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- Skeeter - 09-17-2007
Another month, another tasting. Or two. (I love working in both a winery and a wine store.) And the 2007 savvies are out! Let’s get to the notes!
Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007: Oh, dear. My notes read “Faintly disappointingâ€. Smell the understatement. Closed nose, dull fruit, no acidity to speak of. A New Zealand savvie that just underdelivers. Not a good start.
Culley Sauvignon Blanc 2007: Not leaping out of the glass at me, either. A little bit more fruit, but you have to hunt for it. What’s happening to the talked-up good year?
The Ned Sauvignon Blanc 2007: The newish label from Brent Marris, former winemaker from Wither Hills. Getting better now… nicely balanced, much better fruit and a good finish. Quite drinkable, and a relief after the former two disappointments.
Sacred Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2007: Huzzah! We have a winner! Crisp, zingy, a wealth of classic Marlborough citrus and passionfruit. Big Tick o’ Approval number one!
Brookfields Pinot Gris 2007: Not my favourite variety, but not too shabby. Fullish bodied, decent mid-palate weight, should be good with food. (My notes have a scribble that’s either “lunch wine†or “lurch westâ€. I hope it’s the former.)
Brookfields Viognier 2006: The acidity on this one is pretty similar to what I was expecting from those wussbags ’07 savvies. (Sacred Hill excluded, of course.) Big, floral and fragrant, with added body from a touch of barrel fermentation. Nice wine, but only a limited supply available. A tasting a few days before of a dozen assorted viogniers has convincved me I have a new style to start persuing. My picks so far include the ’05 Te Mata Woodthorpe, the ‘04 Vidal and the stunning-but-out-of-my-usual-price-range ’05 Hans Herzog.
Brookfields 2005 Hillside Syrah: Big Tick o’ Approval #2! Savoury, gamey notes. Long and complex, firm tannins that enhance the wine but don’t overpower the fruit. Lingers for ages. One I’ve been recommending to punters ever since.
Brookfields “Indulgence†Noble Sauvignon Blanc 2007: So new it wasn’t even labled yet. Hardly a ‘stickyâ€, but clean, delicate and very refreshing. The first sweet savvie I’ve tried, although there’s a bottle of Clayridge Noble SB taunting me from the shop shelves as we speak. It may have to come home with me in the near future. (I just moved a bottle of 2003 Waipara Hills Noble Riesling from the cupboard t the fridge this morning, so I’m sure there’s room.)
Westbrook Blue Ridge Chardonnay 2004: I’ve been a fan of Blue Ridge Chard for some time now, and this is built in ther classic style. Rich, smooth and peachy, massively long finish. One for the old-school chardy lovers like me.
Lake Chalice Pinot Gris 2007: Oh, ho hum, another pinot gris… Whoa, wait a second here. Good acid spine, great tropical fruit, excellent body… Is it that most elusive of wines? A pinot gris I could actually enjoy drinking? Sure is! How about that? Maybe a little simple for some peoples taste, but I liked it a lot more than I was expecting. Big props to Lake Chalice!
Margrain Pinot Gris 2006: And suddenly my world went pear-shaped (and pear-flavoured!) as a second pinot gris passed my personal taste test. This one had less acid than the Lake Chalice, but a lot more structure. Pear and apple flavours, nice complexity, plenty of depth. Add food for a good time!
2006 Culley Chardonnay 2006: Seemed a little restrained at first, but improved on the second sip. (Amazing how many wines tatse better after the first sip. Or glass. Or several glasses.) [img]http://wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] Nice creamy texture, but my rather sparse notes on it indicate I was tasting this while still thing of the Blue Ridge. Hardly gentlemanly, I know.
Allan Scott Blanc de Blancs NV: One of my current favourite Kiwi sparkling wine. (In fact, methods have recently become my favourite vino fullstop. Who needs an occasion to enjoy a glass of bubbles? Not I, good sir.) Fresh, lively, and a super aperitif. Good value for money, too. Unless you buy it by the glass in certain bars, that is. I was stung for $10.50 for a glass recently. A bottle sets you back around NZ$26.
Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle NV: A Central Otago sparkler I recently busted out as a joint wifes birthday/Fathers (Well, father-in-law, really) Day beverage. Toasty and dry, it washed down a Thai meal nicely. Even if it did have the slight side-effect of making a medium-spiced beef stir-fry into a medium-hot. The Family Estate No.1 is still my pick for top Kiwi methode, but this was most acceptable.
Domaine Nicholas Boiron 2006: Oops, le Imposteur in the ranks. I have to say, as tasting wines, a lot of French vino comes off as way too tannic for my taste. This one was mouth-puckering. However, the provider of this wine also had a sample platter of the first legal Roquefort cheese available in New Zealand. (Former laws against unpasturised cheeses have been eased.) And while he told me most people think he’s nut to pair sheeps milk cheese with a Cotes de Rhone red, blow me down if he wasn’t right. The cheese sanded the rough edges right off the wine and made it smooth and drinkable. Great pairing, my man. I’m still not impressed with the vino, though.
Mt. Difficulty “Target Gully†Riesling 2006: Interesting… a distinctly off-dry style, lots of lemon sherbet/limejuice characters. Nice rounded dollop of sweetness. Not the type of riesling I usually dig, but pretty good stuff.
Framingham Classic Riesling 2005: This one is served at the Comedy Club I ALSO work a few nights a week at. (I’m actually the ticket salesman, but staff get a free drink each night. Plus a second “performers†tipple on the occasional nights I get up on stage and crack wise about politics, religion and morris dancing. Weird comedy mix, I know.) I think my boss picked up the Framingham as it’s a good value-for-money wine. (NZ$23.50 here.) It’s also one of the best Rieslings in the country. I usually love bone-dry styles, but this one has just a sublime balance of sweetness and acidity. Perfect aperitif, and would also be killer with seafood, Thai (I’m thinking along the lines of a Thai beef salad with fresh lime and basil) or Korean.
I have got to stop typing these notes at work. The combination of the words “Thai Beef Salad†and the aroma of the pizza shop next door is now driving me crazy. One hour to go. Come in, Waipara Springs sticky… your time is up!
Final TN From a few hours later; 2003 was SUCh a good year for noble riesling. Just delicious.
- winoweenie - 09-17-2007
Great notes asusual there Skeets. Hopefully the powers that be will import the Brookfields. WW
- Glass_A_Day - 09-18-2007
Thanks for the notes Skeeter. Would like to get my hands on a few of the winners there.