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Assortages: Matua/Shingle Peak Special - Printable Version

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- Skeeter - 05-09-2004

It's a Matua Valley/Shingle Peak special! And what special event prompted these tasting notes?

I'm working there.

Yes, the Enthusiastic Amatuer has turned pro... at least on Saturdays. (I'm one of two new Tasting Room staff at Matua Valleys' Keumu winery.) We were tossed in the deep end on our first day, getting a 10-person tour party of very nice Japanese ladies 15 minutes fter opening... and eight HOURS before we actually had a chance to taste the product we we offering. (It's vintage time, and the harvester had broken down the night before, meaning all hands on deck for the staff.) We BS-ed our way through the day, though, with lots of help from bottle labels, tasting notes and my favourite stand-by... "So what do YOU think of that one?". (Skeeter makes mental note of the tastees description.)

But after we closed, we had a chance for a quick sample of the products. Here's the impressions I got.

2003 Matua "Paretai" Sauvingnon Blanc: Massive passionfruit aromas, crisp acidity, and a pleasure to drink. Exceptional. A tank sample of the '04 looks to be more of the same, if not better, even with a week or so of fermentation still to go.

2003 Matua Eastern Bays Chardonnay: Gisborne & Hawkes bay fruit. Light, fruit-driven chardonnay. Some nice tingly acid, drinking very well. Very nice.

2003 Matua North Island Chardonnay: Less upfront than its Eastern Bays relative. A little buttery, rounded and smooth. I'll need to try these again to pick a favourite.

1999 Matua Matheson Chardonnay: From a special vertical tasting the day I started. Rich and tangy, with what seemed like an almost butterscotchy character.

2000 Matua Matheson Chardonnay: The "experimental" Matheson chardonnay. Very different from the previous (And subsequent) vintage, minerally and slightly restrained. Not overly me, really, but no slouch either.

2001 Matua Matheson Chardonnay: This proved to be a favourite of both myself, and later on, the father-in-law. Spicy oak notes, mouth-filling and dangerously drinkable. Top marks.

2002 Judd Chardonnay: A big seller, if the sales it notched up on Saturday are any indicator. Hand-picked grapes. This got my first "Wow!" notation in the ol' TN book. Incredibly long, probably a Winoweenie 4-lapper. [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img] Creamy, smooth and rich with a dynamite mouthfeel. Liked it, liked it a lot!

2003 Shingle Peak Pinot Noir: Big nose, yet delicate flavours. Lightly oaked, allowing some nice berryfruit to shine through.

2001 Matua Matheson Cabernet/Merlot: I didn't have a lot of notes on flavours hre, as we had to rush the last couple... But there's a large tick in my boook for this full, balanced red with some wonderfully firm yet well-intergrated tannins. Good Lord, I've been converted into a red man!

2003 Matua Late Harvest Muscat: Apart from these, that is.... I still loves me a sticky! This was probably superior to the pretty-damn-good 2002. Not too sweet, but delicate, drinkable and just crying out for my apple crumble to accompany it. Great value for money, too at NZ$10/375ml bottle.The best, however was saved for last.

2003(?) Shingle Peak Botrytis Reisling: I forgot to note the vintage, but I'm almost sure it's an '03. Oh. My. God. Apricots, peach , raisins and nectarine, luscious, inviting and dangerous to my wallet. (Even with those lovely words "Staff Discount" attached, I can see myself saving for at LEAST a half-case of this.) Probably second only to the Selaks Founders Reserve as far as local dessert wines go, in my humble opinion. Great stuff.


Well, that's the first of (hopefully) several reports... and there's still a good half-dozen wines in stock I haven't tried yet. (Including a greanche, a gewurztraminer and the top-rank Ararimu chardonnay.) Saturday could rapidly become my favourite day of the week!


- winoweenie - 05-09-2004

WOW Skeets what an ordeal. Poor Baby. Working in a jernt that forces you to drink their very own plonk. What a deal. Had a Matua Pinot in Calif and ordered some on a pre-arrival deal. Will call whenced I return from the Lakes and post rhe details. Looks like the Skeets-manzer has fallen in the proverbial terlit and come out smellin' like a petunia. Congradulations and keep us up to date in Aukland. WW


- Skeeter - 05-09-2004

Ahhh, it's a hard job, Ween-ster... but someone has to do it. [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img]


- Thomas - 05-09-2004

Skeeter, you hit on the perfect ploy. I have been using "so, what do you think?" for years to hide what I know the other person will think of my off-the-wall opinions...

Before someone else says it: of course, I don't withhold on this loose-swinging board.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 05-09-2004).]


- chittychattykathy - 05-10-2004

Foodie- Loose? I thought this was ALL serious! [img]http://wines.com/ubb2/wink.gif[/img]

Thanks for the post! And good job going "pro" events are great fun, but still, lots of work!


RE: Assortages: Matua/Shingle Peak Special - multiplayer - 04-22-2014

ow man, maybe you want try this wine > Botrys Brandy VSOP, it taste good, and i hard to find this wine, but it awesome, atleast for night.


RE: Assortages: Matua/Shingle Peak Special - winoweenie - 04-23-2014

Good Gracious another " Post-Digger '!!! Now IK this is 10 yars old.....Where in the blazes do these chillin' come from? WW