Labour Weekend Auckland Offline - 1998 Hawkes Bay Reds

[Craig(NZ)]

EDIT: I can also probably get a Mills Reef Elspeth Cab/merlot 98 ?? Not sure of the iconicness... debatable perhaps.

its a flagship from a good winery. Meets the grade IMO easily

[Craig(NZ)]

I wouldnt mind avoiding bringing coleraine if someone else with healthy stocks wants to put their hand up for that. Surprisingly maybe, I didnt actually buy many 98 coleraine's. It was one of the last wineries I went to that trip and I had already spent a kings ransom at other cellar doors hehe. On top of that I bought mainly magnums. Need to hold a couple of 750's for testing progress in 5 - 10 years time

[jafa]

I wouldnt mind avoiding bringing coleraine if someone else with healthy stocks wants to put their hand up for that. Surprisingly maybe, I didnt actually buy many 98 coleraine's. It was one of the last wineries I went to that trip and I had already spent a kings ransom at other cellar doors hehe. On top of that I bought mainly magnums. Need to hold a couple of 750's for testing progress in 5 - 10 years time

Done. Coleraine.
Purchased a case, cracked first bottle last Sunday. Very impressed, but it needed plenty of decant time to start singing. Last half of bottle consumed tuesday, after sitting on counter (unrefrigerated) for the intervening period was still going strong. I'm thinking the'98 Coleraine will easily go another 10 years.

jafa

[Craig(NZ)]

Done. Coleraine.
Purchased a case, cracked first bottle last Sunday. Very impressed, but it needed plenty of decant time to start singing. Last half of bottle consumed tuesday, after sitting on counter (unrefrigerated) for the intervening period was still going strong. I'm thinking the'98 Coleraine will easily go another 10 years.

ive only drunk one of mine so pretty restrained, but I have to be as I said i didnt buy enough. Bought quite a few awatea though. Had one a couple of weeks back and it was a young, pristine bottle (ive had a bit of bottle variation some have seemed tired). although ive only opened one of my bottles of coleraine ive been lucky enough to taste or drink it care of otheres reasonably regularly since release and agree that it is still very youthful and should easily cruise another decade. Good news as magnums have my daughters 21st written on them (great vintage to be born) so they need to last 21 years. should be fine they have been in 12oC since the day after they were released at the winery

Will see what everyone else comes up with and I can fill x2 from my list

[SueNZ]

Venue as well as date is now confirmed. It is

La Bocca in Parnell Road

Menus will be sorted out nearer the time. I'll be making contact at the beginning of October and they have my phone number and email to contact me. I'll probably work with them to design a set menu with choices that will complement the wines. Check out their menus at www.labocca.co.nz.

We have the function room for the tasting at no extra charge and they will open it up for us before the restaurant is opened. I've suggested about 4pm, as the restaurant opens at 6pm. Daylight saving too, so plenty of natural light for Sue. We'll stay in the private room for dinner as wine tasting and dinner is the package. Basically, we are only paying for food. Forgot to ask about corkage.

Thanks to Craig for organising this venue for the offline before last. You made it easy for this time Craig.

Cheers,
Sue

[Craig(NZ)]

central, wine friendly food, private room at no charge what else could you want? itsa a good option.

Put me down for 2 spots at this stage.

[Craig(NZ)]

Bump

Shall we start constructing a list of players and bottles?

Jafa - Coleraine
Curt - Unison Selection
Sue - Esk Reserve....
Craig - Something off my list
Mel - Something off my list
Bick - Cornerstone?

[SueNZ]

Bump

Shall we start constructing a list of players and bottles?

Jafa - Coleraine
Curt - Unison Selection
Sue - Esk Reserve....
Craig - Something off my list
Mel - Something off my list
Bick - Cornerstone?

Plus Neil is playing - will work in something closer to the time. Possibly Awatea or CJ Pask Reserve Merlot which seemed to do pretty well in several shows at the time (assuming the wine is actually where it is meant to be).

Found out yesterday that Unison are selling back vintages of the Selection including the 1998 - under $70 bucks a bottle - a good option if someone needs to buy in. Available from the website although may have to negotiate a single bottle sale. Oops - see Curt has his name down for that.

[SueNZ]

Reviving this thread as now just four weeks away. Will be sorting out menus next week.

Jafa - Coleraine
Curt - Unison Selection
Sue - Esk Reserve....
Neil - possibly Awatea or CJ Pask Reserve Merlot
Craig - Something off my list
Mel - Something off my list
Bick - Cornerstone?

[SueNZ]

Reviving this thread as now just four weeks away. Will be sorting out menus next week.

Jafa - Coleraine
Curt - Unison Selection
Sue - Esk Reserve....
Neil - possibly Awatea or CJ Pask Reserve Merlot
Craig - Something off my list
Mel - Something off my list
Bick - Cornerstone?

C'mon guys. It' s just two weeks away. Who's in and what are you bringing? Are there just 7 of us or more? Let's get the ball rolling on final details. I'll get the menus on Monday.

[jafa]

Jafa - Coleraine

Who's in and what are you bringing?
I'll get the menus on Monday.

check, and check.
red wine friendly?

jafa

[SueNZ]

red wine friendly?

Absolutely

For mains I was thinking of a choice of

Filetto Di Manzo Premium beef eye fillet, grilled and topped with truffle pâté sauce. Served on roast veges

or

Stinco di Agnello Braised lamb shanks with vegetables, herbs and red wine on potato purée

How does that sound?

Cheers,
Sue

[mgbridges]

Thanks to Sue for giving me a prod on this one. I haven't been around the forum much recently so it entirely passed me by.

Sadly I don't think I'll be in for this one - my cellar is looking fairly bare at the moment, and definitely doesn't contain any 1998 Hawkes Bay red.

It's given me enough of a jolt to get my eyes back on the forum, so maybe next time.

Cheers,

Martin

[Craig(NZ)]

Menu sounds fine Sue

Count me in for two. As I said lets finalise everyone elses wines and then I will fill a couple of gaps from my list which are not accounted for

[Curt]

Hi, At this stage I am still in and bringing the Unison but only for the tasting not the meal.

[SueNZ]

I'll probably try for a venue such as La Bocca with a private room. Tasting plus meal would be the package with set menu to make it easy. Tasting would be blind and votes counted before wines revealed and before food arrives, if I can arrange this. Would suggest limiting participants to 14 so hopefully there'll be some wine left to drink with the food afterwards. Thought La Bocca worked when Craig organised the offline.

Discussed a set menu with La Bocca and suggested a starter - Bruschetta al Pomodoro
Then a choice of 3 mains -
Ravioli ai Funghi served with a side salad
Filetto di Manzo (beef)
Stinco di Agnello (lamb)
Then desert of choice from menu.

Seeing there are so few of us they have suggested simply ordering a la carte rather than limiting choices to a set menu. So it will be eat what you want with corkage $5 per person additional.

Have not discussed with them about glasses for our tasting. Will ring and ask and see what they can do for us. We may have to bring our own. I have XL5's, which worked OK for the Stonyridge tasting as I used a Speigelau Bordeaux glass to actually taste the wine from. Anyway I have 48 of them.

Cheers,
Sue

[Bick]

Hi - I'm really sorry guys, but somethings come up and I'll have to pull out of this. Wish I could make it - I'm sure you'll all have a great time. Sorry for the late notice, but I can't make this work now, despite best efforts.

[SueNZ]

Hi - I'm really sorry guys, but somethings come up and I'll have to pull out of this. Wish I could make it - I'm sure you'll all have a great time. Sorry for the late notice, but I can't make this work now, despite best efforts.

Hi Bick,

Would it work for you if we postponed to another date?
Craig, Jafa, what do you think? With numbers so few it is not going to be a ground breaking showcase of the 1998 vintage.

Cheers,
Sue?

[Craig(NZ)]

yip agree. public holiday weekend is always problematic

[jafa]

Would it work for you if we postponed to another date?
Craig, Jafa, what do you think? With numbers so few it is not going to be a ground breaking showcase of the 1998 vintage.
Cheers,Sue?

Your call, I'm flexible.
Errr.. wot about La Bocca? Badly vexed?
Still 4-5 covers is a rather poor return for them.

jafa

[SueNZ]

Errr.. wot about La Bocca? Badly vexed?
Still 4-5 covers is a rather poor return for them.

That's what I'm worried about. Have booked the private room from 4pm - which is two hours before the restaurant opens. I'll let them know. A shame because La Bocca's venue / food is very good and they have been very accommodating.

The theme of the tasting is still good - just need to do it when more people can attend - unless we bring extra bottles each.

[Bick]

I'm sure I could find a date that should work - I'll need to check with my domestic manager and get back (I know it couldn't be the following weekend for me either though). Lets be sure Curt and anyone else interested in the 25th is ok with a shift in dates before its all rearranged on my account - I wasn't angling to get it moved.

[SueNZ]

I'm sure I could find a date that should work - I'll need to check with my domestic manager and get back (I know it couldn't be the following weekend for me either though). Lets be sure Curt and anyone else interested in the 25th is ok with a shift in dates before its all rearranged on my account - I wasn't angling to get it moved.

Currently we have six in, but Curt indicated on Monday he would not stay for the meal. Not sure how the restaurant would feel about that with such a small turnout - after all they are giving us the private room for free for the tasting on the basis we are going to eat there too. Better to shift to a date when there is more interest for both tasting and dinner. Or plan a 'tasting only' somewhere else. Just my 1.009 cents.

[Craig(NZ)]

I have a couple of other people that would be interested but the labour weekend thing is problematic for those planning/ wanting to keep option open to go away. the "if im around" theme is clear

im thinking with a themed night like 98 Hawkes Bay it would be an idea to have as many attendees as possible to make the event as comprehensive as we can.

once into november everyones calendars starts to fill up but we did manage last time

[Curt]

Hi, I am not concerned if you change dates - in fact can't see how we can go ahead now, i.e. I agree that more people / wines is better ... but working out a date between now & Christmas will not be easy

[jafa]

The tasting seems to be drifting away. Sue, if you would like too setup, and to keep faith with La Bocca, I'd
be happy to share a meal, and a glass of '98 Coleraine, with anyone who would share a table during normal
restaurant hours, and flag the tasting part. (BYO permitting) If 4-6 diners are willing, then all is not lost.

cheers jafa

[SueNZ]

The tasting seems to be drifting away. Sue, if you would like too setup, and to keep faith with La Bocca, I'd be happy to share a meal, and a glass of '98 Coleraine, with anyone who would share a table during normal
restaurant hours, and flag the tasting part. (BYO permitting) If 4-6 diners are willing, then all is not lost.

That sounds good. Corkage is $5 a head.
We would be in and can still bring a couple of '98 reds - and something delicious, cold and bubbly for a starter.
Craig and Mel - you are still in aren't you?

I'll ring anyway and book a table for six(?) at 6pm. I have already cancelled the private room.

Curt, you implied you were not available for dinner. Hoped to talk to you at FG last night, but you weren't there.

Cheers,
Sue

[Craig(NZ)]

Sue

If we come for dinner in that format (which sounds great) id say we will bring Ash and Claire as well. They are well behaved + quiet and will negate any need to find baby sitters in the middle of a public holiday weekend which increasingly looks like a problem for us. They however wont be drinking 98 reds

If that is fine with all book us for x4.

C

[Curt]

Hi Sue, I have not been to FG on a Wednesday for ages ... yes, unfortunately I am not available for the meal on the 25th. Cheers, Curt

[SueNZ]

OKay - La Bocca are still giving us the private room - even there will only be 7 or 8 of us - Craig, Mel, Ash, Claire, Sue, Neil, Jafa - and ??? - are you on your own J?
I have booked for 6pm - although do you think this is too early? As I type this it is 7.30pm on Friday evening, and sun has just set but still plenty of light.

Cheers,
Sue