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Our first tasting in our Master of Wine series was held on Wednesday evening and a large turnout enjoyed some outstanding wines and a most informative and entertaining presentation with Bob Campbell MW.
Quality stars of the night included the Craggy Range Le Sol Syrah 2013 ($100) and the Sacred Hill Riflemans Chardonnay 2015 ($63). Iconic wines that were a treat to taste.
The line-up was varied to provide Bob Campbell with the opportunity to pass on as much info on the wines as he could in the limited time that tasting allows.
There were several absolute bargains in the tasting. The gold medal winning Three Dark Horses McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015 is a terrific wine. Jam packed with intense fruit – plenty of mocha/chocolate, spice and dark plums. A big wine that’s drinking well now but it will last for a decade. $19.99.
We also found a bargain in a sweeter Riesling. This is how Sue Courtney described the Fromm Riesling Spatlese 2015. “Ravishingly aromatic with its scent of lime peel, apple peel, a hint of flower nectar and a waft of kero and full of flavour in the mouth-watering palate with racy acidity honed in by a grapey / white raisin sweetness with a texture that is almost creamy. Bright and refreshing with exciting sweet/sour tension and quite outstanding.”
$19.99 for a full 750ml bottle represents great value from a legendary producer.
The current Marc Bredif Classic Vouvray 2015 is an excellent example of Chenin Blanc. The flavours have filled out since our last tasting of this famous wine and it’s a little spooky to think this wine will continue to develop for the next 10 years and probably last another 10 years beyond that. $26.99.
The new Lawson’s Dry Hills Pioneer Series Pinot Gris 2015 is a beauty. It’s what we could describe as a “complete” Pinot Gris – it’s a class act and it will be a star at a dinner party. Read Sue’s great notes on the wine below. $29.99.
The Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 has many of the characters that we have enjoyed in the Trophy winning Akarua 2015 Pinot Noir. It’s dark, spicy, with plenty of rich ripe fruit and a long creamy finish. Already a delicious glass of Pinot. $35.99.
The gold medal winning Delaplace Champagne is an impressive wine and priced at $42.99 is great value.
For a bargain in Margaret River reds the Xanadu Exmoor Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 is worth trying. Ripe, generous and ready to enjoy $19.99. James Halliday rated this wine at 95 points and listed it as one of the “bargains of the vintage.”
Many of us rate the Gibbston Valley China Terraces Chardonnay 2015 amongst the best Chardonnays yet produced in Central Otago. Very stylish, very appealing and worth its gold medal and Cuisine Top 10 rating. $34.99.
And a wine for interest value, try the Nautilus Marlborough Albarino 2016 – gold medal, Trophy at the Air N.Z. Wine Awards. $25.99.
It was a great tasting and a lot of value for just $15.00.
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On Tour with Bob Campbell MW
Bob is off to Northern Italy in June and there are still spots available on his tour.
Italian Wine & Food Tour with Bob Campbell MW
Tour sunny Emilia-Romagna for eight days to taste and learn about Italian wine with regular regional wine tastings. You will be accommodated in a Junior Suite for 7 nights on a beautiful wine estate from where you will discover the regional wines of Italy and local gastronomic delights as you explore the nearby villages and towns.
- June 22nd to June 29th – 8 days
- Minimum 14 travellers
- Price: NZ$4,995 per person in a share/twin or double basis in a Junior Suite. Single supplement” Plus NZ$885 (for a Junior Suite for single use NOT a single room).
- For complete intinerary contact: Susan Williamson, Etruscan Pleasures susan@etruscan.co.nz Tel 09 372 6291
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Fromm Riesling Spatlese 2015 - Marlborough
Ravishingly aromatic with its scent of lime peel, apple peel, a hint of flower nectar and a waft of kero and full of flavour in the mouth-watering palate with racy acidity honed in by a grapey / white raisin sweetness with a texture that is almost creamy. Bright and refreshing with exciting sweet/sour tension and quite outstanding.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Nautilus Marlborough Albarino 2016
Bright aromatics and flavours full of apple, quince, pear and mandarin zest with a touch of tarragon / anise coming to mind and heaps of mouth-watering salinity building to a very tasty fruit-driven finish. I find riesling-like acidity, pinot gris-like fruit and viognier-like body richness and texture. Gold and Trophy AirNZ Wine Awards.
First Glass Price: $25.99. |
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Delaplace Champagne Brut NV
Light lemon gold with tiny bubbles, an attractive lemony yeasty bouquet and mouth-tingling fizz and zizz with savoury toasty layers under bright lemonade and peach, then after the bubbles subside the mouthfeel is delectably creamy. Sophisticated and sleek with plenty of flavour. Gold NZIWS.
First Glass Price: $42.99. |
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Marc Bredif Classic Vouvray 2015 – Loire Valley, France
Golden in hue with shy aromatics of yellow fruit / yellow apple with a slight toasty nuance but there’s nothing shy about the flavour. It’s mouthfilling, toasty and creamy with bright yellow fruit acidity, touches of strudel spices and an inkling of hokey pokey on the finish that reins in the high acidity that makes these Chenin Blanc wines age almost forever. A great example.
First Glass Price: $26.99. |
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Lawson Dry Hills Pioneer Series Pinot Gris 2015 - Marlborough
Light glossy gold hued with a hint of lychee, honey and citrus peel wafting from the glass. Flavoursome and concentrated in the palate with a soft, almost oily texture, poached pear and tropical fruit, a tickle of spice and a lingering suggestion of honey. Just off dry, it emulates Alsace and is almost verging on luscious.
First Glass Price: $29.99. |
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Three Dark Horses McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015
The bouquet and taste of this deep yet brightly hued red is opulent and generous and full of plum and mulberry fruit woven into vanillin oak with touches of mocha, spice and pepper. It’s young, fresh, juicy and creamy with a silky seductive texture. “Never underestimate a dark horse,” it states on the back label. Gold NZIWS.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014
Deep purple garnet in the glass with a bright, generous, inviting bouquet that's creamy, fruity and savoury at the same time. The taste is spicy upfront with concentrated plum and cherry fruit and sweet smoky oak in the background with a hint of anise on the long creamy finish. A silky, seductive, generous pinot that’s ready to enjoy now. Gold NZIWS.
First Glass Price: $35.99. |
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Ray Middleton won last week’s Saturday Challenge. The wines were Marlborough Riesling, Australian Shiraz Viognier and NZ Merlot
Our 3 lucky email winners this week are:
- Trevor Philbert
- Ron Pearson
- John Smeed
If your name is listed here you have won a bottle of fine wine just for reading our newsletter. It’s here for you to collect – no hurry.
Golf Winners
A slightly reduced field of hardy souls managed to complete 9 holes of a waterlogged Waitemata Course yesterday. The rain never let up but we still enjoyed our day, knowing that we had broken the drought and filled up the water tanks.
Winners:
Team Stableford
Tony Martin, Brian Morganty, Roger McKinnon, Harvey Wilton
Women’s Stableford
Tessa Richardson
Men’s Stableford
Evan Jones
Thanks to all those who braved the conditions – wet but enjoyable. |
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Wednesday 22nd February: Brand new wines and vintages
Wednesday 1st March: Gold medal wines from the 2017 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards – being judged this weekend.
Wednesday 8th March: N.Z. versus the rest of the world
Wednesday 15th March: Alastair Mailing MW |
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Earthquake Damage
The latest edition of New Zealand Winegrower Magazine has a number of articles covering the damage caused in the earthquakes. There’s been more destruction than widely reported and clearly there will be some capacity issues with the vintage due to begin around now.
These are some of the facts listed in N.Z. Winegrower.
- The 7.8 earthquake expelled the equivalent energy of 8 million tonnes of TNT exploding or 40 atomic bombs
- It is estimated that just over 5 million litres of wine was lost in Marlborough, although this is just 2% of Marlborough’s total production
- 60 million litres of tank capacity was damaged or destroyed
- Close to 1000 tanks were damaged to some extent
- 150 tanks were damaged irreparably
- 80 percent of the total Marlborough’s capacity was not damaged
- The shakes have continued – with 1785 aftershocks felt in Marlborough in the month ending January 16
- 96 of those were between 3 and 4 on the Richter scale
- 16 were between 4 and 5
- Three were between 5 and 6
- An insurance estimate puts the loss between $200 and $250 million
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First Glass 15 February 2017
An evening with Bob Campbell MW
Notes by Sue Courtney
Wines were not tasted blind
Delaplace Champagne Brut NV
Light lemon gold with tiny bubbles, an attractive lemony yeasty bouquet and mouth-tingling fizz and zizz with savoury toasty layers under bright lemonade and peach, then after the bubbles subside the mouthfeel is delectably creamy. Sophisticated and sleek with plenty of flavour. Gold NZIWS. 12% alc. Cork. First Glass Price: $42.99.
Gibbston Valley China Terraces Central Otago Chardonnay 2015
The bouquet is delicate yet evocatively smoky and the concentrated flavours are understated in their richness. There’s gunflint, lemonade zest, nougat, fig, bubble gum, hints of musk, vanilla, nutty oak and toast with a fresh acid spine and softness to the texture that’s seamless in its flow. It’s going to age but extremely satisfying now. Gold NZIWS. Cuisine Top 10. 14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $34.99.
Sacred Hill Hawkes Bay Riflemans Chardonnay 2015
Lime tinted gold — ‘electric’ said Heather next to me. There’s fullness to the bouquet that's redolent of sizzled butter, golden peach and toasted cedar then bold in the palate with grilled stonefruit, roasted nuts, biscuity oak, spice and caramel cream. An absolutely super chardonnay that’s powerful in its presence, seamless in its flow and with a wonderfully long finish. 13.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $62.99.
Nautilus Marlborough Albarino 2016
Bright aromatics and flavours full of apple, quince, pear and mandarin zest with a touch of tarragon / anise coming to mind and heaps of mouth-watering salinity building to a very tasty fruit-driven finish. I find riesling-like acidity, pinot gris-like fruit and viognier-like body richness and texture. Gold and Trophy AirNZ Wine Awards. 13.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $25.99.
Marc Bredif Classic Vouvray 2015 – Loire Valley, France
Golden in hue with shy aromatics of yellow fruit / yellow apple with a slight toasty nuance but there’s nothing shy about the flavour. It’s mouthfilling, toasty and creamy with bright yellow fruit acidity, touches of strudel spices and an inkling of hokey pokey on the finish that reins in the high acidity that makes these Chenin Blanc wines age almost forever. A great example. 12.5% alc. Cork. First Glass Price: $26.99.
Lawson Dry Hills Pioneer Series Pinot Gris 2015 - Marlborough
Light glossy gold hued with a hint of lychee, honey and citrus peel wafting from the glass. Flavoursome and concentrated in the palate with a soft, almost oily texture, poached pear and tropical fruit, a tickle of spice and a lingering suggestion of honey. Just off dry, it emulates Alsace and is almost verging on luscious. 14% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $29.99.
Fromm Riesling Spatlese 2015 - Marlborough
Ravishingly aromatic with its scent of lime peel, apple peel, a hint of flower nectar and a waft of kero and full of flavour in the mouth-watering palate with racy acidity honed in by a grapey / white raisin sweetness with a texture that is almost creamy. Bright and refreshing with exciting sweet/sour tension and quite outstanding. 7% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $19.99.
Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014
Deep purple garnet in the glass with a bright, generous, inviting bouquet that's creamy, fruity and savoury at the same time. The taste is spicy upfront with concentrated plum and cherry fruit and sweet smoky oak in the background with a hint of anise on the long creamy finish. A silky, seductive, generous pinot that’s ready to enjoy now. Gold NZIWS. 14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $35.99.
Xanadu ‘Exmoor’ Margaret River Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 - Western Australia
Dark red with a ripe creamy bouquet that evokes a suggestion of dry red earth. Juicy in the palate with classic blackcurrant /cassis and a rich plummy note with touches of tobacco, then loads of cherry mid palate with tannins more noticeable on the earthy, savoury finish that has accents of pepper. Ripe, generous and ready. 14% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $19.99.
Craggy Range Le Sol Gimblett Gravels Hawkes Bay Syrah 2013
The deep purple hue is almost lustrous in the glass, the bouquet is rich, dense and meaty with a delightful black cherry sweetness and it’s phenomenally smooth and silky in the palate with juicy ripe fruit balanced by the savouriness of the oak and the firmness of the melt-in-the-mouth tannins. Not overtly peppery but with a tantalising whisper of spice and a lick of chocolate on the fabulously long finish. All in all a pleasure to taste and savour. 13% alc. Cork. First Glass Price: $99.99.
Three Dark Horses McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015
The bouquet and taste of this deep yet brightly hued red is opulent and generous and full of plum and mulberry fruit woven into vanillin oak with touches of mocha, spice and pepper. It’s young, fresh, juicy and creamy with a silky seductive texture. “Never underestimate a dark horse,” it states on the back label. Gold NZIWS. 14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $19.99.
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Irish Drinker
An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin, orders three pints of Guinness, and sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn.
When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more.
The bartender approaches and tells him, “You know, a pint goes flat soon after I draw it, so it would taste better if you bought one at a time.”
The Irishman replies, “Well you see, I have two brothers. One is in America, the other in Australia, and I’m in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days we drank together. So I drink one for each o’me brothers and one for meself.”
The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it at that.
The Irishman become a regular in the bar and always drinks the same way.
He orders three pints and drinks them in turn.
One day, he comes in and orders only two pints. All of the other regulars notice and fall silent.
When he comes back to the bar for a second round, the bartender says, “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I want to offer my condolences on your loss.”
The Irishman looks quite puzzled for a moment. Then a light dawns in his eye and he laughs. “Oh, no, everybody’s just fine,” he explains.
“It’s just that me wife had us join that new Church down the road and they don’t allow drinking, so I had to quit.”
“Hasn’t affected me brothers though.” |
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