Wine Review: Te Awa Merlot 2004

From the Hawkes Bay in New Zealand, this beautiful ruby red coloured wine from Te Awa Winery has a leather nose, is very tannic and dry and has a lovely plum flavour. It is very enjoyable to drink and despite being labeled a Merlot it is actually a blend of Merlot (85%), Malbec (6%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), Cabernet Franc (3%) which provides a good level of complexity and interest. Drinking well now and the structure feels solid to last for a number more years.

Te Mata Estate Coleraine 2006

Te Mata Estate is a superb vineyard in the Hawkes Bay and Coleraine is often regarded as New Zealand's best red wine. Deep red in colour, this wine has delicate nose of dark berries. Dry to taste this is a full bodied wine packed with cherry, plum and dark berry flavours. quite tannic with a nice level of acid, yet quite smooth. Possibly a bit early for drinking, but it is still enjoyable. It could easily handle further cellaring.

Ascension Epiphany Matakana Pressings 2002

Having been in the bottle for 10 years, we decided it was time to open the Ascension Epiphany Matakana Pressings 2002. I am always hesitant opening these bottles, not knowing whether I've left them too long, not long enough, or it's just right, and I'm happy to say it's drinking beautifully now. Whilst there was a little sediment, the structure of this wine is still very solid.

This is the flagship wine from Ascension that they have only produced in '02 and '05. This is a Merlot dominant Bordeaux blend that has light leather and plum characteristics to the nose. Deep red, full of strong plum flavour, very smooth, full bodied, light tannins, no unpleasantness, medium tail, quite divine. This is one of the best wines I have had in a while.

Stoneleigh Rapaura Series Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2010

With a tinge of green, I picked up green gooseberry and passionfruit to the nose. To taste it is very full bodied, beautifully smooth with nice gooseberry and passionfruit flavours, and a nice long tail. This is a superb New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that is drinking beautifully now.

Paired with Beef Stroganoff, which had some of this wine in it, it went very well.

Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2011, Marlborough

With a light greenish hue, Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc 2011 from Marlborough is magnificent. Great passionfruit flavours, fresh and nicely balanced. Drinking beautifully now.

Moana Park Vineyard Tribute Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Moana Park is one of those vineyards that brings back great memories. When we visited the cellar door in the Hawkes Bay in January 2009, Dan Barker (the winemaker) told us to take a seat outside at the table, pulled a stool up and proceeded to lead us through their vast selection of wines. It is probably still the most memorable cellar-door experience I have ever had and Dan was a great laugh and superb host.

Deep ruby red in colour, this wine predominantly has leather to the nose.

This is one mouth-puckering tannic wine, although it is remarkably smooth to taste. Packed with red berry and plum flavours, it is very full-bodied and has some nice earthy & leather flavours present. With a medium tail this is a delight to drink. Drinking well now and feels like it will be able to be cellared longer.

Te Awa Pinotage 2005 Hawkes Bay

Almost black in colour when looking at this wine from the side, this wine has a huge nose of dark berry, and light leather.
To taste I am shocked by how acidic it is. The acid is drowning out the berry flavours beneath and it is definitely not well balanced. I will give this wine the benefit of doubt and say it's not as it was meant to be and I should have had it earlier.

Coopers Creek Marlborough Pinot Noir Gibsons Run 2006

I last reviewed this wine (same vintage) back in August 2010. Just over a year on, here's my thoughts.

Deep red in colour this wine has a beautiful plum, cherry and berry bouquet. Packed with plum and berry flavour and earthy characteristics it also has an acidity that I feel is slightly on the high side. It is quite a dry Pinot Noir, which I quite like and it has minimal tannins. I'm not particularly enjoying it now and given that I wasn't particularly taken with this wine in August 2010, time has not done it any favours and I do wonder if it would have been better its more youthful days.

Clearview Estate Semillon 2008, Hawke’s Bay

This light golden coloured wine has a slightly odd nose consisting of a lot of oak and a bit of vanilla. I was a bit dubious by the nose as to what it would be like but was pleasantly surprised to find it was lovely to taste. It has tropical flavours that are balanced with a light honey/vanilla flavour and a touch of acid. It is probably nearing the end of its life and I would not suggest cellaring any longer and in fact I should look to drink the 09 soon too. Having said that, there is a lot of complexity and intrigue that is begging me to have a another taste.

From a wine and food pairing perspective, the wine worked surprisingly well with a pumpkin and chilli soup that had a good dose of butter in it. This drew out vanilla/butter characteristics of the wine and was still nicely balanced.

Te Mata Estate Viognier Woodthorpe Vineyard 2007

With oil and a bit of acid to the nose this wine has a lovely golden hue and huge legs at 4 years of age. To taste the acid is too strong and I should really have opened it earlier (I knew I was pushing my luck a bit). I recall drinking this wine when it was younger and it was significantly better.

Mt Difficulty Single Vineyard Long Gully Pinot Noir 2005, Central Otago

I do like the wine from Mt Difficulty, and this wine is consistent with the quality I expect from them.

It is a lovely ruby red wine that has a huge nose of black berry fruits and plum. It is the sort of wine that gives me a smile on my face as I enjoy the aroma.

To taste, it is quite dry with a little bit of acid, very full bodied and packed with fruit intensity that lingers on the palate. It is a lot drier than the younger estate wine I have recently been drinking and the berry flavour is more smooth.

It is undoubtedly a lovely drop.

Carrick Riesling 2010, Central Otago

I was at Carrick in Bannockburn, Central Otago last weekend and enjoyed a number of their wines. Tonight I opened up the 2010 Riesling. With a very light citrus nose, this is a lovely Riesling at the lower end of medium-sweet on the IRF scale with lemon and lime to taste. It is a beautifully fresh wine that is nicely balanced and a medium tail. I would definitely buy this wine again, expect it would age well, but am also very happy to drink it now.

Northburn Station Pinot Noir 2007, Central Otago

On Sunday we headed out to Northburn Station just out of Cromwell. Located on a working 13,000 hectare merino sheep farm, they have also ventured into the wine business. Overlooking Lake Dunstan they have a beautiful location.

With light leather and liquorice to the nose, this ruby red wine is full-bodied with a medium-long tail. It has light tannins and is a bit more acidic than I expected, but this works well with a bit of fat and in fact works superbly well with Bluff Oysters. In fact with a bit of fat this wine has transformed to being a very pleasurable Pinot Noir to drink that I would happily buy again.

Mt Difficulty Wines & Restaurant

Located about 45mins drive from Queenstown, Mt Difficulty Wines in Bannockburn is one of my favourite vineyards and after sampling some of their wines today we enjoyed a lovely lunch as we looked out over the valley with snow on the hills.

In terms of the wines, I really enjoyed the fresh well-balanced light citrus flavoured Mt Difficulty Dry Riesling 2009. The peach and pear flavoured Mt Difficulty Pinot Gris 2010 was equally good as was their estate Mt Difficulty Pinot Noir 2009; this is a medium-bodied Pinot with cherry and plum characteristics and whilst drinking well now should be superb in another year or two. The Mt Difficulty Pipeclay Terrace Pinot Noir 2009 was magnificent, it had more body and was very smooth; although at $89.95 so it should be.

For lunch I had the Duck, slow-roasted in Pinot Noir with raspberry & cassis sauce. This was served with a nicely seasoned lettuce salad, courgettes, pumpkin and pine-nuts. It was a lovely dish with a decent quantity of beautifully tender crispy duck.

My friend, Logan had the Venison rack with scallops which he thoroughly enjoyed, although the quantity of venison did seem a little on the light side.

We would both be very happy to return for both the food and the wine. It is worth noting that we were very lucky to get a table and booking is recommended.

Starvedog Lane 2005 Shiraz Viognier, Adelaide Hills

Deep purple in colour this Shiraz Viognier from Starvedog Lane in the Adelaide Hills has a beautiful smooth nose of blackberry and liquorice (well Jane’s description is much more interesting: Christmas pudding with brandy sauce!). These flavours follow through to the palate where there is also a touch of pepper and light tannin structure (Jane found it didn’t taste as lush as she expected it would). It is a very smooth wine that is delivered in a dry style (but not too dry). The taste lingers and this is a very pleasurable drink. Drinking well now.

Peregrine Chardonnay 2007, Central Otago

With light oak, alcohol and lychee to the nose this wine has a beautiful golden hue. To taste there is an explosion of citrus, a touch of french oak and a bit of acid. It does feel like it’s lacking a bit in oak and the more I drink the level of acid builds and overall the balance doesn’t feel quite right. Maybe it would have been better to drink earlier but I suspect it still wouldn’t be quite right.

Wine Review: Schmit-Fohl Gewürztraminer 2009 Ahn Goellebour

Light gold in colour, this wine has a lovely delicate apricot aroma and the apricot follows through to the taste. I was pleased that there was not a strong turkish delight flavour and that the predominant flavour was in fact apricot. Medium Long tail and a very enjoyable wine to drink.

Wine Review: Auxerrois Kohll-Leuck 2009, Luxembourg

I had my first taste of Auxerrois Kohll-Leuck 2009 last night when out to dinner in Luxembourg. I am not familiar at all with this grape but it definitely tasted like a Riesling (potentially with a smidgen of oak) which is quite apt considering it is from the Moselle Luxembourgeoise appellation.

According to Wikipedia however I see that “Auxerrois Blanc or Auxerrois Blanc de Laquenexy is a white wine grape that is important in Alsace, and is also grown in Germany and Luxembourg. It is a full sibling of Chardonnay that is often blended with the similar Pinot Blanc.”. I would have not picked it for a Chardonnay variety.

This wine had light citrus to the nose that followed through to the palate. With a medium sweetness and medium length is was a very pleasurable drink that had enough complexity to keep me coming back for more.

Moana Park “Vineyard Selection” Chardonnay 2007, Hawkes Bay

With grapefruit, mandarin and oak to the nose this is a lightly-oaked Chardonnay that is not too big and has some citrus notes that get progressively more bitter. It has a medium length and is very smooth with a bit of acid.

The more I drink it I find the bitterness less appealing. I won’t be rushing out to buy another one.

Ascension "The Steep Bit" Malbec, 2006, Matakana

Deep red in colour, this wine from one of my favourite vineyards, has a light cedar nose. To taste, it is very flat, very short and initial thoughts are that it is actually a bit past bit. In terms of flavour it tasted like prunes. As it aired it tasted progressively worse. Not a good experience.