Preferred pre-dinner drink

[Peter NZ]

Another vote for any of a good craft beer, G&T or a Mosel Spatlese / Auslese (or an NZ equivalent).

Peter

[Peter Schlesinger]

My preference would be a good Speyside to start and a big Islay to finish - like fine malt bookends for a fine wine dining experience!

Now that you mention it, I'd be happy to go malt but stay on Islay. A Bowmore to start and either a Bruichladdich (Jim McEwan offers one at 140 ppm for the true heros among us) or an Ardbeg to finish.

[Wizz]

Another vote for any of a good craft beer, G&T or a Mosel Spatlese / Auslese (or an NZ equivalent).

Peter

Hi Peter, which NZ equivalents would you go for?

To be up front, I have an interest in a small winemaking venture in NZ that specialises in Riesling, so I have both genuine curiosity and a vested interest!

cheers

Andrew

[Peter NZ]

Another vote for any of a good craft beer, G&T or a Mosel Spatlese / Auslese (or an NZ equivalent).

Peter

Hi Peter, which NZ equivalents would you go for?

To be up front, I have an interest in a small winemaking venture in NZ that specialises in Riesling, so I have both genuine curiosity and a vested interest!

cheers

Andrew

Most obviously squarely in that category: Fromm Spatlese or Framingham Select. Interpreting it just a little more liberally: Felton Road, Pegasus Bay, Forrest Doctors, Mt Difficulty Target Gully, Neudorf Moutere, Gibbston Le Fou.

Which is the NZ venture Andrew?

Cheers
Peter

[Bick]

Most obviously squarely in that category: Fromm Spatlese or Framingham Select. Interpreting it just a little more liberally: Felton Road, Pegasus Bay, Forrest Doctors, Mt Difficulty Target Gully, Neudorf Moutere, Gibbston Le Fou.

Super list, Peter - I'd say this pretty much covers it for the good stuff - all off-dry to medium sweet. I might just add Carrick Josephine.

An afterthought... some of the Waipara valley wineries do good kabinett / spatlese styled wines, such as Waipara Springs Premo, Daniel Schuster and Black Estate...

[Rawshack]

Rather partial to prosecco at the moment, although if finances allowed that would stretch to a nice little Ruinart or Bollinger

If it's going to be beer then it has to be cold and crisp, something Japanese like Kirin.

[Wizz]

Another vote for any of a good craft beer, G&T or a Mosel Spatlese / Auslese (or an NZ equivalent).

Peter

Hi Peter, which NZ equivalents would you go for?

To be up front, I have an interest in a small winemaking venture in NZ that specialises in Riesling, so I have both genuine curiosity and a vested interest!

cheers

Andrew

Most obviously squarely in that category: Fromm Spatlese or Framingham Select. Interpreting it just a little more liberally: Felton Road, Pegasus Bay, Forrest Doctors, Mt Difficulty Target Gully, Neudorf Moutere, Gibbston Le Fou.

Which is the NZ venture Andrew?

Cheers
Peter

Great list Peter. I like Fromm in the Aperitif role, and Felton Road is a staple at our house.

Our little venture (and it is little - under 100 cases on our debut in 2009) is http://www.auburnwines.co.nz

I thought I'd posted a reply but it seems to have gone - if its been moderated away can someone tell me please?

Cheers

Andrew

[Wizz]

Rather partial to prosecco at the moment, although if finances allowed that would stretch to a nice little Ruinart or Bollinger

If it's going to be beer then it has to be cold and crisp, something Japanese like Kirin.

We spent 4 weeks in Germany in July, and saw a lot of prosecco available - for the few who weren't drinking beer!

[Peter NZ]

Our little venture (and it is little - under 100 cases on our debut in 2009) is http://www.auburnwines.co.nz

I thought I'd posted a reply but it seems to have gone - if its been moderated away can someone tell me please?

Cheers

Andrew

Suspected it might be Auburn -- after all, there's not that many riesling specialists out there. Have been meaning to try them -- got the flyer from Max after Sue's wineoftheweek review, but haven't yet done anything more about it.

Cheers
Peter

[Michael McNally]

Great list Peter. I like Fromm in the Aperitif role, and Felton Road is a staple at our house.

Our little venture (and it is little - under 100 cases on our debut in 2009) is http://www.auburnwines.co.nz

I thought I'd posted a reply but it seems to have gone - if its been moderated away can someone tell me please?

Cheers

Andrew

Dear Andrew
Though I have never met you, may I express my admiration that you are living my dream, though my dream would most likely contain Cabernet and Shiraz and would probably be in SA or Vic rather than Riesling - not knocking Riesling, love it and love these styles with some residual sugar. But I digress......
The best of luck to you.
Cheers
Michael

[Wizz]

Thanks Gents,

Its fun, its an enormous learning curve, I really am living the dream (in a very long distance, part time kind of way), and we're immensely proud of the 2009 wines. Critics have loved both of them (reviews collated on the website).

The 09 Twilight went very quickly, there is still some Lowburn around, which isn't a bad pre-dinner standing up sort of wine - 9.5% ABV, pH of about 3.0, 31g/l residual sugar.

2010 will be different, weather was very different to 2009 and the wines are richer and riper. There is no 2010 twilight, but there are new things on the way...more when they are released later in the year...

cheers

Andrew

[underwraps50]

I'm another vote for a good local sherry. Fino, Oloroso, Amontillado, I don't really mind. Up here in the sticks, I have however found it to be almost impossible to get a glass of sherry that is not stale as the demand for it at restaurants is clearly very low and I shudder to think how long some bottles sit open on the bar. Years probably. Now days I slip up to the bar and ask if I can sample the sherry before I order. Some bar attendants look a bit perplexed but most comply when I explain why. Just another annoying old bugger making life difficult for the Y Generation.