Sea Level Wines – Published 11.11.11

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.

Recent Releases

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

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.

Milcrest

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.

Kaimira Estate

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

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.

Fossil Ridge

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.

End of the year

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.

Neudorf Vineyards 30th Anniversary Dinner at Hopgoods restaurant

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.

Pied Stilt 2009 Pinot Gris

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.