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.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Nelson Ark
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
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.
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
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.
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.
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