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The year is well and truly underway when you find the judging has already been completed for the 2017 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards. A brief summary of the results is included below. It was our intention at next week’s Wednesday tasting to include a line-up of gold medal winners, but with the end of the month on Tuesday we have decided to move this tasting back a week – to the 8th of March. Next week the theme will be NZ versus the rest of the wine world.
On Wednesday we had a range of wines that had recently arrived into the store and we were very interested to see the reaction of the crowd – to see if the wines would match up to our expectations. Most of the wines did deliver, in fact several of the wines were very impressive.
The new Church Road Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2015 has all the flavours of the brilliant 2014 vintage and it’s already drinking well. It’s a crowd pleaser. $32.99.
We had not stocked the Mt Riley 17 Valley Chardonnay for several years and we were keen to see if the 2015 vintage matched up to our memories of this premium label – it did. This is how Sue Courtney described this wine.
“A rich chardonnay heading towards golden in colour, it has butterscotch and subtle smoky nuances to the mellow bouquet and it’s smooth and seamless in its flow with ripe golden peach flavours, soft acidity and hints of butterscotch again on the finish. Superb drinking already. One for lovers of the ‘O’.” And it’s well priced at $24.99.
The third Chardonnay created a bit of an issue as one of the 4 bottles we opened was completely different to the other 3. We wondered at the time why the reaction to the wine was varied around the room – the majority really enjoying a rich ripe concentrated wine but one section of the room did not. The wine is under screwcap and it is not unusual to get some variations. Winemakers still believe that everything under screwcap will be the same but we know there can often be several “different” wines all coming out of the same box. The wine most of us enjoyed was the Lawson’s Dry Hills Reserve Marlborough Chardonnay 2015 ($23.99) – and we did sell a lot of it on the night.
The Super Nanny Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015 is an impressive wine ($46.99), and if you are looking for an absolute bargain in a N.Z. “Bordeaux” red, the Vidal Reserve H.B. Merlot Cabernet 2015 ($15.99), ticks all the boxes.
If you are dining Italian, we can recommend the Farnese Giro Primitivo 2015 from Puglia. A very tasty wine ready to enjoy now $24.99.
And our tasting of new arrivals would not be complete without some Australian Shiraz. The 2014 Serafino Shiraz is another beauty - $19.99.
We really liked the new Kirrihill Vineyard Selection Tullymore Clare Valley Shiraz 2015 ($24.99) and the Two Hands Angels Share McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015 ($30.99) is outstanding. It will cellar for a decade if required.
All of the wines are reviewed by Sue Courtney below.
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Believe it or not – the judging has already been completed for this year’s Easter Show Wine Awards.
The medal results are all available on www.wineshow.co.nz and it’s another remarkable competition for the Villa Maria group. From the 81 gold medals, Villa/Vidal/Esk/Te Awa/Thornbury have picked up 23 of them.
In the Chardonnay class there were 15 golds awarded with Villa Maria getting 10 of these. That’s a staggering result for the group.
Amongst the gold medals there are many wines that were Trophy winners in the N.Z. International Wine Show, judged 6 months ago. A lot can change in a wine over 6 months but these wines clearly have the quality and class to be recognised by the judges again. Several judges were involved in both of these competitions.
These Trophy winners from the N.Z. International are in with a chance of higher honours again – Akarua Pinot Noir 15, Whitehaven Noble Riesling 14 (the only gold in the sweet wine class), Waipara Hills Waipara Pinot Gris 16, Giesen Gewurztraminer 14, Esk Valley Rose 16.
There is another remarkable result – in the Gewurztraminer class there were only 2 gold medals – Bladen 2016 and Giesen 2014. These 2 wines were the only wines awarded 5 stars (ranking 1st & 2nd) in the latest Cuisine Magazine. The Trophies will be available in a couple of weeks and we will taste a range of gold medal winning wines at our tasting on Wednesday 8th March.
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Church Road Grand Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2015
This is a star in the making. The colour is noticeably golden, the enticing bouquet offers up grilled stonefruit, pink bubblegum, wild yeast nuances and woodsmoke. And the taste is almost luscious in its concentration with winemaking influenced malo and wild yeast characters supported by vanilla cream, fleshy stonefruit and zesty vibes with hints of Manuka woodsmoke playing a harmonious supporting role.
First Glass Price: $32.99. |
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Mt Riley 17 Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2015
A rich chardonnay heading towards golden in colour, it has butterscotch and subtle smoky nuances to the mellow bouquet and it’s smooth and seamless in its flow with ripe golden peach flavours, soft acidity and hints of butterscotch again on the finish. Superb drinking already. One for lovers of the ‘O’.
First Glass Price: $24.99. |
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Gancia Prosecco NV – Italy
Prosecco is often bone dry but this has a gentle touch of sweetness which makes it universally appealing. It has a delightful creamy apple bouquet, the bubbles dance in the mouth before breaking into foam, the fruit is subtle, there’s a refreshing touch of salinity and the lingering finish is soft and long.
First Glass Price: $18.99. |
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Bogle Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 - California
Golden yellow with oodles of toast and buttery oak titivating the olfactory senses and delivering the same to the bold, rich, spicy, toasty oak taste where there are youthful bubble-gum esters and layers of crème caramel with well-balanced acidity imparting brightness as the powerful flavours linger.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Tohu Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015
Youthful purple garnet. Attractive smoky aroma with hints of spiced cherries and violets. Lifted in the palate with upfront acidity, a medley of cranberries, cherries and spice, a smooth velvety texture and a creaminess to the medium to full-bodied finish. Gold Medal - Air NZ Wine Awards 2016.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Three Dark Horses Shiraz 2015
Delightfully sweet aromas of dark berries, mocha, Christmas spices and hazel nut lead to a plush palate that offers fruit richness as well as spicy complexity, wonderfully framed by rich texture, finishing superbly long and velvety. Gold medal – NZ International Wine Show.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Serafino McLaren Vale Shiraz 2014 – South Australia
Inky black red with a soft, plummy bouquet that also hints of cedar and spices. Mouthfilling and seamless in the palate with plump rounded tannins, generous plum and berry fruit, chocolate, cake spices, vanillin oak and a long finish where savoury notes balance the fruit nicely.
First Glass Price: $19.99. |
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Only one correct entry in last weekend’s Saturday Challenge. Marja-Liisa Philbert was a clever lady picking the wines as Marlborough Pinot Gris, Chilean Carmenere and Cotes du Rhone.
Winners in the Big Wednesday promotion are:
Dave Murray, Peter Haxell, Freda Lewis, Steven Pyne.
Our 3 lucky email winners this week area:
- Warren Adams
- Sean Hassett
- Robin Thullier
If your name is listed here you are a winner – just for reading our weekly email. A bottle of fine wine is yours to collect and you are also in the big Xmas prize draw.
We are very disappointed to not have the Super Rugby competition this year but we will let the season get underway and see if there is something we can do that doesn’t involve several hours of work each week. Work in progress – go the Highlanders.
Pick the Score
Super Rugby is back. Call in and put down a score, it’s free.
If you can pick the correct full time score you will win or share a case of wine. Last year we had 7 people pick the exact score – the most in a year – ever. If no one gets the score, all those who are closest win a bottle of wine.
This week’s game is the Crusaders V Brumbies in Christchurch, Saturday night.
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Wednesday 1st March: N.Z. versus the rest of the wine world
Wednesday 8th March: Gold medal wines from the 2017 Royal Easter Show Wine Awards
Wednesday 15th March: Alastair Mailing MW. |
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Personal Comment
I’m a big sports fan and love the cricket, the rugby, the golf, the league, the soccer etc. etc. What I cannot understand is the continuing criticism of Sky Television and what they do.
There is no question about the monopoly they have on “live” sports coverage but if they didn’t turn up with their cameras, who would. TVNZ or TV3 rarely have any live sports so it’s Sky or nothing. Yes it’s expensive to receive all the Sky Sports channels but how empty would the week be for many of us without the Super Rugby, or even worse, no live coverage of the All Blacks in New Zealand. Radio just doesn’t have the same impact.
Live coverage of sports events does have an impact on attendances at games and we hear plenty of comment on people not supporting the game – empty stadiums etc. While some teams do not deserve full stands the cost of attending games on a regular basis must be taken into account. Most families simply cannot afford it. They need to pick the games they want to see and can afford to attend. Sky sports does cost a lot to watch but it is still a lot cheaper than tickets for a live game.
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First Glass Feb 22 2017
New to First Glass
Notes by Sue Courtney
Wines were tasted blind
Gancia Prosecco NV – Italy
Prosecco is often bone dry but this has a gentle touch of sweetness which makes it universally appealing. It has a delightful creamy apple bouquet, the bubbles dance in the mouth before breaking into foam, the fruit is subtle, there’s a refreshing touch of salinity and the lingering finish is soft and long.
11.5% alc. Cork. First Glass Price: $18.99.
Mt Riley 17 Valley Marlborough Chardonnay 2015
A rich chardonnay heading towards golden in colour, it has butterscotch and subtle smoky nuances to the mellow bouquet and it’s smooth and seamless in its flow with ripe golden peach flavours, soft acidity and hints of butterscotch again on the finish. Superb drinking already. One for lovers of the ‘O’.
13.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $24.99.
Church Road Grand Reserve Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2015
This is a star in the making. The colour is noticeably golden, the enticing bouquet offers up grilled stonefruit, pink bubblegum, wild yeast nuances and woodsmoke. And the taste is almost luscious in its concentration with winemaking influenced malo and wild yeast characters supported by vanilla cream, fleshy stonefruit and zesty vibes with hints of Manuka woodsmoke playing a harmonious supporting role.
14% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $32.99.
Lawson's Dry Hills Marlborough Pinot Gris 2016
This is a richer, fuller, just off dry style of pinot gris with an alluring bouquet of tropical fruit and bright fruit flavours of vanilla poached pear, quince, stonefruit and honey. A small portion of the blend was barrel fermented with wild yeasts which adds to the textural complexity.
14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $19.99.
Nanny Goat Super Nanny Central Otago Pinot Noir 2015
Ruby garnet in hue. Vibrantly aromatic with spiced bottled cherries and delicate touches of woodsmoke filling the bouquet and ripe, tasty and silky in its flow with generous mixed berry fruit, spice, typical pinot noir smoky savoury notes and a pleasing firmness to the finish.
14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $46.99.
Farnese Fantini Giro Primitivo 2015 – Puglia, Italy
This southern Italy charmer is inky in hue. The bouquet offers up blackcurrant, redcurrant, leather and spice and it’s succulent, supple and fruity to the taste with an initial slightly gravelly texture that softens as the wine flows. With super ripe fruit together with chocolate, coffee and tar and a long, mouthfilling finish, this easy going red is easy to like.
13.5% alc. Cork. First Glass Price: $24.99.
Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet 2015
This is a value packed Bordeaux style from Hawkes Bay. It’s deeply coloured with a bramble-rich bouquet and the taste delivers plenty of juicy fruit flavours supported by polished, creamy, nuggety oak with leather, spice and silk edged tannins and a smooth, succulent and savoury finish.
13.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $15.99.
Serafino McLaren Vale Shiraz 2014 – South Australia
Inky black red with a soft, plummy bouquet that also hints of cedar and spices. Mouthfilling and seamless in the palate with plump rounded tannins, generous plum and berry fruit, chocolate, cake spices, vanillin oak and a long finish where savoury notes balance the fruit nicely. “Ready to go,” says Kingsley.
14% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $19.99.
Kirrihill Vineyard Selection Tullymore Clare Valley Shiraz 2015 – South Australia
Inky black red with purple edges. Mint is immediately noticeable on the nose and follows in the palate of this classy, beautifully structured dry red with silky edges to the moderately firm tannins. Juicy black cherry fruit is balanced by savoury oak that’s still a little prominent but with integrate nicely with a little more time and there a nice touch of peppery spice on the lingering finish.
14.5% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $24.99.
Two Hands Angels Share McLaren Vale Shiraz 2015 – South Australia
Inky black red with dark berries and chocolate filling the bouquet and more chocolate in the opulent yet savoury, creamy oak palate that’s infused with woody spices, hints of anise and flashes of purple like plums, violets, blueberries and mulberries. The tannins are silky with a touch of firmness to the finish and there’s a surge of pepper as the succulent mouthfilling flavours linger.
14% alc. Screwcap. First Glass Price: $30.99.
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Fireman
Jamaican fireman came home from work one day and said to his wife, “Ya now sumptin’ womon, we have a wonderful new system at de fire station …
Bell 1 rings – we put on our jackets.
Bell 2 rings – we slide down de pole.
Bell 3 rings – we jump on de engine and we’s ready to go.
“From now on womon,
When I say, ‘Bell one’ I want you to strip naked.
When I say, ‘Bell two’ you jump on the bed.
When I say, ‘Bell three’ we’s gonna mek love all tru de night girl.”
The next night, he came home and shouted,
“Bell One” and the wife stripped naked!
“Bell Two” and she jumped on the bed!
“Bell three” and they started to make love!
After a few minutes, the wine yelled out, “Bell Four”
“WOMON … What de hell is Bell Four?” he asked.
She replied, “ROLL OUT MORE HOSE, MON, YOU AIN’T NOWEHRE NEAR DE FIRE!!” |
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