New NZ Wine Releases
Around spring comes the time in the wine writer’s year
when newly released wines start to enter the market. First a trickle, then a vinous tsunami is
unleashed as wine producers large and small stack up all the new bottles up for
scrutiny and purchase.
Writers get to sample for free in three different
ways: trade samples couriered to your door, individual winery tastings – often
with the winemaker, and finally large trade shows where a number of wineries
club together for en masse tasting events.
Obviously, my preference is for the mystery parcel
dropped at my doorstep and the opportunity to open the bottle and evaluate a
wine over an evening, letting it ‘breathe’ a bit and seeing how it goes with
food. This gives plenty of time not to
rush into judgement and to get a good idea of aromas and flavours. Plus I can get a second opinion from my
lovely wife, as long as she agrees with me.
A hosted tasting with the winemaker is great too,
because you can ask questions directly and also get feedback from other writers
present. On the other hand you feel obliged to stifle any negative feedback out
of politeness. So you say, ‘Mmmm …
interesting,’ instead of ‘Oh my god,
what were you thinking?’ But
realistically, it is a rare occasion to get a dud when sampling our NZ wines;
such is the consistency of quality across the board.
Trade Shows offer a mixed blessing. They do give the chance to catch up with
other writers, winemakers and industry marketing folk. On the other hand it is
often a bit of a mad zoo format with, say ten or twenty wineries each offering
six or more wines for sampling. Writers
tend are invited along with hospo people (restaurant and bar), retailers, other
media, PR folk and so on. A cynic would say, and I certainly would not –
that some people come here to drink free wine and get a wee bit pissed. When I went to these shows in the early days
I tried to be very diligent and dutifully went to each stand to sample all the
white wines, and then second round – all the reds. Apart from confusing my palate, despite
spitting and tipping I still ended up quite squiffy by the end. Nowadays, I confine myself to two or three
varieties (usually Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) and finally leave the
building reasonably capacitated.
Okay. So here’s
a few releases that crossed my path recently:
Pegasus
Bay Waipara Riesling 2010 $28.00
Medium sweet, full–flavoured wine with lots of mandarin and citrus crispness overlaying ripe stone fruit and minerality.
Medium sweet, full–flavoured wine with lots of mandarin and citrus crispness overlaying ripe stone fruit and minerality.
Waimea
Estates Nelson Grüner Veltliner 2012
$25.00
(Pronounced Grooner Felt-Leaner). Probably the most
famous dry style grape from Austria.
This is a good introduction for NZers.
Some floral aromas, with nectarine and herbal flavours and a dry finish.
Waimea
Estates Nelson Pinot Gris 2012 $23.00
Medium dry style, with a Juicy Fruit collection of
ripe stone and citrus fruit flavours, plus a hint of stewed apple.
Kumeu
River Village Chardonnay 2010 $16.50
A label redesign and launch party saw Kumeu River’s
entry level Village Chardonnay get a makeover.
With the Maté’s Vineyard premium Chardonnay retailing at about $70, this
is a more affordable option for everyday drinking. Flavours of hazel nut and toast from barrel
fermentation, and some fruity peach and nectarine characters, but with a crisp
clean dry finish.
Lake
Chalice Raptor Marlborough Chardonnay 2012
$28.00
Similar in style to Kumeu River Village, but a bit
more depth of oak flavours and mid palate weight. Brioche and toast flavours with a nice
balance of acid and peachy buttery characters.
Pegasus
Bay Prima Donna Waipara Pinot Noir 2010 $84.00
A great Pinot from a good hot, dry vintage. Ripe and luscious with spicy liquorice, black
berry fruit, cherries and plums and silky yet persistent tannin.
