I’ve just returned from a visit to the Barossa Valley, always a great pleasure, to research an “wine trail” piece for the Air New Zealand in-flight magazine, Kia Ora. I took a number of pics to illustrate the piece. I confess to getting more pleasure from seeing my photos in print than my words so I’ve posted a fairly pictorial piece with the “best of” from the ten wineries visited. I’ve also added a memorable wine from each.

YALUMBA

Most memorable wine (there were many): Yalumba 2008 Bush Vine Grenache A$20 – Elegant, taut red with subtle spice and a silken texture. This is poor man’s Pinot Noir. A great buy at this price. Also loved Pewsey Vale 2004 “The Contours” Riesling and Eden Valley 2009 Viognier (Yalumba is Australia’s best Viognier maker by a long way from whoever comes second).

ROCKFORD

Grant Burge - the man behind the label

Visitors (mostly Kiwis) enjoying lunch and a glass or threeTasteful cellar door entrance

Classy cellar door entrance

Most memorable wine: Eight Songs 2004 Shiraz A$40 

Rich, opulent Shiraz with a seasoning of French (rather than American) oak. Classy wine with a backbone of firm but very ripe tannins.

HENSCHKE

Hill of Grace vineyard - Shiraz vines planted before 1860!

 I took this photo on an earlier visit. It was close to sunset and a beautiful pink light tinged the vineyard shortly before I clicked the shutter. Photoshop unnecessary.

Most memorable wine: Henschke 2005 Hill of Grace Shiraz A$510  It is worth very penny.

 

 

 

 

SALTRAM

Mamre Brook house - built in 1844, subsequently enlarged

Most memorable wine: Saltram 2005 The Journal Shiraz A$125  First release of a new flagship wine that’s aged in large vats rather than barriques. Dense sweet fruit with layers of dark berry, spice and bitter chocolate flavours. Linear and potentially very long-lived. Think of Penfolds St Henri and amplify slightly.

TORBRECK

Winemaker Graig Isbel

Torbreck’s legendary founder, Dave Powell, was overseas when I called but I’ve enjoyed company of this wild man in the past. His latest exploit happened in a restaurant in Finland at the end of a long evening. The restaurant had a branding iron that they use to burn their logo onto various things. Powell and his distributors were in a relaxed mood and, yes, you’ve guessed it, he agreed to be branded on his bum. Silliest thing he’s ever done, he later admitted, but he’s become something of a hero in Finland.

Most memorable wine: (I didn’t taste the flagship wine RunRig on this occasion) Torbreck 2006 Les Amis A$187.50  Old vine Grenache – exquisite aromatics and a great texture. Very complex with layers of ripe berryfruit and spice flavours.

THE WILLOWS

Peter Scholz - owner, viticulturist and winemaker

I warmed to this powerfully built and sharply intelligent man. Liked his wines very much. They offer great value.

The Willows 2006 Semillon A$14  My kinda’ Semillon – taut, fine-boned, edgy wine with chalky mineral and apple flavours. Unbelieveably good value.

The leftovers

I’m writing this in my room at the Hilton Hotel in Singapore after a challenging day tasting 27 Bordeaux reds from the 2005 vintage followed by 24 tannic samples of Barolo, mostly from the excellent 2004 vintage.

Both tastings were part of the World Gourmet Summit, an annual orgy of fine wine and food organised by the eponymous Peter Knipp. It’s a great event attracting many of Singapore’s serious wine enthusiasts plus a number from beyond Singapore’s shores.

I can confirm that 2005 was indeed a great Bordeaux vintage. If I could fault a fairly faultless year it would be that a number of wines appeared slightly over-ripe but that’s a minor quibble.

I appear to be, rather scarily, in the Parker camp by giving a nod to the garagiste wine, Valandraud and endorsing Parkers passion for Pavie. Anyway, for what it’s worth, I bare my soul and reveal my pecking order with scores. My apologies for the formatting of wines and scores.

96   Château Valandraud

96   Château Pichon Baron

96   Château Reignac

95   Château Mouton-Rothschild

95   Château Domaine de l’A
95   Château Pavie

94   Château Cos d’Estournel

94   Château Le Bon Pasteur

94   Château Léoville Poyferré

94   Château Pichon Comtesse

94   Château Haut-Condissas

93+ Château Beychvelle

93+ Château Haut-Marbuzet
93   Château Haut-Brion

93   Château Lascombes

92   Château Talbot

92   Château La Mondotte

91   Château Pape-Clément

91   Château Canon

90   Château Angelus
90   Château Rauzan-Ségla

90   Château La Tour Carnet

88   Château Smith Haut-Lafitte

88   Château Haut-Carles

87   Château Haut-Bailly
85   Château Beauregard
84   Château Malartic-Lagravière

A wine drinker's beer

They say it takes a lot of beer to make wine. Beer sales must certainly rise during vintage when winemakers gather with their fellow winery workers at the end of eachlong, hard day. What brand of beer do winemakers drink? In Australia Coopers Pale Ale is a clear favourite. It’s harder to pick a favourite in this country.

Keith Galbraith, owner of Galbraith’s Brewing Co., was a winemaker before he became a brewer. Keith hasn’t substituted his love of wine for a love of beer – he loves and understands both. Anyone who enjoys a pint or three of English bitter must visit Galbraith’s Alehouse (in the unlikely event they haven’t done so already) at 2 Mt Eden Road, Auckland.

Keith’s justifiably proud of his recently released Munich lager. To make it he imports malt from the Czech Republic and whole hops from Germany (Keith holds the only licence to import whole hops in this country – other breweries use hops processed into pellet form which Keith believes results in a loss of essential oils). Keith also replicates the water used by breweries in Munich.

The result  is a full-flavoured lager with plenty of hop influence and a hint of malt. The flavours are delicate and intense at the same time while the lager finishes with a satisfying hint of hoppy bitterness. The cost is a reasonable $13-$14 for  a 4-pack.

Keith Galbraith - a brewer who loves wine

Aurum vineyard in Central Otago

UK wine writer Tim Atkin MW is a definite inclusion in my list of the world’s top five wine writers. He’s extremely bright, very competitive and is a tireless traveller in the world’s wine regions. He’s a great wine taster with an ability to communicate his impressions clearly and effectively.

When Tim took me to task for describing Central Otago as the world’s most southerly wine region I didn’t argue. Patagonia in southern Chile, he explained, was further south. It’s been two years since we had that conversation and I’ve made no claim of Otago’s southerly status since.

Today I downloaded the latest version of Google Earth and was messing around with the new features when it occured to me that I could easily check how much further south Patagonia was than Central Otago. It was a simple matter to find a list of Patagonian wineries and select the one, Vina Canata, that claimed to be the world’s most southerly winery. It’s located to the north of the Bio Bio Valley. Google Earth pinpointed it’s southerly latitude at 36 degrees 47 minutes. I then found Black Ridge winery in Alexandra, the most southerly district of Central Otago. Its southerly latitude is 45 degrees 16 minutes – significantly further south than Vina Canata which, according to my calculations using Google, is on about the same latitude as Auckland.

That’s it then, Central Otago is the world’s most southerly wine producing region and is likely to remain that way unless someone in Chile figures out how to grow grapevines in permafrost … or someone pinpoints a flaw in my calculations.

Monty - top dog at Dog Point

Last weekend I attended a relaxed lunch at Dog Point, Marlborough’s hottest new (well, new-ish) winery partnership between ex Cloudy Bay winemaker James Healy and ex Cloudy Bay viticulturist Ivan Sutherland. The al fresco lunch was prepared by the dynamic duo Al Logan and Steve Brown from Wellington’s Logan Brown restaurant.

We kicked off with a glass of Roederer Cristal before moving on to Dog Point 09 Sauvignon Blanc, 08 Section 94, 08 Chardonnay and 08 Pinot Noir (that’s their complete range – why don’t more wine producers “stick to the knitting” rather than try to boost sales by adding more wines to their list).

Every wine impressed. Section 94 is appealingly funky without going over the top, the 09 Sauvignon is certainly one of the best I’ve tasted from the vintage, similarly the 08 Chardonnay - just tasted in my current review of NZ Chardonnay where the second bottle (the first was corked) scored 93 points and the 2008 Pinot Noir is an absolute knockout – clearly the best so far from Dog Point. I plan to formally review the Pinot Noir at some stage (I don’t make notes at lunch)  and also to buy a case.

The food was equally impressive. We started with salmon and cucumber sandwhiches, fantastic Bluff-type oysters (from the Marlborough Sounds) freshly shucked by Logan Brown head chef Shaun Clouston who told the Marlborough Express: ”he had been trialling oysters farmed by Marlborough’s Bruce Hearn on and off since about September last year and his customers “loved them”. “They are a beautiful oyster. They look like a little shell, but when you open them up they are a big oyster. “I could sell them all (10 dozen) on the same day.” He said some diners even preferred them instead of Bluff oysters. Mr Hearn has been experimenting with commercial oyster farming in the Sounds for some years. The same species is harvested under quota from Furneaux Strait and near Nelson. He has successfully trialled harvesting with a mussel harvester to get round the problem of build up on the farmed oysters.

Mr Clouston said fresh oysters from Bluff and the Sounds were like comparing “apples with apples”, but he reckoned the Marlborough ones were superior to Bluff pottled oysters. “If I have a choice between a (pottled) Bluff oyster and a Marlborough oyster I would take Bruce’s 10 times over.”

As a fully paid-up card-carrying member of the oyster lovers club I totally agree with Shaun’s comments. If you’re serious about oysters – try them!

We then had the Logan Brown signature dish, Paua fritters. I’ve eaten a lot of Paua but have never had it this good before. It’s worth buying Al Brown’s book “Go Fish” just to get the recipe (I did).

Entree was half a crayfish with a knockout sauce. Main was perfectly cooked venison with various salads. Dessert was passion fruit ice cream between two wafers (we called it an icey slicey when I was a kid).

Altogether a fantastic day which will be repeated next year and should not be missed!!

Dog Point winemaker, james Healy with (unusually) an empty glass

Marlborough sunset from Ivan Sutherland's house

Enjoying lunch

Patrick Hurley - importer of Santa Ema

Visited today by a gentleman from Chile bearing half-a-dozen bottles of wine under the Santa Ema label. Patrick Hurley travelled from Chile 14 months ago leaving his wife and daughters behind (he brought his son with him) to import and distribute a range of Chilean wines from one producer – Santa Ema.

That’s a daunting task given the recession, wine glut and cheap image of Chilean wines in this country (an image that’s incorrect but not undeserved given the labels that have tried and mostly failed here).

Santa Ema has 500 hectares of own vineyards and (significantly) no growers. It has a state-of-the-art winery that I think I visited during a whirlwind visit to Chile many years ago (couldn’t find my notes to confirm I’d seen it).

We tasted a selection of reds only in two price categories: Barrel Select (Syrah, Carmenere and Cab.Sauv./Merlot) at $19.95 and Reserve (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) at $24.95. I also tasted a stonking $49.95 Cabernet Sauvignon that was well worth the money. Santa Ema makes a flagship $99.95 range which weren’t offered to me.

The bottom line …

All of the wines were well made showing good varietal character and clearly offering good value. Best value by far was Santa Ema 2006 Barrel Select Syrah. For a mere $19.95 this dense wine is packed with pure, bright plum, berry and spice flavours. It’s deliciously drinkable now but shows every sign of being able to age very well indeed.

Te Mata's deco-themed offices

Te Mata winemaker, Peter Cowley, dropped around with samples of their latest release wines. It’s easy to become dazzled by flagship Coleraine and ignore some of the other wonderful and often innovative wines in their range. Te Mata quietly makes a number of truly outstanding wines, relying on word-of-mouth and critic endorsements rather than wine shows for promotion.

Quality appears to be as high as ever for most wines in their range and yet the price of some have been cut back in the last year or two. Elston Chardonnay has throttled back to a competitive $33 ($29.90 at Glengarry) from $38 while Woodthorpe Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Gamay Noir, Syrah and Merlot Cabernet offer great value at around $21 (some are available at $17.90 through Glengarry). Glengarry are offering Coleraine for $64.90 by the bottle or $59.90 by the case in an advert today that shows the RRP as $80 (the winery are selling it for $69 by the bottle or $62 by the case) while Caro Wines have it for $59.99 per six bottles (may be a mixed half-dozen).

I’ve listed all releases, with scores, on my database but here are a few brief comments on some of the highlights:

Cape Crest 2009 Sauvignon Blanc $27 (diam) Gently aromatic wine with a wonderful texture and mouth-feel that reminds me of a good white Bordeaux. Oak is evident but it works well. Classy dry white wine that’s a snip at Glengarry’s price of $23.90 (if I seem to be favouring Glengarry it’s because their prices are listed as the lowest on www.wine-searcher.com ).

Woodthorpe 2008 Chardonnay $21 (screwcap) This is a classy little Chardonnay at a great price ($17.90 at Glengarry). Attractive grapefruit and mealy lees flavours with a seasoning of spicy oak.

Elston 2008 Chardonnay $33 (diam) A burgundy look-alike with mineral, grapefruit/stone fruit and toasty oak characters. Restrained, elegant wine with subtle power.

Zara 2009 Viognier$27 (diam) Te Mata pioneered Viognier in this country. Rich, fleshy wine in a totally dry style (many are not dry) with layers of apricot, lees and subtle spicy oak flavours.

Woodthorpe 2008 Syrah $21 (screwcap) Includes 5% Viognier. Deliciously spicy, supple easy-drinking red with lovely berry and floral flavours. Cracker value$17.90 at Glengarry).

Awatea 2008 Cabernets/Merlot $33 (cork) Dense wine with plump, sweet fruit flavours including berry, plum, floral, tobacco and bay leaf. Very approachable wine offering excellent value$29.90 at Glengary).

Coleraine 2008 ($ see above) Has there ever been a more deliciously approachable Coleraine? This many not appeal to the purists, who should spend their money on the more typical 2007, but I love it the wine’s bright, berry fruit, floral and spice flavours. Supple, elegant wine that will age well despite it’s present approachable nature.

Te Mata's talented winemaker Peter Cowley

Vineyards with a view

A fleeting visit to Waiheke, courtesy of Man O’War Vineyards, confirmed my suspicion that Waiheke Island is heading for a helluva vintage, God and weather willing. I managed to get some great shots from the company helicopter before we landed to taste and inspect grapes. They’re clean as a whistle with great flavours and high sugars (as at 24th February). The first grapes (Chardonnay) will be picked on Monday 1st March. I predict great wines will result.

Here’s a shot of their Pinot Gris vineyard on Ponui Island which the vineyard workers have christened “Rippon rip-off” because the views are spectacular and the small island offshore mimics the much photographed island in Lake Wanaka below Rippon Vineyard’s vines.

Rippon rip-off

I also managed to taste a selection of currently released wines and was impressed by most. The highlight was an absolutely stunning Dreadnought 2008 Syrah $45.99 from the vineyard depicted below.

Dreadnought Syrah vineyard (I think)

Here are a few excerpts from my tasting notes:

Man O’War 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Waiheke Island $22.99

Intense, weighty wine with ripe fig, melon and yeast lees flavours. 5 g/l RS but balanced by crisp acidity to give a drying finish. Very different to Marlborough but not a long way off Bordeaux Blanc Sec. Score: 87 points

Man O’War 2009 Pinot Gris, Ponui Island $22.99

Full-flavoured, fleshy wine with pear, melon and stone fruit flavours. A medium/dry style with 8 g/l RS. Fine, drying, glycerol-coated tannins. Score: 85 points

Man O’War 2008 Chardonnay, Waiheke Island $27.99

Intense citrus/grapefruit, nutty lees and chalky mineral flavours – very attractive. Elegant Chardonnay. Good Value. Score: 85 points

Valhalla 2008 Chardonnay, Waiheke Island $39.99

Flagship wine that justifies its exalted status. Big, rich and creamy Chardonnay with masses of mineral, citrus, toasted nut, bran biscuit and spicy oak flavour. Power-plus. Score: 93 points

Man O’War 2009 Rose, Waiheke Island $22.99

Pretty pink wine with plenty of red berry flavours. Made from Merlot , a much better variety for Rose than Pinot Noir, giving good weight and richness. 9 g/l RS but nicely blanced by fresh acidity and fine tannins to give a dry-ish finish. Score: 86 points

Man O’War 2008 Merlot Cabernet Franc Malbec, Waiheke Island $27.99

Vibrant, elegant red with pleasant berry flavours. Lacks enough flesh to mask sappy, drying tannins which produce a fairly austere finish. Needs food. Score: 82 points

Ironclad 2008, Waiheke Island $45.99

Elegance on a grand scale. Fine, tight red with layers of fruit/berry and savoury, spicy flavours. Aromatic wine with a pleasing floral lift. An impressive Bordeaux blend. Score: 93 points

Dreadnought 2008 Syrah, Waiheke Island $45.99

Stunning wine with a heady perfume that includes lovely floral notes. Very elegant red with ripe berryfruit flavours interwoven with Oriental spices. It has a great texture and extraordinary power.Score: 94 points

Stillwater's first vineyard

Visited a brand new winery in the brand new area of Stillwater 30 minutes north of Auckland on the east coast. Paul Syms was sales and marketing director of a large English plastic company until he headed south to pursue his passion for wine. Syms built a house at Stillwater before realising that the neighbouring land offered a perfect vineyard site. Being a man of action he sold his house, bought the land next door, built another house, planted a seven-acre vineyard and built a winery – the last two with a little help from the owner of Providence Vineyard, Jim Vuletic.

Vines were planted in 2005 with the first harvest in 2008 (currently still in barrel). The vineyard is planted equally in Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Merlot. I visited the winery shortly before the arrival of bottling equipment (the first wines will be bottled in a couple of months).

A tasting of barrel samples revealed three impressive varietal wines – ripe flavours, good ripe tannins and nice acidity. Also tasted a test-blend of all three, which I preferred to any of the component wines, good though they are. This is a very serious wine in the making.

Syms plans to charge aound $60-70 a bottle – a fair price if my assessment is anything go by. There are no plans to run a cellar door although visitors will be welcomed if they make an appointment.

Paul and Cathy Syms

I’ve now tasted a little over 200 different samples of Sauvignon Blanc from the 2009 vintage. It’s fair to say the vintage has been kind – I’d give it a score of eight points out of a possible ten, that’s a jump on the 2008 vintage which scored four points but not as high as 2007 which earned nine points.

Here’s my list (prices in NZ$):

1. Astrolabe 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $19.95
2. Vavasour 2009 Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc,, Marlborough $21
3. Blind River 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $25
4. Palliser 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Martinborough $19.95
5. Mud House 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $20.90
6. Saint Clair 2009 Pioneer Block 2 Swamp Block Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $24.95
7. Babich 2009 Individual Vineyards Cowslip Valley Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $25
8. Villa Maria 2009 Wairau Valley Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $25.99
9. Greywacke 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $26
10. Saint Clair 2009 Wairau Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough $32.95