will be opening 10 vintages of merlot for tasting at their cellar door.

You may be thinking ‘who drinks old sauvignon blanc?’ and it is probably a fair question. We are told by most that sauvignons are best enjoyed young and fresh but this tasting proved that not only are older sauvignon blancs ok but they can be very good.

The most interesting thing to come from this tasting for me was the difference between wines sealed with a cork in the early part of the decade and wines sealed with a screwcap from 2004 onwards. The early wines suffered from bottle variance and some showed quite advanced age characters with one vintage in particular being effected by a batch of poor quality corks with three bottles opened and each one being quite different.

Once we hit the wines sealed with a screwcap the wines still showed some age characters but no where near as much as the earlier wines and they consistently had nice fresh characters. In these wines you could taste the difference in vintage conditions; by this I mean the wines all had very similar characters so you could taste how they were all made by the same producer from fruit grown on the same vineyards but some had riper fruit characters with slightly different flavours and textures that came from vintage conditions.

Brightwater Vineyards - 10 year tasting of sauvignon blanc

2010-01-19T16:54:00.002+13:00

Overall comments

The biggest thing to come from this vertical tasting is the difference between wines sealed with a cork and those sealed with a screwcap. There was quite a bit of bottle variance and advanced age characters in the wines sealed with cork while vintage characters were more obvious in those sealed with a screwcap. This type of closure has let the wines age gently and retain many vibrant characters, avoiding oxidation characters.

2000 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (cork)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. Crisp dry Sauvignon with summer hedgerow aromas featuring honeydew melon and passionfruit flavours backed by dry grass, followed by a lingering clean apple finish. A full-bodied wine with good texture and mouthfeel.
• 94/100 points – James Halliday
• Gold medal – Bragato Wine Awards, August 2000
• 4 Stars - Winestate Magazine, 2001
• 4 Stars – Michael Cooper
• Silver Medal – New Zealand Wine Society Royal Easter Wine Show, 2001
• 3½ Stars - Wine Star Magazine, 2000
• 3 Stars - Cuisine Annual, 2001
• Excellence Award – Taste Nelson Wine Awards, January 2001
• Bronze medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, 2000
Neil's 2010 comments
Bright, fresh herbaceous aromas, lovely rounded mouthfeel with an elegant palate weight and soft acidity. Flavours reminicient of viognier/pear characters. Standing up incredibly well and still delightful drinking.

2001 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (cork)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Aromas of passionfruit and ripe melon introduce a full-bodied wine with good texture and mouthfeel. Heaps of fresh fruit aromas with that characteristic dry grass finish of Sauvignon Blanc.”
• Blue-Gold medal – Sydney International Wine Competition, October 2001
• 4½ Stars - Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2001
• Silver medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, October 2001
• Silver medal – Liquorland top 100 Wine Competition, August 2001
• Excellence Award – Taste Nelson Wine Awards, January 2002
• Bronze medal – Bragato Wine Awards, August 2001
Neil's 2010 comments
My original tasting notes for this wine remark on the wonderful balance. Unfortunately New Zealand received a shocking batch of corks in 2001 and many wines were ruined. These poor quality corks lead to the screwcap revolution in 2002. When trying this wine each bottled opened was quite different, either showing advanced oxidation or corked characters. A real pity because based on the way the 2000 vintage has stood the test of time this 2001 would have been another very good wine if it wasn't for poor quality closures. Hooray for screwcap closures!

2002 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (cork)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. This is a fresh aromatic wine with intense passionfruit and honeydew melon flavours. Full-bodied and dry with complex dry grass characters and green hazelnut undertones, finishing with crisp apple acidity and fine length.
• 4 ½ Stars – Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2002
• 4 Stars – Recommended by Cuisine Magazine October 2002
• Silver medal – Bragato Wine Awards, September 2002
• Bronze medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, November 2002
Neil's 2010 comments
Citrus lemon/lime aromas with honey dew melon charaters in the medium weighted palate. Riverstone flinty charaters in the texture with a nice salty mid-palate burst. This flintiness and saltiness runs through the entire vertical range and creates a familial feel to the range. This wine is another that is still drinking very nicely.

2003 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (cork)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Warm straw colour. “This aromatic wine has aged well and is now showing the classic aged Sauvignon characters of asparagus and canned peas. Full bodied and dry with a long savoury finish”
• Silver medal – Bob Campbell, Home and Entertaining Magazine, March 2004
• Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, Bob Campbell’s Top 100 Wines under $20.00
• 3 ½ Stars – Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2004
• 3 ½ Stars – Winestate Magazine November 2004
• Bronze medal – Bragato Wine Awards, September 2003
• Bronze medal – London International Wine Challenge 2004
• Bronze medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, November 2003
• Bronze medal – Liquorland Top 100 Wine Competition, August 2003
Neil's 2010 comments
Age and alcohol characters startiung to become ovious in the aromas with a touch of freshness in the backgroud. The palate is still showing crisp acidity with a touch of greenness. Quite an austere wine with a long, dry mineral textured finish.

2004 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Intense aromas of gooseberries and passionfruit introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate combines excellent texture and mouthfeel with complex melon and citrus flavours, finishing with that lingering classic dry grass character of Sauvignon Blanc.”
• 3 ½ Stars – Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2005
• Bronze medal – Bragato Wine Awards, September 2004
• Bronze medal – Canberra National Wine Show, November 2004
• Bronze medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2005
Neil's 2010 comments
The aromas here are almost aged chardonnay in character. Soft asparagus and delicate lime flavours lead into a long finish with plwenty of ripe, juicy acidity. The screwcap advantage shows immediately. 2004 was a wet and difficult vintage in Nelson and I am sure this wine would not be holding up as well as it is if it was sealed with a cork closure.

2005 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Intense aromas of gooseberries and passionfruit introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate combines excellent texture and mouthfeel with complex melon and citrus flavours, finishing with that lingering classic summer grass character of Sauvignon Blanc.”
• Silver medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, November 2005
• 4 Stars – Recommended by Winestate Magazine, July 2006
• 4 Stars – Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2006
Neil's 2010 comments
Lively citru aromas, salty minerality on the palate with crisp lime and gooseberry flavours. A mouthwatering juicy finish. This wine has improved with some age and is now a very good wine drinking beautifully.

2006 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Intense aromas of gooseberries and passionfruit introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate combines excellent texture and mouthfeel with abundant melon and citrus flavours, followed by a long lingering crisp apple finish.”
• 5 Stars - Cuisine Magazine, December 2006
• 5 Stars – Michael Coopers Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2007
• Highly commended – Sydney International Wine Competition November 2006
• Silver medal – Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, March 2007
• Silver medal – New World Wine Awards, July 2007
• Bronze medal – Liquorland Top 100 Wine Competition, October 2006
• Bronze medal – New Zealand International Wine Awards, September 2006
• Bronze medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, November 2006
• 3 Stars – Recommended by Winestate Magazine, November 2006
Neil's 2010 comments
It started as a very good wine and remains so. Aromas and flavours of crisp aspargus and gooseberry, a medium to full palate weight with a long, lingering spicy finish.

2007 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Intense aromas of passionfruit and sweet citrus introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate is well balanced with concentrated gooseberry and citrus minerality, finishing with that lingering classic summer grass character of Sauvignon Blanc.”
• One Of The Ten Best White Wines From The New World – The Independent, UK
• Gold medal – Liquorland Top 100 Wine Competition, October 2007
• Gold medal – New Zealand International Wine Show, September 2007
• 5 Stars – Michael Cooper’s Buyers Guide to N Z Wines 2008
• 5 Stars – Winestate Magazine, May 2008
• 93 Points – Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine, March 2008
• 91 Points – Bob Campbell, Taste Magazine
• Silver medal – Air New Zealand Wine Awards, November 2007
• Silver medal – Royal Easter Show Wine Awards, February2008
• Bronze medal – Bragato Wine Awards, August 2007
Neil's 2010 comments
A touch of riesling-like petroleum and asparagus on the nose with rich and lush concentrated fruit flavours. That familiar dry minerality with a touch of nettle in the finish make it a delightfully complex wine. The awards this wine recieved speak volumes about the wine when it was made and the screwcap closure means those qualities are still there.

2008 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Intense aromas of passionfruit and sweet citrus introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate is well balanced with lifted gooseberry and citrus characters, threaded minerality and a long lingering summer grass finish.”
• 4 ½ Stars – Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
• 4 Stars – Michael Coopers Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2009
• 4 Stars (88 Points) – Bob Campbell, October 2008
• 4 Stars – Winestate Magazine, Regional Tasting 2009
• Silver medal – Bragato Wine Awards, August 2008
• Silver medal – New Zealand International Wine Show, September 2008
• Bronze medal – Royal Easter Wine Awards, March 2009
Neil's 2010 comments
A vibrant lime flavoured citrus palate with firm gooseberry characters. Great balance between fruit intensity, acidity and minerality make this super drinking now and it shows all the hallmarks of being another wine that will age well.

2009 Nelson Sauvignon Blanc (screwcap)
Original Winery Tasting Notes and awards
Pale straw colour. “Wonderful aromas of passionfruit and citrus introduce this fresh, aromatic full bodied wine. The palate is well balanced with lifted citrus and gooseberry characters, threaded minerality, and that characteristic dry grass finish of Sauvignon Blanc.”
• 4 Stars – Michael Coopers Buyers Guide to New Zealand Wines 2010
• 4 Stars – Winestate Magazine, Recent Release Tasting, 2010
• Bronze medal – Liquorland Top 100 Wine Competition, October 2009
• Bronze medal - Royal International Aromatic Wine Competition, October 2009
Neil's 2010 comments
Current release - young, fresh and vibrant, bursting with lush gooseberry fruit and lashings of crisp lemon/lime acidity. Salty minerality once again shows in the palate structure. More super drinking!

Some great Nelson wines

2010-01-05T21:11:00.001+13:00

Well 2009 is behind us and what a year it was for a wine industry that struggled, survived, faced some unexpected realities, licked its wounds, celebrated and thrived – all in the space of 52 weeks.

What started as a big over supply problem that forced some rationalisations in the industry turned into a year of record exports (more than $1b) and a stunning 2009 vintage.
The huge volumes of 2008 wines was one of the reasons for a slight delay in the release of many 2009 wines but boy are they worth the wait; there are some outstanding wines on the shelves in time for summer drinking and one of the realities the industry had to face has had a positive benefit for you and me, the consumers.

That reality is that winemakers are now working in an environment of significantly increased quantities of wine being produced every year, not just in 2008, and in many cases that means they have had to review their pricing models to be competitive in a market where the average wine is a high quality wine.

It has almost become common to find gold medal and trophy winning wines on special for about $15 and often for less than $10. This may not be great for winemakers but you and I can drink fantastic wines everyday rather than just occasionally.

While some wines are better than others it is hard to find a poorly made wine on the shelves these days, there are so many good wines the bad ones don’t get any shelf space and that in my opinion is a good thing.

I have been saying for several months that I think the big winners this summer will be rosé wines and cider and there are some fantastic examples of both being made in this region. Redwood Cellars have a range of bright fresh and fruity ciders, from dry and crisp to fruity and luscious while the guys at the Sprig and Fern have a deceptively easy to drink monster.

On the rosé front Te Mania Wines have been producing a indulgent summer fruits treat for a number of years and have another this year. Neudorf Vineyards has a more intense, drier style while Woollaston Estates have once again delivered a rosé that is pure summer sunshine. Waimea Estates Rosé is simply strawberries and cream, delicious.

If you are lucky enough to still have a few days holiday left take some time to visit a few wineries. You can enjoy jazz at Woollaston’s, Bic Runga, Dave Dobbyn and Tim Finn at Neudorf Vineyards, a vertical tasting of gold medal and trophy winning wines at Brightwater Vineyards and savour new facilities at Te Mania Wines, Richmond Plains Wines and Golden Hills Estates. If you are in Golden Bay you have a choice of five super wineries to visit, all in spectacular locations.

Go to www.wineart.co.nz to find out more.

Pied Stilt 2009 Pinot Gris

2010-01-03T22:24:00.000+13:00

Owned by Ross and Faith Jackson Pied Stilt is one of the newest players in the wine market in the Nelson region and they are having a huge amount of fun (mixed in with the hard work) selling wine under their own (and very cool) label for the first time.

The Jacksons have been growing grapes on their Motueka vineyard for others for several years and have entered the market with a couple of great offerings, a 2009 Pinot Gris ($16.95) and 2009 Sauvignon Blanc ($14.95). Both of these wines are at the lower end of the alcohol range for off-dry wines (about 12.5%) and in this alcohol range we often see either quite sweet characters or slightly green, unripe flavours in the wine - but not here. Instead they have managed to achieve great balance between ripeness, alcohol and residual sugars.

Pied Stilt 2009 Pinot Gris

Initial aromas of apples and pears in the aromas open up to include spiced quince tones. The medium weight palate has a mineral backbone, is fruity without being a ‘fruit bomb’ and eases into a soft citrus finish. A beautifully crafted wine that is perfect with sweet Nelson scallops.

Woollaston Estates Tussock 2009 Pinot Noir Rose

2010-01-03T22:12:00.001+13:00

Woollaston Estates have been producing one of the region’s best roses for several years and the 2009 Tussock version doesn’t disappoint. The delicate salmon pink colour entices while the lush strawberries and cream flavours satisfy the tastebuds. I will be drinking a lot of this over the summer break.

Julicher Wines 2008 Pinot Noir

2010-01-03T22:07:00.000+13:00

I have been a fan of Julicher (pronounced ‘U – li – ker’) pinot for a number of years and this wine has just been won trophies for Best Pinot Noir and Champion Wine of the Show at the 2009 Air New Zealand Wine Awards. The judges commented “The stunningly perfumed bouquet shows ripe cherry and spicy oak characters. It's luxuriously textured and seamless on the palate.” How could I disagree – a stunning wine.

Halo

2010-01-03T21:40:00.000+13:00

Some of the wines that I have crossed paths with in recent months include a fantastic new range from Sacred Hill Wines. HALO is a range of premium varietal wines from Hawke’s Bay and Marlborough and all come with the same recommended retail price of $25.90.

HALO 2009 Sauvignon Blanc is a single vineyard wine from Sacred Hill Estate vineyard in Marlborough and has those typical sauvignon gooseberry and capsicum aromas and with delightfully fresh citrus, gooseberry and tropical fruit flavours.

HALO 2008 Syrah from Hawke’s Bay is a savoury treat. Black cherry and berryfruit flavours with lashings of white pepper and subtle mushroom characters are bound around a backbone of fine grained tannins. Perfect with venison from the barbecue this summer.

HALO 2008 Chardonnay from Hawke’s Bay is seductively elegant. This is a beautifully balanced wine with flavours of peaches, melon, delicately toasted nuts and a hint of cream with a mineral texture in the palate. Ripe acidity gives a satisfyingly long and dry finish. This wine is the perfect example of balance and elegance.

Sacred Hill Hawkes Bay 2009 Chardonnay

2010-01-03T21:21:00.000+13:00

In recent years the buzz in Hawkes Bay has been about the stunning Bordeaux style red wines being produced in the region, particularly from the Gimblett Gravels sub-region.

As a result of all the well desreved fuss about reds we have tended to overlook some of the other great wines made in the region and one consistent performer si Sared Hill with their chardonnay.

The 2009 version is bright and fresh, packed with chalky minerality and elegant stonefruit characters. the lovely creamy mid-weighted palate is the result of lees stirring with a lashing of oak spice in the juicy finish.

CJ Pask Gimblett Gravels Viognier 2009

2009-12-31T14:12:00.000+13:00

Spiced mandarin aromas are fresh and vibrant while the flavours are more orange focussed with a layer of minerality. This is an elegant wine that has a very long juicy finish and is fantastic with chicken or seafood from the barbecue.

Blackenbrook Wines 2008 Montepulciano

2009-12-31T14:01:00.000+13:00

I have enjoyed each vintage of this wine that Ursula and Daniel Swarzenbach have produced from fruit grown on their Tasman vineyard but as the vines get a little older the texture of the wine gets richer. This wine has opulent black berry fruit aromas with similar flavours and a rich but silky texture in the mouth. A little twist of mint spice in the finish keeps it fresh.

Christmas Decadence

2009-12-31T10:54:00.001+13:00

Christmas means many things to different people but we all have one thing in common – it is holiday time!

Of course there are those who work during this traditional holiday season to keep us safe, fed, watered and entertained but for the vast majority of us Christmas is a time to relax and enjoy the summer sun with friends and family.

It is also an excuse to indulge (or maybe over indulge) is some traditional Christmas fare; turkey, ham and a classic hot meal or maybe something special on the barbecue and of course something to wash it all down with.

For Sari and me Christmas is a time for a little decadence. We start the day with brunch and bubbles then later in the day it is crayfish, or as one chef recently described it ‘the Kiwi Turkey’, and other fine seafood on the barbecue with a nicely aged chardonnay from the cellar. And because it is a decadent day a nice red and some stinky French cheese for dessert.

It doesn’t matter what you are eating there are some fantastic local wines you can enjoy on this festive day. Let’s start with bubbles. Seifried Estate have made a couple of very popular sparkling wines for some time but in recent years they have been joined by Petros (about $22) from Golden Bay Wines and this year by Mahana from Woollaston Estates ($24) and June ($28 - $30 ) from Kaimira Estate.

They are quite different in style with Petros being classically yeasty and weighty in the palate while Mahana is bone dry, crisp and fresh. June is a single vintage wine (2007) and is dry but with a lovely citrus fruitiness and toasted nuts flavours.

If you have your main Christmas meal at lunchtime then irrespective of what the food is I recommend you reach for a gently chilled aromatic sensation and Nelson winemakers make some of the very best aromatic style wines in the country. Hot turkey or ham, reach for a riesling or fruity pinot gris; seafood? Grab a sauvignon blanc or delicate pinot gris.

In 2009 Waimea Estates picked up a bucket-load of medals and trophies for their wines and if you want a cheap but very good glass of sunshine then look no further than their Spinyback 2009 Sauvignon Blanc (less than $9 at Freshchoice supermarkets at the moment) that was awarded a gold medal at the recent Air NZ Wine Awards.

Nelson produced sauvignon blancs tend to be a little fruitier with softer acidity than those from Marlborough but still have that bright freshness we expect from the variety.

If you are not a regular wine drinker but want to enjoy a glass of something easy to drink then I think you should search out a bottle of pinot gris. Pinot Gris is made in two basic styles; big and weighty in the mouth with plenty of residual sugar and often big alcohol or more restrained and floral. Again Nelson wineries have performed very well in the show arena with this variety in 2009.

Rimu Grove has a solid reputation for producing well balanced versions – rich wines with a touch of sweetness balanced nicely with just enough juicy acidity to make it oh so easy to drink. Prefer something on the delicate side then look for a bottle from a new player on the local scene. Pied Stilt Wines have released a pinot gris with delightfully ripe and fresh citrus flavours with alcohol levels at the lower end of the scale. Another option is pinot gris from Golden Hills, it won gold at this year’s Bragato Wine Competition along with Blackenbrook Wines and Renato Estate.

And let’s not overlook another outstanding result for Waimea Estates, their Spinyback Pinot Gris 2008 was judged Champion New Zealand White Wine Under £10 and took the International Trophy for Best White Single Varietal Under £10 – not just pinot gris but all white wines – at the Decanter Wine Awards.

If Pinot Gris is your choice then look no further then Nelson wines, they are simply the best you can get.

When it comes to aromatic wines I love riesling in all its forms. This is probably the single most versatile grape variety and I think it is also the variety that truly reflects the growing environment. From rich and opulent to lean and austere, from flinty and dry to intensely sweet and luscious, there is a riesling to suit every taste.

If you like your wines dry the search out a bottle from Woollaston Estates. While they make dry style rieslings the wines also have delightfully aromatic fruit flavours making them seem sweeter than they are. Super balance and fantastic food wines, try some with your ham or if you are lucky enough to have them, some sweet Nelson scallops.

When it comes to dessert there really is only one choice. Seifried Estate Winemakers Collection Sweet Agnes Riesling Ice Wine 2008 took the International Trophy for Best Sweet Wine Over £10 at the Decanter Wine Awards. They simply don’t make dessert wines better than this and it is perfect with both strawberries and cream or traditional Christmas cake and custard.

Like a red with your Christmas cake? How about a nice savoury pinot noir. Te Mania Wines produce a rich, fruity style of pinot while Neudorf Vineyards and Greenhough Wines make classic Burgundian complex and savoury styles that will be perfect with your hot ham or Christmas cake.

Just in case you have not had enough to eat and drink at lunchtime you could always reach for a glass of nicely chilled rosé at about 4pm!

I would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. However you are celebrating this year please do so safely and with a sober driver, our winemakers need you around next year to buy more of their fine products.