Been drinking a couple of wines of late out of my normal comfort zone. Been on Holiday for a month watching cricket from the sloth of my couch too live at venues round New Zealand resulting in me dropping my guard and drinking non kiwi wines.
Have previous posted about a Pinot Gris from this producer in Alsace, today drank the 2000 Jean Greiner Riesling,Alsace. Light gold in colour,lavender, bubblegum aroma,dry lemony lime with good supporting acid no sweet botrytis fruit that seems to always be in alot of kiwi Rieslings. Enjoyable wine that needs no food to enhance it and suited to a warm summer day, i enjoyed the difference.
The second wine was a red given to me by a former South African now living in nz. Id supplied him with some Canterbury Crusader rugby gear for his schools 1st XV fund raising auction. 1995 Alto Estate Rouge, Stellenbosch Browning in colour aroma of berry fruits and light spice, cigar box, in the mouth dry, boysenberry, plum, chocolate,light french oak good spine of tannin still there. Blend of Cab/Shiraz/ Cab franc ,moderate length not an over powerful wine some finesse.Has Integrated with time i guess, more european than new world.
Both wines not world beaters in their country but i enjoyed what they had to offer.
Geoffrey