Monday, June 16, 2003
Over the past week, between the 808 dinner and some other wine nights, I went through a series of New Zealand wines.
Here are some notes on wines that should not be too hard to find if you look wherever you may be around the wine world.
Highfield Elstree NV Millennium Cuvée Sparkling Brut, Marlborough
This was a delightful starter. Full of fruit and toasty aromas. The wine is easily on par with some of the best California sparklers.
2002 Thornbury Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
An improvement over last year, the wine has good citrus, gooseberry and tropical flavors. It opens immensely with food and has a nice acid and fruit balance to age a few more years.
2002 Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Wow. Talk about a step up from the 2001. This wine is more Sancerre like than most, and easily in the league with the Lawson's Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc. Grassy, herbaceous, loaded with pear and green apple flavors. Here's a wine to keep you company on those hot summer days.
2001 Konrad and Conrad Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
The wine is mellowing, and has lost that cat's pea and gooseberry aroma so indicative of NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Instead it has developed a mellow, pear and vanilla aroma and a light honeydew flavor. Easy to drink, but ready to drink up.
2002 Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer
Talk about a dead ringer for Alsace. If put in a blind tasting four out of five judges would think this wine came from a vineyard near Colmar. Wow. Loaded up with ripe fruit, lychee nuts and ginger, the wine is a tremendous food wine. Given it comes in screw cap, expect a long life around this wine. Buy all you can.
2002 Huia Marlborough Riesling
Bone dry. Bone dry. Repeat after me. Bone dry. This bone dry white is about as dry as dry can be. Kabinett, not Alsace style, the nuances of all spice, citrus, ginger and green apples. Fusil oil, not petrol on the palate, with a lingering finish that is perfect with steamed fish.
2000 Highfield Estate Pinot Noir
Perhaps one of the two best 2000 Pinot's to come from Kiwiland, the Highfield is an amazing red wine that pairs up perfect with lamb dishes. It has the cherry fruit component to stand up well to meat dishes, the earthiness for morels or cepes, and a light tobacco backbone to linger on for a good while.
2001 Huia Marlborough Pinot Noir
Initially upon release, this Pinot Noir was a bit effervescent. Now it has settled down and become a very enjoyable, ripe, fruit forward red with an expressive bouquet of spring roses, cherries and herbs. Jam packed with red plums, black cherries and a hint of earth, the wine is richer, but not yet as elegant as the Highfield. Time will tell.
2000 Lake Chalice Platinum Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Marlborough
I've gone through this wine three times in the last few months and keep liking it more and more each time. The aromatic red is not a big, brooding California style Cabernet, but it can sure impress those who like that style. Instead it delivers the flavors and profile of a Cabernet similar to Domaine Richaume in the Cotes de Provence, where the cigar flavor is more sweet cherried, than harsh, where the red plums, currants, cassis and raspberry flavors meld and where a touch of Heitz Martha's like mint or eucalyptus comes through. Expect the wine to age a good four to six years, and likely only get better.
2000 Babich Winemakers Reserve Syrah
Initially this wine was one dimensional, closed and lifeless. then it took on mostly a tobacco road like appeal. It was still closed down. Around three hours later, it exploded in the glass and was very Northern Rhone like, and much different from other new world styles of Shiraz or even California or Washington State Syrah. The blackberry, tobacco and herbs all became in harmony revealing a very elegant, refined, almost Burgundian style of wine that would be made if Burgundy producers grew Syrah.
2000 Lawson's Dry Hills Late Harvest Sémillon, Marlborough
If one winery in New Zealand impresses me above all else, it's Lawson's. Their wines are consistently above the norm and represent one of the best values on the market today.
The dried apricot, peach and golden apples in this sweet, but not cloying white dessert wine actually has some Riesling and Gewürztraminer in the mix. It is not though pancake syrup and is instead very refreshing and lively, and actually compliments fresh fruit desserts, rather than fighting for attention.
Cheers,
Andy Abramson
Here are some notes on wines that should not be too hard to find if you look wherever you may be around the wine world.
Highfield Elstree NV Millennium Cuvée Sparkling Brut, Marlborough
This was a delightful starter. Full of fruit and toasty aromas. The wine is easily on par with some of the best California sparklers.
2002 Thornbury Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
An improvement over last year, the wine has good citrus, gooseberry and tropical flavors. It opens immensely with food and has a nice acid and fruit balance to age a few more years.
2002 Highfield Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Wow. Talk about a step up from the 2001. This wine is more Sancerre like than most, and easily in the league with the Lawson's Dry Hills Sauvignon Blanc. Grassy, herbaceous, loaded with pear and green apple flavors. Here's a wine to keep you company on those hot summer days.
2001 Konrad and Conrad Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
The wine is mellowing, and has lost that cat's pea and gooseberry aroma so indicative of NZ Sauvignon Blanc. Instead it has developed a mellow, pear and vanilla aroma and a light honeydew flavor. Easy to drink, but ready to drink up.
2002 Lawson's Dry Hills Gewürztraminer
Talk about a dead ringer for Alsace. If put in a blind tasting four out of five judges would think this wine came from a vineyard near Colmar. Wow. Loaded up with ripe fruit, lychee nuts and ginger, the wine is a tremendous food wine. Given it comes in screw cap, expect a long life around this wine. Buy all you can.
2002 Huia Marlborough Riesling
Bone dry. Bone dry. Repeat after me. Bone dry. This bone dry white is about as dry as dry can be. Kabinett, not Alsace style, the nuances of all spice, citrus, ginger and green apples. Fusil oil, not petrol on the palate, with a lingering finish that is perfect with steamed fish.
2000 Highfield Estate Pinot Noir
Perhaps one of the two best 2000 Pinot's to come from Kiwiland, the Highfield is an amazing red wine that pairs up perfect with lamb dishes. It has the cherry fruit component to stand up well to meat dishes, the earthiness for morels or cepes, and a light tobacco backbone to linger on for a good while.
2001 Huia Marlborough Pinot Noir
Initially upon release, this Pinot Noir was a bit effervescent. Now it has settled down and become a very enjoyable, ripe, fruit forward red with an expressive bouquet of spring roses, cherries and herbs. Jam packed with red plums, black cherries and a hint of earth, the wine is richer, but not yet as elegant as the Highfield. Time will tell.
2000 Lake Chalice Platinum Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Marlborough
I've gone through this wine three times in the last few months and keep liking it more and more each time. The aromatic red is not a big, brooding California style Cabernet, but it can sure impress those who like that style. Instead it delivers the flavors and profile of a Cabernet similar to Domaine Richaume in the Cotes de Provence, where the cigar flavor is more sweet cherried, than harsh, where the red plums, currants, cassis and raspberry flavors meld and where a touch of Heitz Martha's like mint or eucalyptus comes through. Expect the wine to age a good four to six years, and likely only get better.
2000 Babich Winemakers Reserve Syrah
Initially this wine was one dimensional, closed and lifeless. then it took on mostly a tobacco road like appeal. It was still closed down. Around three hours later, it exploded in the glass and was very Northern Rhone like, and much different from other new world styles of Shiraz or even California or Washington State Syrah. The blackberry, tobacco and herbs all became in harmony revealing a very elegant, refined, almost Burgundian style of wine that would be made if Burgundy producers grew Syrah.
2000 Lawson's Dry Hills Late Harvest Sémillon, Marlborough
If one winery in New Zealand impresses me above all else, it's Lawson's. Their wines are consistently above the norm and represent one of the best values on the market today.
The dried apricot, peach and golden apples in this sweet, but not cloying white dessert wine actually has some Riesling and Gewürztraminer in the mix. It is not though pancake syrup and is instead very refreshing and lively, and actually compliments fresh fruit desserts, rather than fighting for attention.
Cheers,
Andy Abramson
Comments:
Post a Comment
