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

Casa del Vino

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

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.

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.

Woollaston Estates

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.

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.

New wine labels

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

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

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

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.

Wine Lists

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.

Blended White Wines

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.

Wine releases

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

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.

Pegasus Bay 2008 Riesling

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.

Brightwater Vineyards - 10 year tasting of sauvignon blanc

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!