Christmas gifts – Published 25.11.11

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.

Clos Henri – Published 05.08.11

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