Pinot Gris Past & Present

Pinot Gris is here to stay and the volumes out there are increasing at a rate we haven’t seen since sauvignon blanc. So it’s a good thing that finally our winemakers are getting their heads around the potential of the fruit and what each region and sub-region are capable of. Finally we’re seeing crisp, clean intensity of flavour, textural elegance and, in a case proven by a 6-vintage vertical tasting of Bilancia’s example, solid ability to age.


I hardly ever get to taste pinot gris that’s over a year or two old, so when Lorraine Leheny from Bilancia delivered a half dozen bottles dating back to their first offering from 2004 I was excited. If I’m honest I was also a little doubtful – but as soon as the caps came off I was blown away. Grown from Hawke’s Bay’s Black Bridge vineyard in Haumoana, the 2004 was still pale yellow, straw-coloured and had delicate aromas of moist hay, dried herbs and minerals. In the mouth it still held fresh quince and hints of honeysuckle – incredible. The 2005 was scented with white flowers, hay and herbs and it held elegant pear character, mealy notes and tangy minerality on the finish. Five years old and still fresh and drinkable.

The 2006 had chalky minerality on the nose and splashes of pear and yellow plum. It’s slippery, elegant, multi-layered and textural with solid length of flavour. The 2007 is when the label changed from ‘grigio’ to ‘gris’ and it had soft pear and peach notes. The finish was crisp, clean and powdery. 2008 produced exceptional peach, quince and ginger aromas followed by solid, juicy, mouthfilling weight. A ribbon of minerality ran through it leaving a clean, dry finish.

And lastly, the Bilancia Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2009 (NZ$24) was perfumed with peach, pear and a lovely underlying almond-meal aroma. In the mouth it was clean, fresh and dry with elegant minerality and gentle, textural length. So there you go. There are still those who feel even the greatest pinot gris taste no better than Uncle Bob’s bathwater, but when made with care and obsessive attention by people like Lorraine Leheny and Warren Gibson – I think its stunning stuff.

Cows go large in Canada.


Who’d have thought that your steak could be marinated from the inside out? An enterprising farmer in British Columbia is helping the local wine industry to get a big boost from a new market segment: Cows. Sadly these cows meet with an unfortunate end, reported the Vancouver Sun last week, but they do spend the last 90 days of their lives relaxing, eating and drinking Okanagan red wine; and it looks as though they like it. Apparently they moo more and are much more social.

The idea of feeding wine to cows was hatched by Janice Ravndahl of Sezmu Meats in Kelowna. (Sezmu is the Egyptian god of wine.) After tasting the meat, local chefs in the area were suitably impressed.


The inspiration hit when she was sitting around, having a glass of wine, watching Gordon Ramsay’s The F Word tv show. She saw him giving a taste of beer to some pigs he was raising – although I’m not sure if that was because he thought it might improve the meat or whether it was some consolation gesture before he sent them off to slaughter – but nonetheless a light bulb went off. Coming from five generations of cattle ranchers, she thought, "why not cows?" She phoned her brother, who told her exactly why not. "Because the carbonation would bloat them," he said. Ravndahl then thought: "Why not wine?"


So they did some trial feeding her free-range, hormone-free, organic Angus cow’s homemade red wine. "We were thrilled with the results," she says. The cows are each fed a litre of red wine every day (the cheap stuff apparently) and they mix it into the feed, but some cows like to drink it.

“After they've had it for a while, when they see us coming with the pitchers, they don't run, but they come faster than usual” she says. Local chefs have been applauding the beef as the best they’d ever tasted.


Former Food Network celebrity chef Ned Bell (Cabana Grille in Kelowna), Stuart Klassen (Delta Grand Okanagan) and Matthew Batey (Mission Hill Winery chef) are serving Sezmu beef. Batey says there's a subtle difference with the wine-fed beef. "It's beautiful beef to begin with. It's just adding one more dimension."


Ravndahl says they fed the cows wine for 120 days, but the flavour difference between 120 days and 90 days wasn't pronounced. "The difference between 30 and 70 days, though, is outstanding." Her beef costs around 15% more than comparable free-range beef.


The Vancouver Sun reported that researchers at Thompson Rivers University's agriculture department are also interested in the wine-drinking cows. In one study involving the cows, they're hypothesizing that the wine diet lessens methane production. They're also wondering if resveratrol in red wine might have benefits for heart health or disease prevention in cows.

(if you like the cow picture above then I strongly suggest you visit http://www.ahayball.co.uk/ - alan hayball is a talented UK-based artist who does gorgeous quirky cow-pics that are too cute. I hope he doesn't mind me using this one)


Five of the Best

Locharburn Central Otago Pinot Rosé 2009 $22 (4.5 stars)

Gorgeous salmon-pink colour and bursting with creaming soda, white peach and raspberry aromas. Super-clean and elegant to drink, it has amazing length of flavour and it’s one of the prettiest, most tasty rosés I’ve tried all year. Go directly to www.locharburnwines.co.nz for details on where to buy.

Alluviale Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Cabernet Franc 2008 $30 (4 stars)

 

Elegant, earthy notes of pepper, mace, prune and dark chocolate. Fleshed out with berryfruit and hints of peppermint, it’s a beautifully balanced, vibrant wine with gripping, sensuous tannins and a solid, masculine finish. Winemakers and life partners Kate Galloway and David Ramonteau have created a hearty, ribsticking red that works sensationally well with spice-crusted roast leg of lamb slathered in gravy. Buy at fine wine stores or via www.alluviale.com.

Mission Estate Gewurztraminer 2010 $16 (3 stars)

It’s been aaaaages since I’ve tried a gewürztraminer from Mission Estate, no idea why, but clearly I’ve been missing something rather lovely. This has sexy rose petal and lychee aromas with hints of ginger and spice and a splash of tropical fruit to finish. Excellent value for money and a winner with sizzling Thai garlic and chilli prawns. Available in good wine stores or via www.missionestate.co.nz


Corallo Nero d’Avola 2008 $8.99 (3 stars)


I’ve talked about this wine in the past but I think it’s timely to bring it up again because there’s a new vintage and it’s sensational. They might’ve been a little average at the soccer world cup but their winemaking is still world-class, and even though this wine is probably produced in the millions of gallons, the drinkability factor of this wine is too good to deny. Plum, chocolate, pepper and juicy spicy notes – smooth and warming, mouth-coating and gorgeous, it’s a wine that’ll definitely please the crowds. – online www.blackmarket.co.nz

Wild Rock Cupids Arrow Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 $24 (4 stars)


Ripe, red cherry and chocolate aromas followed by voluptuous, fruit-driven flavours and warming, spicy notes in the mouth. It’s an injection of love that’s smooth and textural; this wine has excellent length of flavour, represents great value and is a perfect partner for duck confit. For stockists in your area visit www.wildrockwine.co.nz

http://www.yvonnemarie.co.nz/

Heartbroken for Wine

I might be a happily married woman now, but back in the day I somehow managed to work my way through enough commitment-phobic artists, actors, musicians and bad boy bartenders to get my heart broken on a regular basis. Each time a relationship soured I turned to Crunchie bars and cabernet – usually simultaneously, but why? It seemed like such a cliché, so very Bridget Jones to turn to booze and chocolate in times of sorrow and woe. Thankfully research just out says that there is actually a very real reason why women turn to wine and chocolate in times of heartbreak; we simply can’t help it. According to an article in the UK’s Daily Mail last week, scientists have found that jilted women have a higher tendency to turn to these things because their bodies are trying to compensate for an addiction to love. New research has linked rejection in romance to brain activity associated with addiction and that romantic love, under both happy and unhappy circumstances may be a ‘natural’ addiction – just like food, wine, scrapbooking or cigarettes. So we’re not just looking for an excuse to ditch Weight Watchers and fall off the wagon, and we’re not just copying those silly, soppy women on telly and in films when we hit the pick ‘n’ mix section at the supermarket. We are in fact following a very primal, basic instinct and that is to love someone and be loved because we are all afflicted with a serious case of the Robert Palmers. When we suffer the pain of breaking up with someone it’s natural that women attempt to immediately fill the void with something that resembles a love fix, like a glass of good vino or a Luxury Flake.

Getting Fizzicle

Lindauer might have made the style the smash hit of summer 2010 by introducing it to the masses, but sparkling sauvignon blanc has actually been around for quite some time. Mount Riley wines of Marlborough were pioneers of the style with Savée ($20), their deliciously spritzy, lime-laden sparkling sauvignon. When I first tried it about 5 years ago it was eye-opening stuff, “why hasn’t anyone thought of this before?” It was elegant, sensuous and delicately flavoured with white peach and herbaceous notes and I’ve been a big fan since. A packaging makeover means it also now looks sensational on the table (shouldn’t be important, but it is) so it’s a must-have for your next dinner party. Last year Lindauer released their overt, grassy, passionfruity sparkling sauvignon ($12) and it was decidedly sweeter, but a real crowd pleaser nonetheless. Chilled down it’s a superb sip for those sun-kissed summer days (they can’t come soon enough) and as a bonus it’s super-affordable. Now a third sparkling Marlborough sauvignon has crossed by my desk and it’s by Goldridge Estate ($18). Oozing crisp capsicum, lemon and green herb characters, it’s clean and refreshingly dry and lengthy on the finish. Clearly sparkling sav is here to stay and that makes me a happy camper.

Four of the Best This Week

Lake Chalice Raptor Marlborough Chardonnay 2009 $27 (4 stars)

A fantastic chardonnay that’s worth every penny because it has punchy grapefruit, japonica and yellow plum flavours fleshed out with some juicy nectarine notes. Elegantly balanced oak and a creamy, textural finish makes for a satisfying chardonnay that works well with scallops wrapped in bacon and sizzled on the grill. The ‘raptor’ refers to the Karearea or NZ falcon, a rare, endemic raptor. Lake Chalice sponsors the Wingspan Birds of Prey Trust, dedicated to preserving these amazing birds. http://www.lakechalice.co.nz/

Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 $10 (3½ stars)

Super-dry, limey and mineral-driven, this is a crisp, clean and classic example of a style we know and love. Vibrant passionfruit, lime and lemon with a hint of sugar-snap pea character makes this a super-sippable, spritzy sauvignon that'll perk up even the most jaded palate. Widely available.

Waimea Estate Nelson Gewurztraminer 2008 $15 (5 stars)

Again, the price of this wine floored me as this wine actually won an Elite Gold at last years Air New Zealand Wine Awards, which makes it one of the highest scoring Gewurztraminers in the country. Lovely lychee, white peach, hints of ginger and tangy tropical tastiness abound in this wine. And you simply can’t go wrong if you’re thinking about having a number 19 crispy squid with chilli coconut sauce from the thai takeaway – this wine is perfect. http://www.waimeaestates.co.nz/

Pegasus Bay Waipara Gewurztraminer 2009 $32 (4½ stars)

Sourced from the oldest gewurztraminer vines in the region, this is one perfectly poised and deliciously elegant example. Lifted lychee, rose, white peach and soft, musky spices mean it’s aromatically stunning and clean, fresh and ultimately drinkable. http://www.pegasusbay.com/

Millton Vineyard Clos de Ste. Anne Narboth’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008 $53 (5 stars)

When you look at where the iconic pinot noirs of New Zealand come from, southern(ish) regions like Martinborough, Marlborough, Nelson, Waipara and Central Otago immediately spring to mind but from today onward I’m adding Gisborne to the list because I’ve just tried the sensational Millton Clos de Ste. Anne Narboth’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008. Fashioned by winemaker James Millton from biodynamically grown grapes from the tiny vineyard named after his wife Annie, this pinot has incredibly seductive, spicy, pine-needle aromas wrapped up with some dried herbs, baked strawberries and rhubarb. To drink it is ripe, lush, slippery and lithe, leaving a hint of bitter chocolate on the finish.

Available from fine wine stores or via http://www.millton.co.nz/

GET AMONGST THESE WINES IMMEDIATELY!

Sommelier Sensations

TALENTED SOMMELIERS TASTE NEW ZEALAND

“I’m off to Craggy to have dinner with some Master Sommeliers so you’ll have to cook tea” I told my husband last Monday night. “Smelliers? Aren’t they like people who sniff things for a living?” he asked, scratching his head and staring vacantly into the fridge. “No” I offered sweetly, “they’re highly skilled wine service professionals who’re also experts in wine procurement, wine storage, wine cellar rotation, and … (noting his eyes glazing over as I grabbed the car keys off the bench) yes honey, they smell stuff for a living”.
Craggy Range is a member of the Family of Twelve, a group of likeminded wine producers who decided that the best way to get their many and varied stories across is to have overseas wine professionals experience New Zealand themselves. “With this in mind we’ve established a programme that’ll see us investing in bringing key influential people from many markets down to NZ where they’ll receive a guided tour with experienced and well-recognised winemakers in all the quality regions of NZ” says Michael Henley of Craggy Range, “from Kumeu River in the North to Felton Road in Central Otago. We believe that by doing this we will create ambassadors for the quality wines of New Zealand”.

The first such sponsored trip focused on three shiny, young, rising-star sommeliers from the USA, who were accompanied by New Zealand’s own and only Master Sommelier, Cameron Douglas.
As Megan Yelanowski, (Wine and Beverage Manager at the San Diago Bayfront Hilton and the first woman in San Diego to obtain her Advanced Level in the Court of Master Sommeliers); Hristo Zisovski, (Head Sommelier for Jean George restaurant in New York also a qualified ‘Advanced Sommelier’) and Geoff Kruth, (Master Sommelier and Director of Operations for the Guild of Sommeliers) tasted their way through some sensational wine and food they talked openly about their ambition and total devotion to their chosen career path.
“This is something we need to get across to young people in New Zealand” said Cameron, “that the role of a Professional Sommelier is a very real career option within the hospitality industry” and went on to explain the fantastic mentoring and training resources available here for anyone interested in furthering their skills to international standard.
In the US young people wanting a career in wine service are encouraged, respected by their employers and customers alike and, well paid.
Sadly while most kiwi restaurateurs know there’s excellent money to be made in wine sales, and to get those sales you need to train, employ and retain skilled wine staff, many still don’t understand that twelve bucks an hour is an insult, not an incentive.
For info on getting ahead in the wine service business email Cameron Douglas MS at sommelierservices@xtra.co.nz.

 

A FESTIVAL OF WINE AND CHOCOLATE


Premium organic chocolate makers Green & Black’s decided to team up with yours truly to bring the latest food and wine matching sensation to the Harvest Hawke’s Bay Festival. Wine and chocolate matching is huge overseas but I couldn’t think of anything more gag-inducing. That was until I actually took part in a wine and chocolate matching workshop in Auckland last year, and it is with much joy and jubilation that I can now happily concede that I was wrong and that there are some fabulous combos that’ll definitely get you salivating your socks off. We’ll be sampling delicate white chocolate through to Green & Black’s new, squint-inducingly dry 85% Dark chocolate. And put your airs and graces aside because it’s all about getting our fingers sticky, spitting and generally making a bit of a mess together – all in the best possible taste of course. To book your place call 0800 44 294 630, register at www.harvesthawkesbay.co.nz 


THE SPANISH INQUISITION
Ola! To Sophie Cotter and her Spanish importing company St Vincent’s Cave who specialise in supplying high quality Spanish wines, beers and beverages. One of my favourites is the Vins Padro Sangria $16.95. It’s clean, super-fresh and far better than any sangria I’ve ever cobbled together myself. Only high-quality 100% Tempranillo wine is used to make it according to Sophie; no orange juice or spirits are added, only natural Mediterranean fruit extracts. “This way the Sangría conserves the colour, aromas, structure and flavour of the wine intact as opposed to camouflaging a cheap wine with spirits and excessive sugar” she says. Sophie suggests serving it over ice with a slice each of lemon & orange, “it's much nicer than adding soda water or anything to it”.

They’re also bringing in the marvellous Moritz beer, brewed by Cervesas Moritz from the spring waters of the Montseny Mountains of Catalonia and using hops from Saaz. Founded by Alsatian brewmaster Louis Moritz in 1856 the recipe is largely unchanged since. Beautifully malty with hints of caramel and fig on the nose this beer is full-flavoured and Moorish with an incredibly refreshing, tangy length of flavour. To find a stockist near you visit www.stvincentscave.com or call Sophie on 07 839 0414.

Speaking of Spanish, Scenic Cellars in Taupo are holding the 2010 version of their legendary Spanish Fiesta Cellar Dinner on Saturday March 13th. $130 per ticket includes at least 3 courses of fabulous food, all wine and superb entertainment, but I’ve been told half the tickets have already gone so be quick – ring 07 378 5704 or visit www.sceniccellars.co.nz to book.

Four of the Best

Misha’s Vineyard Limelight Central Otago Riesling 2009 $26 (four stars)

Crisp, tangy granny smith apple, beeswax and limey notes burst out of the glass followed by ripe citrus flavours, clean, mineral-driven texture and solid, lovely length of flavour. Contact misha@mishasvineyard.com for stockists.

Brennan Gibbston Pinot Noir 2007 $40 (four and a half stars)

Seductive, exotic aromas of black tea, plum and spiced cherries lead to a warm, meaty, muscular explosion of flavour in the mouth and rich, juicy length of flavour. A big wine from a small producer who’s clearly capable of great things.
Visit www.brennanwines.com for more info.

Matakana Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $22

(four stars)  Leafy and limey on the nose with some intriguing aromas of anise, preserved lemon and passionfruit. A tiny portion is left to rest on its lees in older French oak which, if you can tear the wine away from your nose adds some rich, creamy, tropical complexity of flavour. Available only in fine wine stores and selected restaurants. www.matakanaestate.co.nz.

Esk Valley Gimblett Gravels Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon Malbec 2008 $20 (five stars)

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…first the aromas of coconut husk, baked prune and molasses made me swoon. The smooth yet spicy, muscular, cocoa-laden loveliness took me over the moon; and the deliciously warming mouthfeel and sexy length of flavour all for only $20 made me feel like a lucky dish who’d just run away with a very expensive spoon. Widely available and superlative value for money indeed.  www.eskvalley.co.nz

THE SNIFF TEST

Hand’s up who thinks it’s a good idea to produce scratch ‘n’ sniff wine stamps. Neil Pendock, a South African wine commentator definitely thinks so. According to his blog, the Germans just released a series of fruity stamps and the Brazilians had coffee-scented ones a few years back - so Neil thinks wine producers should get on the bandwagon. Perhaps NZ Post could work with NZ Winegrowers to produce a stamp perfumed with pinot noir, or to educate those still clinging to the romance of the traditional closure, an ‘identifying cork taint’ stamp infused with the aroma of rotting cardboard - ahh yes, the possibilities are endless.

Myths about Wine

There are many myths (urban and otherwise) out there about wine. But perhaps the one that sticks in my mind more than most is the one my mother told me when I was young. ‘‘Yvonne, there’s nothing cool or grown-up about drinking too much,’’ she said. Actually, that happens to be true, but at 15 it sounded like the biggest crock I’d ever heard. After busting me so many times for taking sneaky sips from her treasured box of Blenheimer when I was a teen, it’s no surprise she still finds it hard to believe that nowadays I actually get paid to drink. But I digress. The myths are still out there and my mother still drinks Blenheimer; but at least I can correct the myths.

Myth number 1 Uncorking a bottle for a few hours before drinking to ‘‘let it breathe’’ will improve and soften the wine. This is bog-standard bollocks because of the small surface area of the wine exposed to air. It’s a bit like expecting a weary backpacker to feel zippy and refreshed nearing the end of a 12-hourbus ride up the Khyber simply because the driver decides to open his air vent. To really let the wine breathe you need to decant it, slosh it around a bit and let it stretch its legs.

Which brings me to myth number 2. That the ‘‘legs’’, ‘‘tears’’ or ‘‘churchwindows’’ inside a glass of wine that’s been swirled indicate thatit’s a high quality wine. All it actuallyshows is that the wine may contain sturdy amounts of alcohol. Despite this being very important to some sippers, it doesn’t really detail whether the wine is going tobe delicious or dishwater.

Speaking of quality, myth number 3 says that smelling the cork will tell you if a wine’sworth drinking. The waiter or sommelier at a restaurant might hand you the cork so you can check to see if there is mould or if the cork is broken. But sniffing it won’t tell you if the wine is faulty or not, it will just announce to everyone else that you’re a ponce. A wine is ‘‘corked’’ when it smells like damp cardboard or a mouldy sack.Thanks to screw caps, these days fewer wines end up being spoiled. But trust some zealously politically correct Californians to be complete spoilsports.

An award-winning adaptation of LittleRed Riding Hood was withdrawn from a recommended reading list by a schoolboard in Culver City, simply because the heroine had included a bottle of wine in thebasket she brought to her grandmother. Only in America.

Political correctness aside, in New Zealand we’re told that drinking and driving is extremely naughty. But that’s a myth if you reside in Uruguay because apparently over there‘‘intoxication’’ is a legal excuse for having a prang in your car. Just imagine. ‘‘Officer I honestly don’t know what happened? One minute I was having my tenth tequila layback and the next minute I’m in my car, wrapped around this tree.’’ ‘‘I completely understand sir, here’s a note for your insurance company. You take care now.’’

Believe it or not one thing I know is true is that I still can’t tell what day of the week it is. Don’t you just love January? Now I’m off to go crank up the barbecue and pop my merlot in the microwave to burn off all those harsh tannins. What? Everybody does it . . .

4 OF THE BEST

Matua Paretai Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $23★★★★1/2

Tangy tomato-stalk,lip-smacking lime and steely, mineral-driven flavours make Matua’s flagship sauvignon rather fantastic for any occasion; but it’s particularly fabulous with fresh-caught,beer-battered gurnard and crunchy salad. Ask for it at your local wine shop or visit http://www.matua.co.nz/ for stockists.

Marsden Estate Black Rocks Chardonnay 2007 $35 ★★★★★

With more medals on its front than Col.Gaddafi’s best jacket and so golden in the glass it could pass for liquid yellow diamonds. This is stunning stuff from theBay of Islands, scentedwith grapefruit,toasted almonds, preserved lemon andpeach; it also oozesripe nectarine and juicy tropical characters on the palate. The finish is long and luxurious and chardonnay lovers should get their skates on because only small amounts were made. Order now fromhttp://www.marsdenestate.co.nz/

Bellbird Spring Block8 Pinot Gris 2009 $30★★★★★

If you’d asked me a couple of years ago whether I’d part with thirty bucks for a bottle of pinot gris I’dhave questioned your sanity. But those werethe bad old days before the likes of Bellbird Spring and their addictively good gris. Subtle pear, jazz apple,lychee and soft spiceson the nose but in the mouth it bursts with opulent, oily tropical juiciness. Big, sweet, sensational bang for your buck—visit http://www.bellbirdspring.co.nz/


Vin Alto Fizzante NV $24★★★
Sometimes the oddest combinations work wonders and that’s why it didn’t surprise me that this fizz from Clevedon ended up as the perfect partner for our summer calamari, fennel and chickpea salad.

I have no idea what this wine’s madefrom, but it’s a limited edition, Italian-style sparkling wine that’slight and tangy with a citrus edge and a hint of spritz. http://www.vinalto.com/

Down on the Farm

It’s not everyday you get to try a trophy-winning wine down at your local farmers market, but for visitors to the Hastings Farmers Market (held every Sunday morning) that’s all about to change. You see the Trophy for Best Dessert Wine at the 2009 Air New Zealand Awards went to Farmgate Wines (regular farmer’s market fixtures) for their Noble Harvest Riesling 2007,
FARMGATE winemaker and poetry fan, Peter Gough, has long had a penchant for making dessert wine.
“I love Keats description of Autumn” Peter says “as the “season of mist and mellow fruitfulness.”
It’s those autumn mists in our Riesling vineyard that encourage the botrytis infection
(or noble rot) which is the start of the process of producing a dessert wine.”

At a hip-swelling 280g/l of residual sugar Peter describe’s Farmgate Noble Harvest Riesling 2007 as being “…decadent with aromas of apricot, honey and marmalade – a rich unctuous palate
with stonefruit, orange and mandarin – balanced with a pineappley acid cut.” So if you’re planning a stay in the ‘Bay make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to taste before it’s all gone.

Everyone’s a Winner

Occasionally I receive press releases that don’t actually make me want to scoop my own eyeballs out with a spoon and this is one of them.
Early Learning Centre Country Kids, in the Moutere Valley and Tasman School near Nelson have both been presented with donations by Blackenbrook Vineyard after a successful first-time fund-raising initiative.
Parents and staff at Country Kids and Tasman School were able to buy heavily reduced bottles of Blackenbrook wine with proceeds going back into the daycare and school. Co-owner of Blackenbrook, Ursula Schwarzenbach says as her children have both been to Country Kids and her son now goes to Tasman, they were delighted to be able to give something back.
“It’s not easy for these places to raise funds, so as a local business we were happy to help out. We also like the fact that we get the chance to thank the people who buy local wine by donating back to help our community’s children,” she says. Country Kids Manager Nickie Hodgkinson says the wine idea was a winner.
“It was hugely popular with parents and staff alike. It was just such easy fundraising and we’re really thrilled that Blackenbrook came up with the idea and were prepared to donate these funds. The money raised will be spent on new bulldozers for the sandpit,” she says. Schwarzenbach says the concept was so successful they’ll definitely look at doing it again in the future.
I love the idea that buying wine might help put more bulldozers in sandpits, as well as encouraging more New Zealanders to buy wine locally, and I hope more wineries give this idea some thought. To find out more about how it was done, contact Blackenbrook at www.blackenbrook.co.nz

SIX OF THE BEST
Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Moscato $13
This recently picked up the Trophy for Best Apéritif-Style Australian Sparkling Wine at the Sydney International Wine Competition and also scooped Top 100 status and a Blue-Gold medal – but shiny medals aside, this is one fabulous little fizz with summer written all over it. It’s compulsory to serve it super-cold to enjoy the delicious tropical pineapple and peach flavours and crisp, spritzy acidity. Light but so lovely. Widely available.
Saint Clair Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $35
Marlborough’s big guns just keep firing from the 2009 sauvignon blanc vintage, and Saint Clair have proved once again that their flagship, the Wairau Reserve is no short-range missile. Boasting pungent aromas of white-flesh nectarine, passionfruit, lemon-verbena and lawn clippings followed by a heart-stopping burst of classic gooseberry, pineapple and lime-laden lusciousness on the palate. Stunning stuff that can be found in good wine stores or via www.saintclair.co.nz
Montana ‘P’ Patutahi Gewurztraminer 2008 $36
This is one of my favourite gewürztraminers because it’s always so fresh, exotically spicy, floral and fabulous. In the 2008 version expect dense concentration of lychee, rose petal, guava and citrus flavours, bold complexity and beautiful length on the finish. Find it in good wine stores nationwide.
Full Circle Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $16
The latest offering from green-guru’s Yealands Estate is grassy and classy but definitely not glassy. Locked inside this lightweight plastic squeezy bottle is a lean, limey, fresh and frisky sauvignon which carries some classic capsicum and herbal characters to round out all that citrus. It might be certified carbon-zero but it’s definitely full-emission where flavour’s concerned. Find it at wine stores and supermarkets everywhere. To find out more visit www.yealands.co.nz
The Ned Waihopai River Sauvignon Blanc 2009 $18
Don’t be fooled by the soft, pillowy nose because this wine positively erupts with punchy pineapple, passionfruit and lime-driven flavours. Clean and minerally to finish, it’s a sure-fire hit with seafood of any description. Good wine stores and supermarkets will stock this or visit http://www.thened.co.nz/
Sacred Hill HALO Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2008 $26
Heavenly aromas of hotcross buns, Christmas pudding, pickled walnuts and pepper numb the nostrils while the tastebuds are coated with warm, plump and plummy flavours which leave a lovely, clinging finish. Dangerously easy to drink and perfect with old-fashioned leg of lamb studded with rosemary and garlic. Widely available www.sacredhill.com

Reaching Noirvana

When the subject of pinot noir comes up in conversation I’d like to have a dollar for every time I’m told that “It’s a bugger of a thing to grow, and it’s bloody hard to make”, because by now I’d be a seriously wealthy woman. But clearly the love of the grape and the lure of achieving that elusive Pinot Noir-vana outweighs that frustration and keeps many a winemaker coming back for more, vintage after vintage. Most of the winemakers I speak to are happy to have just one, or possibly two pinots in their portfolio – that’s enough thank you very much. But there are some who adore making great pinot so much that one could comfortably describe them as obsessive compulsive. A moniker that doesn’t worry the people at Seresin in Marlborough one bit, in fact they’re so proud of their pinot-mania that they’re in the process of releasing not one, not two, but six individual pinot noirs. “Pinot Noir is the most beautiful grape and potentially the most beautiful wine in the world, I love it. It’s called the heart-break grape for good reason, it is a challenge to make and an even bigger challenge to grow but the quest to make the best possible Pinot Noir is something all of us at Seresin are driven by” says Michael Seresin, owner of Seresin Estate.

The six wines hail from 2007, which was the culmination of new winemaker Clive Dougall and vineyard manager Colin Ross’ first full growing season together. “The ‘Leah’, named for my daughter, is a blend of fruit from our three vineyards; ‘Rachel’, after my mother, is a Pinot made from the best portions available from our Estate each year. From each of our three vineyards we have also produced a single vineyard wine; the ‘Tatou’, ‘Home’ and ‘Raupo Creek’ Pinot Noir illustrate the characteristics of our different sites and soils” explains Seresin.

Put simply pinot noir is a bit like marmite because it polarises people; they either love it or hate it. The flavours are not often clear-cut; they’re mysterious and haunting, savoury, spicy, floral or chocolatey; black tea, black cherry or both? You may find it to be fruity, earthy and fungal all in the same glass. And good pinot isn’t cheap either, why? See paragraph one, sentence one. But I adore it; and as I tasted my way through one excellent wine after another, it became clear that the fruit from 2007 had given Seresin some rather spectacular juice to work with. But it was just one sip of the very last wine that prompted me to put down the glass and sit back in awe. “The unique conditions of the 2007 vintage also allowed us for the first time to make a wine we have called ‘Sun &Moon’” Michael explains, “Cropped at a minimal one bunch per shoot or less, we believe this wine to be our best expression of Pinot Noir. It will only be made when this beautiful heartbreak grape allows us”.
While I write this I want to assure you that I’m of sound mind and body. The nature of my work means I’m in the fortunate position of being able to taste many different wines on a daily basis, so by now I should be hardened, immune if you will, to emotional outbursts where wine tasting’s concerned. I’m also trying really hard not to sound like a complete Womble, but that wine moved me. It was more than the Sun & Moon, it was also the stars. Thank you Michael, thank you Clive, thank you Colin, getting my heart broken never tasted so good.

Sip of the Week

Seresin 2007 Home Pinot Noir $50.00 4 Stars
Upfront cherry and plum aromas with some lush, spicy mulberry flavours combined with ripe fruit, youthful, juicy acidity and lovely comforting warmth. Only 40 cases were made so it’s available only through the Seresin Cellar Door and http://www.seresin.co.nz/

Seresin 2007 Raupo Creek Pinot Noir $50.00 41/2 stars
Dark and inky-coloured like old blood and scented with bracken-berries and shitake mushroom. On the palate it is powerfully spicy with an undercurrent of charred oak, mace and mulberry. Moody in its youthful state, but has the breeding to blossom into a hauntingly beautiful adult I’m sure.

Seresin Tatau Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007 $50 4 stars
Ripe, fragrant raspberry, dark cherry and black tea aromas lead to distinctly spicy, earthy, brooding flavours on the palate. Smooth, lush and incredibly drinkable, but as there were less than 50 cases produced you’ll need to visit the Seresin Cellar Door and http://www.seresin.co.nz/

Seresin 2007 Rachel Pinot Noir $55.00 4½ stars
Lush, forest-floor aromas combined with dark berries and spicy, smoky, earthy notes on the palate. Supple and silky but has some solid grip on the finish. Delicious now, but will reward another 3-4 years in the cellar.

Seresin 2007 Sun & Moon Pinot Noir $120 5 stars
Dark, glossy and exotically scented. It has intensely succulent berry-fruit flavours, and nuances of black tea and pot pourri. Warm, silky and texturally solid; yet it’s also feminine and elegant on the finish. An absolutely stunning pinot that cries out for duck confit; and although it’s pricy, and there’s precious little available and it isn’t released until February 2010, don’t let that stop you from seeking it out, putting your name on the list or doing whatever it is you need to do to get one.

It's Business Time

How I’m expected to write a column while Flight of the Conchords is on telly I don’t know. So if I suddenly break into “Business Time” please forgive me. I’ve been a bit distracted by weather this past week. Normally I keep track of how the weather is panning around the nations wine regions leading up to harvest, but being based up in Hawkes Bay as I am, the feeling of nail-nibbling dread and impending mouldy doom that’s clouded the region every day for the last fortnight has had me completely consumed.
Today the thought had crossed my mind that I might’ve jinxed Hawkes Bay’s chances of achieving the vintage of the century by writing an article saying that I thought they were going to achieve the vintage of the century if the baking, dry 30-plus degree days continue; and lo, the dampness did cometh.
I guess it’s a bit like when you’re a teenager and you know there’s a party on the weekend, and you even get permission from your parents to go. So you get yourself so excited and wound-up thinking about how great and AWESOME it’s going to be that when the night actually arrives, your mates forget to pick you up so you have to walk and by the time you get there everyone has left for another party, but a girl semi passed out in the kitchen slurs that your boyfriend took off with that slapper who works at Video Ezy before passing you a hipflask of rum which you drink because you’re so heartbroken. An hour later you end up ringing your dad to come pick you up and right in the middle of him saying how disappointed he is that you woke him up at 1am you promptly throw up in the front seat of his Cortina and he grounds you for a month. But the nights that you think “ok, I’ll just go to this shindig and see how it goes” end up being absolutely epic experiences, relived in wistful memories for years to come.
But today winemakers and grapegrowers are upbeat. “The wind we’re having is keeping the rot in check” says Rob Beard of Maimai Creek vineyards in Meeanee, Napier. “But things are looking good, it’s going to be an excellent harvest”. “(the 2009 vintage) is going to sort out the experienced from the not so” says Bob Newton of Newton Forrest Cornerstone Vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels. Hmmm. A hiccup in the weather has the old guard cool and the newcomers worried, but that’s just business. “It’s business” croon the Conchords. “It’s business time. And you know when I’m down to just my socks it`s time for business, that’s why they call it business socks”. Sorry , couldn’t help myself.

Sip This...
Sacred Hill Basket Press Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2008 $20
A new-release red that’s an old favourite with its spicy, savoury aromas and hearty, rib-sticking character. Sourced from fruit grown in Hawkes Bay’s Gimblett Gravels region, it needs to be paired with food to be enjoyed fully and it’s a winner with garlic pepper steak. http://www.sacredhill.com/