No tasting notes (always the measure of real enjoyment levels), but here are some vibes from the evening:
Couple stubbies of Moosehead. Clean, fresh palate cleanser. Testament to my slogan "Never had a bad moose".
Wild Duck Creek "Sparkling Duck" Sparkling Shiraz (degorg when? help me out here Michael..)
I broke in my Sparkling Duck cherry on Sunday night, and it didn't hurt one bit. A very memorable experience, as it ought to be. No second guesses that it's definitely a Dave Anderson wine; this was a REAL sparkling shiraz - more like a shiraz with bubbles than the former. Very long finish, which I don't get in a lot of sparkling shiraz. Terrific.
2005 Howard Park Riesling
Without the racy, biting acidity that some of the Clare/Eden Valley brethren possess, though better for it in its youth. Not a long-term keeper by any means, but full of flavour and soooo easy to drink.
2006 Gazardiel "Bethels Road" Pinot Noir
Entirely the wrong food match, but after a quick dash nextdoor for tomato sauce to thicken the Billy Kee Chicken and a mouthful of the bloody spicy Sze Chuan Chicken, anything tasted good! Great sipping wine in front of Crackerjack... ("home brew my arse... get that sht down to forensics!")
2005 Man O War "Ironclad" Red (Cab Sauv/Merlot/Syrah/etc)
More charcoal oak which I seem to pick up with a lot of Waiheke Island reds. This wine was further testament to my aversion of Waiheke reds and belief that they are hugely over-rated. Check out Sue's notes for more details, cos they're spot on, though throw a negative clause over it for my viewpoint.
A quiet way to start off the week. Then Monday night:
2002 & 2005 Elsewhere Vineyard Riesling
The ‘02 was presenting slightly better, with bush honey, pine forest and pineapple pith aromatics fortified by the beginnings of fusel characters on the palate. Still fresh with an uplifting finish, this is an off-dry style and going through a transitional phase that will reward another five years in the cellar.
2005 Winstead Riesling
Emerges from beneath a dense cloud of complimentary sulphides with spring flowers and saccharine citrus, especially paw-paw. The palate sweetness is heavily restrained by bracing acidity that demands a worthy foodmatch (in our case crab on toast with saffron aioli was entirely worthy). Long, pure and clean finish. Superb.
2006 Stefano Lubiana Riesling
Started with a subtle, lemon infused nose backed by mineral qualities. A fair dollop of lemon and lime rind palate fruit counters the reticent aromatics, augmented by zingy acidity that directs this down a drier path, honeyed finish notwithstanding.
2006 Brook Eden Riesling
Do rieslings brood? This one does. Coax this little number and you may be lucky enough to discover sweet mandarin and ripe apple. Again, persisting in this off-dry style, the acid profile is broader in this case and not so tight. This leads to a more texturally generous finish - bordering astringent - that leaves plenty of flavour for the tongue to muse over.
2005 Freycinet Vineyard Chardonnay
I don’t know whether it’s a particular cooper, I don’t know whether it’s a particular wine style, but despite my aversion to heavily oaked chardonnays (and my pompous attitude towards a fickle public that prefers licking trees in their wines over sucking on tropical fruits), there is a character in the odd bottle that wins me over. At the onset of the third flight for the evening, the 2005 Freycinet Vineyard Chardonnay was such a wine. It’s sweet butterscotch one minute, then melting butter the next. Then there’s the fruit. Peach, rockmelon and a smorgasbord of fleshy stonefruits that quietly arouse on the nose before exploding to dangerous intensity on the palate. There’s none of that fat, leesy, flat and creamy texture either; this is all about sprightly acidity and juicy fruit-driven texture that leaves a felicitous imprint on the finish. A chardonnay full of flavour - and oak - that operate in an engaging relationship that can only benefit from time. Lots more time. Sensational.
2005 Brook Eden Chardonnay
Displayed cashew and nectarine that partner on a nutty, tending biscuity nose. Not so much a core of fruit, but melon fruits awash on the palate with acidity less obvious. Restrained and drinking well now, the acidity catches up on the paw-paw finish to end with tenacity.
2006 Dalrymple Chardonnay
Smelled of rockmelon and honeydew, with a hint of vegetation. Oak plays second fiddle to the fruit, though the marriage isn’t as legitimate as the previous two chards. The acidity is racy and the palate fruit citrus, almost inclined in a riesling direction. The finish lacks oomph or showy character, though it is well balanced and agreeable.
2004 Craigie Knowe Cab Sauv
Nose of blackberry, raspberry liquorice, maraschino cherry and coffee bean. Delightful nose, that evokes more character with every sniff. The fruit is gently wrapped into coarse, broadcast tannins that build on the finish without overwhelming. Medium bodied with a supportive undercurrent of acid, this cab needs a decade before revisiting. Poised to be memorable.
2000 Domaine A Cab Sauv
The dark, handsome, incredibly well-dressed 2000 Domaine A Cab Sauv saunters into the room, attracting admiring gazes from everyone. It starts with the nose. Small, concentrated, dark berry fruit with lots more happening; there’s mojo baby. When I taste this wine, I imagine that a large group of sexy, female, scantily clad, virginal microbes are having an epic pillow fight in the midst of Peter’s carefully nurtured grapes, such is the nature of the round, polished, waxed-edge mouthfeel. This is the epitome of seamless. Balanced is such a philistine, paltry word for the crafted aritisianship of this stasis blend. Am I waxing lyrical? You bet I am. Unequivocally Tasmania’s best cab, and one of the best from Australia full stop.
Then, for the grand finale of Tuesday night:
1996 Cheatue Cordier Sauternes
I've got the spelling wrong I'm sure. Not a well regarded producer, and based on previous bottles of different vintages we decided to have this first as an aperitif. Good decision it was too. Quality wine - far from cloying - with good balance and freshness.
2004 Seifred Wurzer
Should have picked it, having had the wine before and narrowing it down to gewurz from Nelson. I think this is a grape with gewurz/muller parentage. Restricted to on-premise trade only in NZ, it's actually pretty bloody good, in an off-dry tending medium style.
2004 Chante Cigale CDP Blanc
Good partner for the ham hock terrine, but lost on the orange and carrot soup people. Fairly blousy style. Despite enjoyment on the night, I won't rush out for another one.
2004 Pegasus Bay Cab Merlot (Magnum)
Performed sensationally. No green streaks whatsoever, full of luscious, textural flavour and cuddly tannins.
2003 d'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz
Good without being great. Alcohol showed.
2005 Estate Laendt Pinot Noir
A Marlborough wine and I thought I had it nailed as Central Otago for all money. Pretty bloody good for Marlborough.
2000 Wild Duck Creek Springflat Shiraz
Darker than any other wine on the table, or even in the restaurant (young ports included). Hugely concentrated, dense, terrific.
1998 Coriole "Mary Kathleen" Cabernet Shiraz
This split people on the night. Fruit seems to have evaporated (or something?) and it's been left with a dry, tannic shell and not much else. Bad results of the '98 vintage or transitional phase? Hopefully the latter.
2004 Two Hands "Brave Faces" Shiraz Grenache
Quality wine. One of the best on the night. Has come together over the past twelve months, for the better.
2002 Glover's Vineyard Late Harvest Riesling
Like a drier auslese, yet still with residual sugar. Fresh and great way to finish.
We had Kronenbergs off tap as a mid-dinner intermission, then Kilkenny off tap later on along with Laphroaig, Johnny Gold and Scapa. Epic night...
Cheers,
