Labour Weekend Auckland Offline - 1998 Hawkes Bay Reds

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:43 am

I wouldn't be able to contribute much to these verticals unless you were in need of a very recent vintage and I bought in. I'm not fussed if its another vertical or not to be honest - I'd probably favour a variety theme or vintage theme (or both), with flexibility over specific wine. I like the idea of the surprises that people might come up with. Having said that, I'll go with the flow if a vertical is preferred, I'm sure it will be good either way.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:47 am

I'm not so interested in the verticals - of course SRL was the big exception - but do like the 98 theme - perhaps ... "Did 1998 in Hawkes Bay deserve the hype?"

It would also be interesting to taste the wines blind to make our own assessments before the labels are revealed. A little more organisation needed but it can be done - capsules removed and double brown paper bagging is the easiest way. All had corks in 1998 and not too many of the 'big bottles' back then. Need a supply of paper bags and rubber bands to secure the bags around the necks in a drip avoidance and anti slipping off way.

Another theme could be a Syrah Shootout - Homage vs La Collina vs Le Sol over several vintages.

Or perhaps we could stage a Judgment of Ponsonby - NZ Syrah vs Aussie Shiraz vs La La La Rhone - then make the movie :lol:

Cheers,
Sue

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 9:00 am

I like these ideas Sue - especially the idea of blind tasting. If we do a blind tasting, we should put one joker in the pack and see if its picked up or not (i.e. especially cheap, or different variety), just for the fun of it.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 10:59 am

cool

i vote for 98 Hawkes Bay reds

anyone second me?

i have probably a dozen labels to choose from still

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:09 am

Craig(NZ) wrote:cool

i vote for 98 Hawkes Bay reds

anyone second me?

i have probably a dozen labels to choose from still

I already have firsted you :lol:

now timing -as said before - I'm busy now until second weekend of October - that's the 10th/11th - unless anyone wants to make it a midweek evening. But still very busy until after the weekend of 20th September.

Cheers,
Sue

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 11:19 am

Sounds good. Is that any variety of red? i.e. syrahs as well as bdx blends?

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:25 pm

did people buy HB syrah back then? There werent that many around I doubt there are many in peoples cellars!! None in mine. I was buying HB Syrah as far back as 1995 vintage but not many. I think my oldest now is 2002! Older ones long drunk

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:32 pm

I already have firsted you

now timing -as said before - I'm busy now until second weekend of October - that's the 10th/11th - unless anyone wants to make it a midweek evening. But still very busy until after the weekend of 20th September.

ok volunteers to be the executive decision maker/ chief organiser this time? organising by commitee is well over rated and i soon tire of it. id rather poll for ideas/input then someone make a decision. then those who wanna are in, those who dont are out

sue do you want to make this one your baby? fit it into your schedulae and flick out the invites

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 3:22 pm

Well, I can work out the venue and the post tasting carry on. Does the tentative date of the second weekend of October fit in with you, Craig and Bick - or anyone who is watching this thread - then we can go from there.

Quite a few 1998 Syrahs were made
Stonecroft, Te Mata, Te Awa, Matariki, Morton Estate all made Syrah from the vintage.

But I'm wondering should we just concentrate on the Cab Sauv / Merlot family. I've got one to throw in also from either Matakana or Waiheke. We didn't do SRL 98 from memory.

Anyway, I'll put my hand up to bring along an Esk Valley Reserve 1998 at this stage.

Cheers,
Sue

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:45 pm

sorry to be a pain but my PA advises we are unavailable weekend of 10th Oct because of a 60th

any other weekend seems free!! :shock:

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:17 am

Craig(NZ) wrote:sorry to be a pain but my PA advises we are unavailable weekend of 10th Oct because of a 60th

any other weekend seems free!!

What about the following weekend then? Say October 17th.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:38 pm

But I'm wondering should we just concentrate on the Cab Sauv / Merlot family. I've got one to throw in also from either Matakana or Waiheke. We didn't do SRL 98 from memory.

I know of one such Hawkes Bay 98 tasting where they included the 98 srl. The srl came easily dead last. The guy that ran that tasting actually offered to give me a 98 srl after our srl tasting unfortunately. He said in all conscience he couldnt charge money for it!!

What about the following weekend then? Say October 17th.

Suits me. No netball to compete with either so I could almost guarantee a x2 if we can find sitters for the nippers

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 7:46 am

SueNZ wrote:
Craig(NZ) wrote:sorry to be a pain but my PA advises we are unavailable weekend of 10th Oct because of a 60th

any other weekend seems free!!

What about the following weekend then? Say October 17th.

The w/e of 17th October is the one w/e between now and Xmas where I may be away... there's a conference in Chicago I'm hoping to attend, though its not confirmed at present. How about the w/e of 24-25th?

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 8:37 am

24th ok for me i think
31st im out, looks like im doing king of the mountain run mt edgecumbe :roll:

i can smell summer yay

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:36 am

Looks like October is well and truly out then - 24/25th is Labour Weekend, Mike - and we have car club events that weekend. No drinking and driving for us.

Need to do some more thinking. Other weekend is possibly 27/28 September - but not sure yet if I am available that weekend, otherwise it is November, folks.

That is if it is going to be a weekend.

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 11:48 am

hmm yes, this is a bit like herding cats and there is only 3 of us involved at the moment!!

pick the thread up in another month and see if november can be arranged

December no doubt will be a write off

jafa · Post by **jafa** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 2:12 pm

Craig(NZ) wrote:hmm yes, this is a bit like herding cats and there is only 3 of us involved at the moment!!

pick the thread up in another month and see if november can be arranged

December no doubt will be a write off

I'm still lurking on this thread. Like to be involved, but don't want to push into someone else's patch.
..........Going to click on 'watch this thread' tag for future iterations.

cheers jafa

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:33 pm

hmm where's curt disappeared too :cry:

Curt · Post by **Curt** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 11:24 am

Hi ! ... I am lurking ... & if you can work out a date, I am still keen.

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 3:04 pm

A day on Labour Weekend might be feasible after all.
I see my car club event is on a Saturday, so how does the Sunday 25th fit in with people - remember Monday is a holiday.

I'll probably try for a venue such as La Bocca with a private room. Tasting plus meal would be the package with set menu to make it easy. Tasting would be blind and votes counted before wines revealed and before food arrives, if I can arrange this. Would suggest limiting participants to 14 so hopefully there'll be some wine left to drink with the food afterwards. Thought La Bocca worked when Craig organised the offline.

Cheers,
Sue

Nayan · Post by **Nayan** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 4:39 pm

If I'm still in the country then I will try to make it (though I don't know when Labour Day weekend is

)

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:30 pm

A day on Labour Weekend might be feasible after all.
I see my car club event is on a Saturday, so how does the Sunday 25th fit in with people - remember Monday is a holiday.

I'll probably try for a venue such as La Bocca with a private room. Tasting plus meal would be the package with set menu to make it easy. Tasting would be blind and votes counted before wines revealed and before food arrives, if I can arrange this. Would suggest limiting participants to 14 so hopefully there'll be some wine left to drink with the food afterwards. Thought La Bocca worked when Craig organised the offline.

Sounds good to me

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 5:56 pm

Ok on to whats available. Hawkes Bay bdx blend reds from 1998.

This is what i have left in various locations around the country. I also have 1998 Unison Selection but only one bottle remains which I need for a vertical so you can't steal that. :lol:

1998 Te Mata Estate Coleraine Cabernet Merlot
1998 Alpha Domus Aviator Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Malbec
1998 Babich Irongate Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
1998 Brookfields Gold Label Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Church Road Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Delegats Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
1998 Esk Valley Reserve Merlot Malbec Cabernet Franc
1998 Esk Valley The Terraces Merlot Malbec Cabernet Franc
1998 Te Mata Estate Awatea Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
1998 Vidal Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot
1998 Vidal Estate Soler Cabernet Sauvignon

Didn't I choose well?? :lol:

I know the Vidal Soler is still available retail at release price ($90) so would be a good one to leave for someone who wants to buy in. I also am pretty sure Terraces can still be found (approx $135) though id be surprised any of the others are available (to my knowledge). Up until a while ago I could have got the CJ Pask Reserve Cab as well for a good price but its all a gonna

I vote we make it a rule straight off - icons and flagships only - and no "who cares" labels......though hopefully only the best wines still linger in our cellars after these many years.

Oh and if anyone turn up with a Sauvignon Blanc will be &^%&&*d over with a big stick

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:09 pm

You have lots to choose from Craig - I already put my hand up for the Esk Valley Reserve earlier in the thread - it's the only "big name" label I have from 1998.

Cheers,
Sue

SueNZ · Post by **SueNZ** » Wed Aug 12, 2009 8:11 pm

Nayan wrote:If I'm still in the country then I will try to make it (though I don't know when Labour Day weekend is )

Labour Day is 4th Monday in October. Banks and offices close. Malls are open! Thus the suggested date of 25th Oct - the Sunday of Labour Weekend.

Cheers,
Sue

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 8:00 am

Ok, I'm in (plus better half). Good plan Sue.

I'll see what I can source... I have no 98 in the cellar (!) but I'm confident I can come up with something from somewhere.

jafa · Post by **jafa** » Thu Aug 13, 2009 12:47 pm

OK. I can do that date.
Have in cellar list similar to Craig(NZ). All '98 HBay.
Coleraine
Esk Reserve............Sue's choice
Esk Terraces
Irongate..................Not sure this meets "flagship" status
Vidal Res Cab/Mer

Add to those;
Villa Res Mer/Cab
Clearview Old Olive Blk........."flagship"?
Clearview Res Merlot............These days known as Enigma. Last bottle!

:idea:

If you want a "ringer" have a sneeky

'98 Coonawarra Bdx blend, and a few genuine '98 Bdx. Happy to save them, and stick to HB however.

cheers jafa

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 6:56 am

Irongate..................Not sure this meets "flagship" status

its an icon though, its a "label". Perhaps more for the older among us. Its star dilluted I guess a bit by the proliferation of labels from the late 90's onward. It is a good example of the mid nineties Hawkes Bay style (more pauillac/st julian??) before the more modern right bank styled wines became in vogue

If you want a "ringer" have a sneeky '98 Coonawarra Bdx blend, and a few genuine '98 Bdx. Happy to save them, and stick to HB however.

Get the main theme list set in stone first and then think about 1 ringer?

Bick · Post by **Bick** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:44 am

To the list of icons, I'd add Newton-Forrest Cornerstone as its been around for ages and has an excellent track record. I may be able to get hold of a 98 Cornerstone.

EDIT: I can also probably get a Mills Reef Elspeth Cab/merlot 98 ?? Not sure of the iconicness... debatable perhaps.

Curt · Post by **Curt** » Fri Aug 14, 2009 7:56 am

Craig I have some Unison Selection if you want to see it included ?
Also in the cellar, Babich Paitriach, Old Olive Block, Cornerstone, Stonecroft Ruanui, Terraces, Brookfields Gold Label, Trinity Hill, Coleraine