N.Z. New Release Tasting

[Guest]

I waded through 130 new release wines from N.Z. yesterday(Did anyone else go?), some bloody good wines and a few average ones as well......
The Highlights:
2002 Pegasus Bay Riesling -Waipara
2002 Muddy Water James Hardwick Riesling -Waipara
2002 Waipara Springs Riesling -Waipara
2003 Spy Valley Gewurtztraminer - Marlborough
2003 Seifried Winemakers Collection Gewurtztraminer - Nelson
.....the Waipara region seems to be the biz for rieslings with lovely fruit quality.

2002 Vavasour single vinyard Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2002 Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2003 Lawsons Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2003 Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2003 Le Grys Traditional Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2003 Villa Maria Wairau Valley Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough
2003 Waipara Springs Sauvignon Blanc - Waipara
......There was about 40 Sauvignon Blancs at the tasting, the wines above stood out but overall the 2003 quality was very good

2002 Muddy Water Chardonnay - Waipara
2002 Staete Landt Chardonnay - Marlborough
2002 Villa Maria Private Bin Chardonnay- Hawkes Bay
2002 Kumeu River Mate's Vineyard Chardonnay
2002 Kumeu River Chardonnay
.....the chardy's where a bit dissapointing but the Kumeu River's where fantastic!

2002 Herzog Pinot Noir - Marlborough
2002 Pisa Range Poplar Block Pinot Noir - Central Otago
2002 Olssens Jackson Barry Pinot Noir - Central Otago
2002 Olssons Slapjack Creek Pinot Noir - Central Otago
2002 Carrick Pinot Noir - Central Otago
......The 2002 Central Otago Pinots where a class above the rest with the Pisa Range being the standout..

2000 Osidian Cabenet Merlot - Waiheke Island
2001 Mills Reef Elspeth Syrah - Hawkes Bay
........the Mills Reef was bloody good....

Overall the tasting was very good....keep your eyes peeled for the 2002 Cental Otago stuff...it's awesome

Cheers Dave

[Murray]

Dave,

I went through them in Melbourne. For me there were a lot of good wines, but only a few made me take a step backwards. 30-odd SB's in a row after 20 odd Rieslings and aother aromatics is a bit of a trial.

One of these was the Muddy Water Chardonnay, with it's tamper evident seal over it's tamper evident seal.

Interesting only one Syrah shown (the Mills Reef), given the noises from across the Tasman on the variety I was expecting more to be shown.

Murray

[DaveB]

Hi Murray

Yeh...I was expecting more shiraz as well....the Mills Reef was a pretty tidy wine though.
Did you try the Babich Chardonnay what was going on there?

Cheers

Dave

[SueNZ]

Hi Dave,
You've picked some good wines there. Our palates align in some respects - or it is just the quality showing through.
While oak-aged savvies cause a bit of a debate, I really like that Vavasour Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc.
The Spy Valley Gewurtz '03 and the Siefrieds Winemakers Collection Gewurz '03 are both new favourites.
More agreeements in both Kumeu River Chardonnays, the Obsidian red (forward and juicy) and the Mills Reef Syrah. Were any of the Villa Maria reds on show, e.g. the 2001 Reserve Merlot. I tasted this on Tuesday - outstanding wine.
Haven't tasted the Pisa Range Pinot yet. Something to look forward to, no doubt.

Sorry to hear there was only the one Syrah on show. All the hype you are hearing is totally founded. It's NZ's new red jewel in my opinion.

Cheers,
Sue

[DaveB]

Hi Sue,
There were abot 30 Pinots on show, but only the one Syrah.
No Villa Maria reds (besides the pinot) and only two merlots, the Kim Crawford and the Matua Valley.
There was a Herzog Montepulciano from Marlborough which was quite nice....I wonder how long they'll get to keep using that name

Cheers

Dave

[Phil Shorten]

...if it's the grape variety (which one would suspect it is) it shouldn't matter - no different to calling a Sangiovese a Sangiovese or a Barbera a Barbera.

Cheers
Phil