South Sea island experience

[Luke W]

Having a second honeymoon in New Caledonia and thought I'd try some French wines (not much of anything else available). More Peugeots here than Holden's and Fords in Elizabeth. I'll add one a day while I'm here. By the way u have to be as rich as Croesus to eat and drink in this place (wish I'd known that before I left).
1st wine: Pernand-Vergelesses 2011 "Les Belles Filles" - see why some go ape shit over pinots from Burgundy. Style, class, flavour, texture, peacock tails all 10/10. Eyes opened to a new dimension not yet found in A/NZ pinots.
2nd wine: Champagne Cristian Senez Brut (12%) - interesting champagne to watch a sunset by. Sweeter or fruitier than an Australian brut but a lovely still wine when the bubbles disappear (and they disappear pretty quickly!). Bottle doesn't even say what grapes are used but for around $30-$40 it would still be a good choice. Did I mention what an incredible place the over water bungalows are at ilot de maitre in new caledonia. Can someone tell me how to put pics from the phone onto this forum?

[Michael R]

Cheers Luke, have a great trip.

[Luke W]

Cheers Luke, have a great trip.

ta Michael

[maybs]

Yeah eating and drinking is not super cheap in that place. Hope you're having a great trip though

[kryst1]

G'day Luke

To upload pics, i reckon get an account on a service like Flickr or Google Picasa or somewhere like that, then use the BBCode options available on the right hand side of the screen when you post.

Sounds like a great spot

[Luke W]

Thanks - I'll give it a go.

[Luke W]

Wine 3: Nuiton-Beaunoy Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes De Nuits "Le Prieure" - took about half a bloody hour just to put in the name with all the automatic spell checking going on. My wife finds this appealing but I can't - it's a bit wishy washy, nice nose to start with and a little acidic. I'll leave it for awhile and hope it develops or my palate changes. I'm in a country where a cappuccino costs around ten bucks and probably shouldn't have high expectations for a $30/$40 burg.
But wait it is changing - a little bit of magic as my palate warms up and the wine does likewise. The pinot fruit that was dumb until now is becoming noticeable - yummy raspberry, strawberry bitey and more mouthfilling. Wish I could take pics....
Tried to do it with Picasa and Flikr but I'm the wrong generation - will have to ask the kids on the week-end.

[Luke W]

Number 4:
This is a freebee as the Hilton not only charged my credit card 10x what they should have, but they did it twice! Almost a sure thing that it's a cheapee even despite this and all the "pardons".....
Le Croix Chassors Bordeaux Rouge (12%) - a blend of cab sav, cab franc and merlot that is very pleasant and easy to drink. I quite like the flavours and textures that align with cab franc and this bottle has been retired in less than an hour. Not serious wine but still very pleasant.

[TiggerK]

If I had had my c/card charged 20x the Hilton rate of a few nights in New Caledonia, I'd be retiring a bottle in less than hour too!

[Luke W]

If I had had my c/card charged 20x the Hilton rate of a few nights in New Caledonia, I'd be retiring a bottle in less than hour too!

touché - now for the 2nd tonite and the 5th overall!: another Senez champagne but called the Cuvee Angelique - more serious bubbly with a longer bead, a sharper flavour and much more bite than its sister wine on nite 2. I like this and will get happily get pissed knowing that the Hilton have charged me $5000 for a nite's accommodation here. Have u ever tried to sort out the language barrier between an Indian who is doing credit charge duty in Australia and a Chinese lady who speaks French in New Caledonia....
cest la vie....

[Dan]

I was in New Caledonia last week!

Didn't stay there though, I was on a cruise that stopped at Nouméa, Maré & Isle of Pines. Got to spend a full day in each spot and I have to say I enjoyed the smaller islands much more, although I would have liked to try some of the restaurants down by the marina.

Even though it's expensive, it sounds like you're enjoying yourself.

[Luke W]

I was in New Caledonia last week!

Didn't stay there though, I was on a cruise that stopped at Nouméa, Maré & Isle of Pines. Got to spend a full day in each spot and I have to say I enjoyed the smaller islands much more, although I would have liked to try some of the restaurants down by the marina.

Even though it's expensive, it sounds like you're enjoying yourself.

Hi Dan

just had chingding from the Chinese restaurant in Ansa Varta - quite nice but $75 and it only just fed the 2 of us. But after 2 bottles of vin who cares?