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Assorted Tastings from NZ and Oz. - Printable Version

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- Skeeter - 06-15-2009

Notes from a staff wine tasting a month or two back, finally transcribed.

On Arrival: Charles Heidsiek NV: Quite yeasty and nutty on the nose, refined and rich on the palate. A high proportion of older base wines makes this a lot more complex than the citrus-led Piper H NV we’d tasted a few weks prior. Very nice indeed.

2007 Sacred Hill “Wine Thief” Chardonnay: The “Baby Riflemans” isn’t as remarkable as Sacred Hills top label, but is still fantastic. Creamy, powerful with excellent use of oak. Bread/muesli characters with a long peachy finish. Excellent stuff for old-school chardy fans.

2006 Sacred Hill “Wine Thief” Syrah: Medium-bodied wine with funky/smoky/spicy characters all working well. Mild tannins and a good finish. Good wine.

2007 Sacred Hill “Wine Thief” Pinot Noir: Much like most Sacrd Hill pinots, it’s fairly elegant and light-bodied for the price. (NZ$30+) Perfumed, almost rose petals on the nose with light plum and cherry fruit. Good.

2008 Sacred Hill “Basket Press” Merlot/Cabernet: Great body, ripe and rounded and with amazing persistance for a sub-$20 wine. A little spiced at the end, although that could have been the accompanying pizza talking.

2006 Sacred Hill “Brokenstone” Merlot: More musky and complex than it’s little brother, grippy and elegant. Needs time, a big decanter or a rich casserole. Probably all three.

2008 Peter Lehmann Semillon: Light and fresh, with a slightly oily texture. Mellow apple-ish flavours. A little undefined for me at the moment. On the other hand, an Aussie guy showed up at the store later tht month and brought a half-dozen. Different strokes, etc.

2006 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Shiraz: Delicious. Aniseed nose with white pepper notes, sweetly alcoholic raspberry on the palate with nice tingly tannins. Very nice indeed.

2006 Peter Lehmann “The Futures” Shiraz: An intruiging nose, darker and more earthy than it’s stablemate above. Very long, smooth and concentrated with the acidity held in check. There’s lots more in store for this one, but it felt like an excellent food wine.

2003 Peter Lehmann “Eight Songs” Shiraz: Huge nose, all plums and (to me) a tomato plant character. Massively concntrated and rich, really layered and complex. The longer you had this in your glass, the more it keeps giving you. One to contemplatively drink in the library in your smoking jacket by a roaring fire. Preferably with a howling gale outside. Failing that, a big-ass glass for swirling and some char-grilled kangaroo should suffice.

2008 Rockburn “Devils Staircase” Pinot Gris: My gradual conversion to Pinot Gris continues. This was very more-ish, sweetly fruited with a classic pear drop nose and an easy-drink fruit-led body. Lightly spiced, with tons of refreshing acidity. A Big Tick for this one.

2008 Rockburn Pinot Gris: Very tasty, but this one was way too young. Almost fizzy in the glass still. Get past the spritzig charatcer and you have a nice, off-dry P.G. I’ll need to revisit this one in a month or two.

2008 Rockburn “Devils Staircase” Pinot Noir: I was’t overly in love with the ’07, and while the ’08 is better, it’s still not me. Light and fruity (Oak “lozenges” used in lieu of planks or barrels) with a slightly menthol-like finish.

2008 Rockburn Pinot Noir: This one needs some patience. Lots of primary fruit evidient, but needs six months or so to really start to meld together. More acidity than the fantastic ’07. No rush.

2006 Rimu Grove Pinot Noir: Very nice. Quite earthy and rustic with a great smoky character.

Sadly my notes finished there. Either my pen ran out or I did. (Hey, it was nearly 11pm and I’d been awake since 7am. I’m surprised those notes are as coherant as they were.)

Since then I’ve partaken of (among others) ;

2008 Jules Taylor Pinot Gris, which was an excellent fod wine with home-made Southern-Fried chicken.

2006 Coopers Creek Limited Release Viognier, which sadly didn’t survive whatever journey it had been on. Felt faded, flat and flabby. Disappointing.

2008 Coopers Creek Limited Release Viognier, which is stupidly delicious. Masses of apricot, bracing acids, superb balance. Damn fine.

And tonights tipple,

2008 Sacred Hill Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, a return to one of the first wines I drank when I was first falling in love with the stuff. Still good, medium-bodied, tangy, creamy, nutty and far too drinkable. Which isn’t a BAD thing, really.

[This message has been edited by Skeeter (edited 06-15-2009).]

[This message has been edited by Skeeter (edited 06-15-2009).]


- donnaclif - 06-23-2009

Skeeter,

Yummy!!!!i hope i get an opportunity to visit one such wine tasting session. i will spend the entire day savoring these beauties.I wish that happens some how and soon.