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During the week of February 8 - 12, 2021, I attended the first ever New Zealand Wine Week. There were many activities planned throughout the week across Canada, USA, UK, and Ireland, including tastings, discussions, and online activities.
I managed to attend a couple of fascinating classes - one titled "Pinot Noir Soils" and another on Syrah. To assist with the learning, I also received a specially-curated Sustainable Wine Tasting Kit that contained three lovely wines which are reviewed below. To reduce environmental impact, the wines were packaged in low-waste, recyclable tetra-paks. Given the current pandemic, I can't help but wonder if more wine tasting kits will be provided in this manner in the future.
New Zealand produces 1% of the world's wine and 17% of the world's Sauvignon Blanc. While most of New Zealand's wine production is devoted to Sauvignon Blanc, ranking second is Pinot Noir with 7% of the country's wine production. New Zealand's soils are approximately 42 million years old, relatively new by comparison to other wine regions, and most of it has been moved by water. As such, there can be expected a variety of soil types which are layered. Pinot Noir prefers free-draining soils such as those found in Wairarapa, North Island. In Marlborough, as I learned during my visit to New Zealand last year, the Southern Valleys of the Wairau Valley have predominately clay soils - a prime area for growing fuller-bodied Pinot. As vines with age go deeper and deeper into soil in the search for water and nutrients, the different layers of soils reveal themselves and develop additional character in the wines. In Pinot Noir, clay gives density to wines, gravelly soils build tannins, and limestone gives vibrancy and length to wines. In a short period, New Zealand has built a reputation for producing quality Pinot Noir, with Central Otago leading much of this notoriety, although interesting Pinot Noir is produced throughout all of New Zealand's wine regions.
Syrah is the oft-forgotten variety of New Zealand. It represents just 1% of all vines in New Zealand and ranks 7th by acreage. Although it is speculated that Syrah was first planted in New Zealand in the 1830s. it is known that the first Australian cuttings were brought to New Zealand in 1900. The oldest modern Syrah vines were planted in 1984. Of the 437 hectares of Syrah planted in New Zealand in today, 339 hectares are planted in the warmer North Island region of Hawke's Bay - a region I had the pleasure of visiting last year because I discovered NZ Syrah several years prior. I also visited Waiheke Island last year and it has the second-most Syrah in the country with 51 hectares planted to the varietal.
A lovely Albariño from the Awatere Valley in Marlborough was also part of this tasting kit and reviewed below. Originally from Spain, Albariño has found a home in New Zealand. I discovered New Zealand Albariño after tasting a few wines during my visit to NZ last year. Only 27 hectares of Albariño are planted within the country, with most of the plantings concentrated in Gisborne, Marlborough, and Hawke's Bay.
The most recent vintage was also among the many topics discussed. While the 2020 vintage will always be remembered as the COVID-19 harvest, it was actually an excellent summer throughout most of New Zealand and the 2020 vintage is expected to be outstanding.
Sustainability was also a major theme of the week. New Zealand was the first wine industry to establish a national sustainability programme - Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) - which first started 1994. Today, 96% of New Zealand's vineyard producing area is certified by the programme. With a strong commitment from winemakers and grape growers, New Zealand is able to craft exceptional wines while also helping the natural environment, local businesses, and communities thrive. The six areas of focuses with sustainability efforts are water, waste, pest and disease, soil, climate change, and people.
Tasting Notes:
THE HUNTING LODGE SEASONAL ALBARINO 2019 - Awatere Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $19.95 Mostly fermented in stainless steel tanks, with 10% fermented in French oak barriques, as well as 3 months ageing on the lees. Fresh aromatics deliver an intriguing mix of ripe citrus, stone fruits, and floral with touches of vanilla, yeasty, and seashell notes. On the medium+ bodied palate it has a slightly creamy mouthfeel that’s balanced by fresh, zesty acidity. It has ripe, honeyed flavours of citrus and stone fruits on the flavour profile, while yeasty, seashell mineral, and touches of vanilla linger on the juicy finish, with very good length. Agent: Nicholas Pearce Wines. Score: 90 pts
CHURTON NATURAL STATE PINOT NOIR 2019 - Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $31.95 Grown according to biodynamic and organic principles from the Southern Valley of Waihopai, this single block Pinot Noir was naturally fermented with indigenous yeast and has medium-high intensity aromas are very ripe with black cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and floral notes with touches of bramble. It is medium-bodied and mildly structured on the palate with nice, fruity aroma replays plus some earthy and tea leaf flavours. It has balanced, juicy acids and elegantly textured tannins. Very good length on the finish with notes of savoury black cherry. Vegan-friendly. Agent: Le Sommelier. Score: 90 pts
ESK VALLEY WINEMAKERS RESERVE SYRAH 2014 - Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (XD) ~$60 From the Cornerstone Vineyard, the medium+ intensity nose seems a bit closed, but offers notes of black plum, dark berry, blackberry, and some wood spice aromas. The structured, medium-full bodied is lovely with blackberry, black pepper, earth, eucalypt, and wood spice flavours that are supported by juicy acidity and well-integrated tannins. The savoury, earthy, black pepper spice, and dark chocolate notes continue through to the long, satisfying finish. Still has many years of enjoyment ahead. Agent: Perigon Beverage Group. Score: 92 pts
While visiting New Zealand for the first time ever last year (which feels like eons ago due to the pandemic), I had the pleasure of visiting Waiheke Island on a fine afternoon. This was the first day of what ended up being five straight days of wine tasting in New Zealand - more on the rest of the trip is to come.
Waiheke Island is a hilly, wine-producing region located about 20 km east of Auckland, just off the coast of North Island. Most of the vineyards here are separated by thin layers of soil and clay from massive sequences of Jurassic strata that range from 145 to 158 million years in age. The multi-faceted hills were created by early tectonic activity, resulting in various aspects in relation to the sun, along with wind, rainfall, and rock strata that helped determine which varietals would be planted where. In general, Waiheke vineyards are highly mineralised with stiff to hard soils that are criss-crossed with mineralised veins and stained with iron and manganese oxides. Being a small island of just 92 square kilometres, Waiheke Island is very much influenced by the maritime climate and has a long, hot growing season. As such, Waiheke is widely known for growing Bordeaux varietals, and it all started when winemaking began in 1979 after two couples planted Cabernet Sauvignon. However, over the years, it was determined that the climate in Waiheke resembled more closely to Northern Rhône, home of Syrah. Today, Syrah is the most widely planted varietal on the island. This excited me the most about visiting Waiheke Island as Syrah is my favourite red grape.
The day began by taking the Fullers Ferry from the downtown Ferry Terminal in Auckland to the western end of Waiheke Island. Upon arrival, we took a taxi over to the first scheduled appointment - Tantalus Estate. It was a fine, sunny Autumn day, and as such, the place was very busy. We were seated in the main tasting area, overlooking their craft brewery, and just before the restaurant seating.
Tantalus Estate is located in the heart of Waiheke Island's Onetangi Valley at an elevation of 12 to 61 metres above sea level. The latest chapter of the Tantalus Estate story begins in 1998, when the original vineyard of 3.7 ha of Cabernet Sauvignon was planted. In 2002, 1.8 ha of Syrah, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris was planted. In 2013, Campbell Aitken and Carrie Mendell, entrepreneurs with backgrounds in hospitality and dining looking for a new challenge and discovered the 8.3 hectare property on Waiheke Island. The entire winery was redeveloped, with under-performing vines ripped out and replaced by new, low-cropping, and high-quality Cabernet and Syrah clones, as well as establishing a beautiful restaurant that opened out onto the vineyard.
The area is protected from the cold and wet west and southwesterly winds, with ridgelines to the west and southwest provide further protection. The climate on the island is drier and hotter than the mainland, with a long growing season that is ideally suited to premium grape growing. Vines are grown in sandy soils over weathered clay and clay-based rock, with deposits of iron and manganese oxide. Tantalus is fully accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing Programme. To reduce their impact on the environment and promote biodiversity, Tantalus has significantly upgraded the wetland and forested areas around the winery, planting thousands of native plants and pulling out exotic species and weeds, while also continuing to improve the habitat to welcome a variety of birds and insects.
At Tantalus Estate, the winemaking philosophy is to make wines of distinction. In order to gain a better understanding of the wines of Tantalus, we opted for the "Complete" wine tasting that consisted of ten wines, five of which were from Waiheke Island, and the rest from Marlborough and Hawke's Bay. There wasn't a bad wine among the group, but I was definitely impressed by the wines from Waiheke Island that included a field blend dry Rosé made with Syrah and Bordeaux varietals, an Alsatian-style Pinot Gris, a Syrah co-fermented with Viognier, and a pair of Bordeaux blends. Wine tasting notes of a few of my favourites are provided below. After the tasting, we took a stroll through the vineyards before heading out to the next winery.
Located on the western coast of the island, I arrived at Cable Bay Vineyards and was greeted by winemaker Chloe Somerset, and one of the owners, Loukas Petrou. Cable Bay planted its first vineyard on Waiheke Island in 1998 and its first vintage was an award-winning 2002 Chardonnay. More varietals were planted soon thereafter and in 2007 they opened their brand new gravity-flow winery, cellar door, and dining room. With continued success, Cable Bay continued to grow by adding an outdoor kitchen and acquiring vineyards in the Awatere Valley. All of their vineyards are accredited with New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and some are organic under the BioGro program.
Chloe took us to the vineyard at the back, just beyond the Bistro and Verandah where one can enjoy a fine meal and wine while have a spectacular view of the bay, and told us about the vines, which have deep roots, are dry-farmed, and grown on clay iron soils which sit atop a bedrock of ancient sandstone and mudstone from the Jurassic period. Sitting among soils are also mineralized veins that run through the rock. All of this comes through in the wines as distinct minerality and texture - desirable qualities when seeking quality wines with a sense of place.
The surrounding sea in this region also has a role to play in winegrowing. With cool sea breezes during the day coupled with an insulating effect at night, this results in a climate with low diurnal temperature variation. Therefore, temperatures remain relatively high throughout the growing season, allowing varietals that require warm climates and long growing seasons to thrive, such as those varietals found in the Rhône Valley and Bordeaux. The grapes in this area are also resistant to disease because of the salt content in the maritime sea winds.
After a quick tour through the gravity-flow production facility and barrel cellar, we headed back upstairs to the Bistro to taste the wines. Cable Bay has estate-owned vineyards on both Waiheke Island and in the Awatere Valley in Marlborough. On Waiheke Island, they plant Pinot Gris, Viognier, Marsanne, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot, and Malbec and are picked by hand, while in the Awatere they have planted Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. All of the wines are crafted with a gentle hand, with some using natural yeasts, and oak playing a minimal role. I tasted through quite a few wines with Chloe from both regions and all of the wines were delicious. I was most impressed with the Five Hills (full wine review below) red wine, a minerally-driven Malbec blend that really showcased the terroir and potential of the varietal on Waiheke Island. Cable Bay Vineyards is a worthy stop when you visit Waiheke Island. In Canada, at the moment their wines are only available in Alberta, but Chloe and I are both hoping their wines show up in Ontario soon!
The final stop of the day was a very short drive away at Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant. Since we were quite early for our appointment, we had an opportunity to tour the property. Mudbrick is set into the side of a rolling hill, and when you reach the top you get a gorgeous 360° view of the sea, vineyards, and Auckland. There is also a lovely outdoor terrace where we grabbed a glass of vino and and then sat on the bean bags that lay upon the hills to enjoy the views and ambience while lounge music played in the background. I honestly could have sat there the rest of the afternoon as the experience was very relaxing! Alas, I had work to do, so we headed back down to the tasting room.
Mudbrick was founded in 1992 when owners Robyn and Nicholas Jones - who were in their late 20's - purchased a lifestyle block of bare land in the western part of Waiheke Island that had wonderful views of the sea and held much promise. They wanted to plant a vineyard, live off the land, and quaff the fruit of the vines. They began to realize their goal by visiting the property every weekend to plant vines and trees. Robyn's mother, who already lived on Waiheke, helped out as well.
Eventually, they built the Barn/House/Winery out of mud bricks with Nicholas having the knowledge that mud brick buildings do not vary their internal temperature by more than one degree in any 24-hour period - ideal conditions for aging and storing wine. To complement their wines in this fine environment, they wanted to set-up a "Cafe", but Robyn demanded that it had to be a nice one. Thus, Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant was born.
Robyn and Nicholas did not have any winemaking or hospitality experience when they started this venture, but have learned along the way. Their main philosophy is to operate from a customer's point of view. As a life-long project, they have continually updated and added to the buildings, vineyards, and winery. Mudbrick has two distinctly different vineyards on Waiheke Island - the Mudbrick Vineyard at Church Bay and the (purchased in 1998) Shepherds Point Vineyard at Onetangi. The Mudbrick Vineyard has a maritime-influenced, mostly north-facing clay slopes, while the Shepherds Point Vineyard is within a valley on gently undulating terrain. Having two distinct sites allows Patrick Newton, Mudbrick's winemaker since 2011, the opportunity to blend the wines from the two sites to create more complex and rewarding wines that are balanced with elegance and finesse.
I tasted through the wines with Bob Scot, aka The Resident Wine Nut, who lived on the Waiheke Island for many, many years and has been the Cellar Master at Mudbrick for 16 years. Bob took me through a number of Mudbrick's amazing Waiheke Island wines, many of which showcased the elegance and finesse that Patrick aspires to have in the wines he creates. Wine review of my top wines from Mudbrick are provided below. They have increased their capacity, including the addition of wines from Marlborough and Central Otago, so I hope to see their wines at the LCBO in the near future - although they do not have representation in Ontario at the moment. I loved my visit to Mudbrick as it very much felt like I was transported to a different world and would highly recommended you pay the winery a visit if you are ever in New Zealand.
After visiting Mudbrick, we took a cab back to the Ferry and returned to Auckland. All in all, I was very pleased with my first ever visit to Waiheke Island. And with more than 20 wineries located on the island, along with my favourite red varietal - Syrah - having great success on Waiheke, I could foresee another trip to the island in the future. A majority of the wine produced on Waiheke Island is consumed locally, but some bottles do leave New Zealand. Although none of the three wineries I visited currently have representation here in Ontario, I am hopeful that one day the fabulous wines from these wineries will be available in Ontario.
Tasting Notes:
TANTALUS PINOT GRIS 2017 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $68 NZD Crafted in an Alsatian style, this Pinot Gris has spent 9 months in French oak barriques. The medium-high intensity nose is sweet fruited with stone fruit, citrus, and some honeyed and waxy characters. It's nicely textured on the dry palate with just a kiss of sweetness and lemony, stone fruit, and citrus flavours, with some slightly mature fruit characters. Still has very good acidity. A touch chalky on the long, lemon pith finish. Should continue to drink well for another 2-3 years. Score: 91 pts
TANTALUS VIOLÉ RESERVE SYRAH 2015 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $90 NZD A Syrah co-fermented with 2% Viognier, this has a lovely, aromatic, and very floral nose that is joined by ripe plum, black cherry, and blackberry aromas. It’s medium-full bodied with nice replays on the flavour profile, along with oak spice and milk chocolate notes. Medium-level, gritty tannins add a nice texture. Acids are well-balanced. Cocoa-dusted, dark berry, and floral characters on the long finish. Score: 91+ pts
TANTALUS ÉCLUSE RESERVE 2015 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $105 NZD The flagship wine from Tantalus, this is a Cabernet blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, with small amounts of Merlot and Malbec, all of which spends 1 year in French oak barriques. The nose is highly aromatic, elegant, and perfumed with floral, red & black fruits, sweet tobacco, and plum. It's full-bodied with lovely aroma replays joined by touches of smoke, tobacco, and earthy nuances that add complexity and supported by fine, structured, and sweet tannins. Acids are juicy, while the persistent finish is balanced with excellent length. Will age gracefully over the next 5-7 years. Score: 92 pts
CABLE BAY RESERVE PINOT GRIS 2019 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $34 NZD This Pinot Gris was fermented and aged in concrete tanks for 7 months. It has a nice, ripe, medium+ intensity nose of honeysuckle and floral, with whiffs of apricot and lemon citrus. The medium+ bodied palate is dry and nicely textured with more stone fruit, honeysuckle, and citrus flavours. Some saline notes arrive on the mid-palate and continue through to the long, clean finish. Score: 90+ pts
CABLE BAY SYRAH 2018 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $48 NZD Excellent results from a cool, wet year, this Syrah has a fragrant, black pepper spice, dark currant, and dark berry nose with hints of floral. It's medium+ bodied with lovely aroma replays. Juicy fruit and elegant tannins add to the experience. Earthy notes arrive on the fine, long finish. Score: 91 pts
CABLE BAY FIVE HILLS 2018 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $48 NZD This blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Merlot has a fresh, medium-high intensity nose of purple fruits, violet, dark berry, dark currant, and spice, with some smoky mineral notes. The fine, medium-bodied palate has lovely mineral-driven aroma replays that are nuanced with dark fruit and smoke characters. It has balanced acids and fine tannins, and a long, minerally finish. Score: 91 pts
MUDBRICK RESERVE CHARDONNAY 2019 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $59 NZD Rich, elegant, and complex with ripe, buttery, vanilla, apple and pear aromas and flavours that are very well balanced. It's creamy textured on the medium-full bodied palate with fine, succulent acids. Earthy-clayey mineral and hints of nut add further complexity. Impeccably balanced throughout and a long, satisfying finish. Score: 93 pts
MUDBRICK SHEPHERD'S POINT SYRAH 2018 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $45 NZD The medium+ intensity nose is earthy with an array of dark fruits like blackberry, black cherry, black plum, and black pepper spice joining the fray, It's medium-full bodied on the palate with lovely aroma replays, plus hints of cranberry. It has juicy acids and structured tannins that come through on the back palate. Finishes peppery, earthy, and long. Will reward 3-4 years in cellar and drink to 2030. Score: 92 pts
MUDBRICK RESERVE 2019 - Waiheke Island, New Zealand (XD) - $75 NZD This Bordeaux blend consists of 45% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest equal parts Petit Verdot and Malbec. It has a highly aromatic nose that is herbaceous with black currant, cassis, dark cherry, black plum, and oak spice aromas. It's medium-full bodied with very nice herbally aroma replays joined by some peppery spice flavours. Acids are fresh and juicy. Dry, structured palate with tannins that come to the fore on mid-palate. Excellent finish length. Drink over the next 7-9 years. Score: 92 pts
On a lovely during my visit to New Zealand last year, I was in Rotorua, a hot tourist spot on the North Island, about 2 hours away from Auckland and came across Volcanic Hills Winery.
Volcanic Hills was founded in 2009 using borrowed winery space. The brand was born from the Volcanic Plateau that is surrounded by the volcanic peaks of Ngauruhoe, Ruapehu, and Tarawera. The winery's own production facility opened in 2013 and sits at the base of the Skyline Gondola, while the Tasting Room, which opened in 2012, is located at the top of the Skyline Gondola and offers a gorgeous view of Lake Rotorua.
The winery was set up by Winemaker Brent Park and his wife Larissa. Brent went to school in Rotorua and has lived and worked in and around New Zealand for many years. He followed that up with winemaking stints in South Africa, USA, Australia and France. With over 20 years of winemaking experience, Brent decided to settle in Rotorua and make it a tourist attraction.
In case you didn't know, there are actually no grapes in Rotorua, so they source their grapes from the best wine regions in New Zealand such as Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Central Otago and bring them to Rotorua. The grapes arrive fresh and cold, de-stemmed by machine - the stems are then provided as feed to the animals - and continue their journey to become fine wine.
Volcanic Hills Winery is very much a small, boutique winery, with a total annual production of 5,500 cases, and all of the wines are hand-crafted in small batches. My server for the tasting, Annie, took me through a tasting of a few wines from their portfolio. Wine reviews of my favourites are provided below.
Wines from Volcanic Hills Winery have appeared at the LCBO, but the for the moment they can be ordered through their Agent - Wilson Wines & Spirits.
Tasting Notes:
VOLCANIC HILLS CHARDONNAY 2017 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (XD) - $29 NZD Having spent 10 months in new French oak, this Chardonnay has a rich, medium-high intensity nose that has buttery, buttered popcorn, and vanilla aromas layered over stone fruit and apple notes. It's medium-full to full-bodied on the rich palate with more buttery, vanilla, buttered popcorn, and apple flavours. Notable oak influence is nicely integrated. The long, balanced finish has more buttery, apple, and vanilla notes. Score: 89 pts
VOLCANIC HILLS SYRAH 2018 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (XD) - $28 NZD The medium-high intensity nose offers lovely raspberry, red berry, and plum aromas with hints of peppery spice, oak, and earthy nuances. It's medium+ bodied with light, supple tannins on the palate and pleasing dark red berry flavours mingling with spice notes. Nicely textured on the mid-palate with succulent acids. The medium-long finish has dark berry and spice tones. Score: 89 pts
VOLCANIC HILLS PINOT NOIR 2017 - Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand (XD) - $37 NZD My favourite of the visit, this has a pretty, medium-high intensity, and clean nose that leads with black cherry and strawberry aromas, followed by earthy, forest floor, and spice notes. It's medium-full bodied on the palate with very good fruit concentration and balanced acidity. Lovely aroma replays of black cherry, earth, beetroot, and spice come through on the flavour profile. Supple with smooth, fine tannins that have some heft. Long, spiced finish. A Pinot on the bigger side of the spectrum. Score: 90+ pts
VOLCANIC HILLS ROSÉ 2019 - Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (XD) - $28 NZD Made with 100% Pinot Noir, this rose has fresh strawberry, cherry, pink grapefruit, and citrusy aromas of medium-high intensity. It's dry on the medium+ bodied palate, with nice aroma replays on the flavour profile supported by fresh acidity and some tannic textural characters. Citrusy notes come through on the long, satisfying finish. Score: 89 pts
wine reviews are a pair of lovely wines from New Zealand's iconic Trinity Hill that arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on . I've been enamoured with this winery and the Hawke's Bay region ever since enjoying the 2014 Trinity Hill The Trinity Red Blend a couple of years ago that I made it a point to visit the Hawke's Bay and Trinity Hill when I visited New Zealand earlier this year - more on this to come.
The idea of Trinity Hill was formed in 1987 when winemaker John Hancock met with Bleeding Heart restaurant owners Robyn and Robert Wilson at their restaurant in London. On a stony site in Hawke's Bay, Trinity Hill became a reality in 1993 because they recognized that this site would give them the ability to produce world-class wines. They also recognized the potential of the Hawkes Bay's Gimblett Gravels winegrowing district and quickly became one of the region's early pioneers by planting grape vines on a barren plot on the former bed of the Ngaruroro River that is now an 18 hectare vineyard.
By 2001, Trinity Hill helped found the Gimblett Gravels Winegrowers Association. It was created based on the terroir of the area of the old Ngaruroro Riverbed, with 34 member wineries and winegrowers making up the association.
Today, Robyn and Robert Wilson are still co-owners of Trinity Hill, while John Hancock moved on in 2018 to focus on his own negociant wine business. Warren Gibson is the Chief Winemaker. He worked with John prior to the creation of Trinity Hill and joined the team to work alongside John in 1997, earning several accolades along the way. Trinity produces wines using traditional Hawke's Bay varietals such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, as well as (my favourite) Syrah, and, of course, Sauvignon Blanc. All Trinity Hill wines are produced with the utmost care and respect for the grapes and with minimum intervention. Making world-class wines for more than 20 years, Trinity Hill truly is one of New Zealand's iconic wineries.
Tasting Notes:
TRINITY HILL SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Sustainable, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#247221) (XD) - $19.95 Screw cap. The fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc was sourced from Mangaorapa Station’s cool climate and argillite soils, in southern Hawke's Bay. Most of the wine was cool fermentated and spent 3 months in contact with lees, while a smaller portion was fermented and aged in small 228 L barriques. Elegant, restrained aromas of lime, citrus and stone fruits with touches of guava, passion fruit, and leesy characters. The medium bodied palate has a nice texture with more citrusy lime and stone fruit flavours joined by subtle leesy and oak notes that balance the crisp, fresh, and lively acidity. Interesting notes of oyster shell minerality linger on the long, juicy finish. Would be a fine pairing with oysters. Score: 89 pts
TRINITY HILL THE GIMBLETT 2016 - Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay, North Island, New Zealand (#280263) (XD) - $39.95 Screw cap. This blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Cabernet Franc, 14% Merlot, and 2% Malbec has lovely, perfumed aromas of ripe red and black fruits, currant, cassis and spices with subtle notes of sweet tobacco, floral, herb and leather. Some olive aromas develop with time in the glass. It's medium-full+ bodied on the palate with firm, structured, and grippy tannins along with juicy acidity that supports the blackberry, cassis, currant, earthy, and cedary oak flavours. Savoury, earthy and woody on the finish, with excellent length. Enjoy to the late 2020s. Score: 91 pts
Other fine wines from Trinity Hill can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.
I had the opportunity to taste this fantastic Riesling back in March, in New Zealand with winemaker Kevin Judd (a full report on this is coming soon), and am delighted to see it come to . For wine review, we take a look at how this Riesling has evolved, 8 months after my first tasting.
I have tasted many wines from Greywacke over the years and they have all been excellent. Greywacke is the Marlborough label of iconic winemaker Kevin Judd. After many successful years at Cloudy Bay, he fulfilled a long held dream with his wife Kimberley to have his own vineyard and winery. The name 'Greywacke' comes from the high prevalence of rounded greywacke river stones found in the soils of the vineyard in Rapaura. Kevin focuses on quality winemaking and sources fruit mostly from mature vineyards within the central Wairau Plains and the Southern Valleys, such as this single vineyard Riesling from 21-year-old vines. These prime viticultural sites are cultivated using yield restricting vineyard management, and a number of these are owned by the Sutherland family (Dog Point).
Kevin makes his wines at Dog Point Winery in the lower Brancott Valley, a facility extended to him by Ivan Sutherland and James Healy - long-standing friends and industry colleagues who go back to their days together at Cloudy Bay. The Greywacke portfolio is primarily based on Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, but there are also limited release wines such as this Riesling. Kevin is also an accomplished photographer and uses his own photos on Greywacke wine labels.
Tasting Note:
GREYWACKE RIESLING 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#14556) (M) - $29.95 This single vineyard Riesling is from 27-year-old vines. Half of this wine was fermented in stainless steel tanks, while the other half underwent spontaneous indigenous yeast fermentation in old French oak barriques. Both halves of this wine also spent about 4 months in barrels on yeast lees. Screw cap. Lovely, highly aromatic nose is slightly reductive and features earthy mineral, leesy, and petrol notes followed by lime zest, citrus, and floral aromas. It has lively, vibrant acidity on the medium+ bodied palate with fine concentration. Nicely textured with citrus, floral, and apple flavours. There's some sweetness, but it is relatively hidden due to the high acidity. Apple, floral, and stony mineral notes linger on the long, lip-smacking finish. Lovely! Score: 91 pts
Other delightful wines from the Greywacke portfolio are available in LCBO VINTAGES, as well as through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.
wine review is this lovely medium dry (i.e. somewhat sweet), vegan-friendly Riesling from New Zealand. This white wine is new to the LCBO and arrived in LCBO VINTAGES on - with plenty of bottles available in store, or online ordering for pick-up in store or home delivery.
The story of Kahurangi begins in 1973 when they planted their first Riesling vines - which are now some of the oldest on the South Island - while the Kahurangi brand was born in 1998, bringing together four families with a shared desire to craft wines that people will love. Kahurangi Estate is a small, boutique winery near Nelson, South Island, specialising in hand-made wines dedicated to quality.
Kahurangi is a Māori word with multiple meanings such as "treasured possession" and "precious jewel", while the logo is a stylised Nikau palm which is commonly found in the valleys and west coast beaches of the Kahurangi National Park.
Mt. Arthur is one of the highest mountains in Kahurangi National Park at 1,795 metres above sea level and stands as a magnificent backdrop to Kahurangi Estate vineyard. Kahurangi selected Mt. Arthur for their range of premium Reserve wines which stand out for their superior quality and structure.
The grapes for this delicious Riesling come from their estate vineyard in Upper Moutere, on soils that are made up of Moutere clay that add richness and texture to the grapes. Although 2017 was a challenging growing season, it was a longer than average flowering period with cooler summer temperatures. Harvest was also later than usual, but with careful vineyard management the fruit looked great! Let's see how this Riesling is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
KAHURANGI MOUNT ARTHUR RESERVE RIESLING 2017 - Nelson, South Island, New Zealand (#14559) (M) - $23.95 Screw cap. Vegan-friendly. Lovely, elegant floral, lemon/lime, and peach aromas with a touch of petrol rising out of the glass. The textured, medium+ bodied palate is both slightly tart and honeyed with lemon pith and floral flavours in a slightly sweet profile that is balanced by lively acidity. It's chalky textured with floral and touches of earthy mineral on the long, dry, slightly taut finish. Enjoyable now, but should provide even more pleasure in a couple of years. Score: 89 pts
The main theme of the LCBO VINTAGES Release features Favourite Wines that are back by Popular Demand, while the mini-theme focuses on wines from New Zealand. Wines arrived in the top 51 LCBO stores across Ontario and online yesterday, while another 50 stores will receive bottles a week after Release.
We begin with the main theme that features 21 Customer Favourites that are return to shelves by Popular Demand. A couple of these were recommended by me late last year - the Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017 and Terrazas de Los Andes Reserva Malbec 2017, in case you were wondering - so I didn't include them this time around, thus, only two wines are included among my top wine picks. First up is the latest edition of the excellent Montes Purple Angel that consists of 92% Carmenere and 8% Petit Verdot. The only other wine from this portion of the Release is a Rioja that is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo, and 2% Garnacha.
The mini-theme focuses on wines from New Zealand, a land of plenty with stellar scenery and a range of top-notch wines (as I discovered while visiting NZ earlier this year - more to come on this). Of the nine wines featured, five are included among my top wine recommendations. The four white wines are all New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc wines from the 2018 vintage. However, they do differ by the regions that the grapes were grown in - ranging from Marlborough in the South Island, including the sub-region of the Awatere Valley, and Wairarapa on the North Island, which also encompasses the sub-region of Martinborough. Trying all four side-by-side would be a great comparison! The lone red wine from New Zealand is from Hawke's Bay and consists of roughly 72% Merlot, 18% Syrah, 5% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Among my red wine picks, we start with Romanian wine that is made using Fetească Neagră (Black Maiden) grape. There is also an unoaked red from Languedoc that is made with 50% Carignan, 30% Syrah, and 20% Grenache. From Italy, the excellent Chianti Classico consists of 80% Sangiovese, 15% Canaiolo, and 5% Syrah, while the lovely California Cabernet Sauvignon includes 17% Malbec.
There are no multi-varietal blends among my white wine picks. Single varietal white wines include a Muscadet that is made with the Melon de Bourgogne grape, and an excellent Greco di Tufo. For those that prefer sweeter wines, look to Riesling, such as the off-dry version from Flat Rock or the medium-sweet version from Thirty Bench.
Enjoy my recommendations from this Release! Cheers and stay safe!
Red Wine:
BUDUREASCA PREMIUM FETEASCĂ NEAGRĂ 2016 - DOC-CMD Dealu Mare, Romania (#263913) (XD) - $16.95 87 pts wine review
To celebrate , white wine review is this lovely Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc that I picked up while visiting the winery in New Zealand in March. More about my fabulous trip visiting wineries in New Zealand is coming soon, so stay tuned!
Spy Valley Wines was founded in the 1990's by Bryan and Jan Johnson in Waihopai Valley, Marlborough, and was named after its proximity to the international satellite communications monitoring station - a spy base - located just down the road. With a passion for the land, they established 180 hectares of estate vineyards on land considered too hard, too dry and too unfertile for wine and have become one of New Zealand’s most successful family-run wineries. The Johnson family chose the Spy Valley terroir back in 1993 for its stony, free draining riverbed terrain, with terraced vines enjoying both rocky riverside gravels and deeper clay and silt soils.
Today, Spy Valley’s commitment remains to the land and to the people who tend it as they are simply farmers at heart, nurturing soil and vine to cultivate the complexities in their wines. They are also focused on sustainability, which will ensure their guardianship of the land for generations to come.
The environment at Spy Valley has been one of the many secrets to their success. Since the beginning, Spy Valley Wines has been accredited under the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing initiative which promotes economically and environmentally sustainable vineyard management. Some of these initiatives include promoting biodiversity in and around the vineyards, using organic matter and compost to replace nutrients in the soils, minimising irrigation (2/3 of the vineyards are irrigation free), reducing energy use, and using low-toxic, environmentally-friendly products in the winery and vineyard.
Spy Valley abides by the principles to reduce, reuse and recycle throughout the winery. It is interesting to know that they crush their own bottles (which are made out of 96% recycled glass), providing them with a fine dust which they mulch and distribute below the grapevines to enhance light reflection.
This grapes for this Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc were grown in three places. The Waihopai Valley that has alluvial stony silt loams that are very well drained, the Mid Wairau Valley that has varying depths of alluvial silt loam over gravel and is well-drained, and from the Lower Wairau Valley which has deep alluvial silt deposits over gravel. All of the grapes were harvested in the cool mornings throughout the month of March and vinified in small vineyard batches until the final blending. It was predominantly fermented in stainless steel tanks, with several blocks fermented in barrels. The 2019 vintage was a very dry and warm growing season, bringing with it small yields with great fruit concentration.
This white wine always appears in LCBO VINTAGES (at least) once a year. The 2018 vintage showed up last Fall and small quantities are still available, while the 2019 vintage will arrive in LCBO VINTAGES in October later this year.
Tasting Note:
SPY VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#686675) (XD) - $18.25
Screw cap. This Sustainably Crafted Sauvignon Blanc has a fresh, intense, yet restrained aromatics offering passion fruit, guava, lemon/lime citrus, gooseberry, nettle, and tropical fruit aromas with just a touch of leesy character. It is medium-full bodied on the richly concentrated and slightly creamy palate with very nice replays of passion fruit, guava, lime, and tart citrus flavours that are supported by fresh, vibrant acidity. Some tartness with mineral, citrus, and passion fruit notes linger on the finish, with very good length. Score: 89 pts
Following up on the delicious 2019 Yealands Sauvignon Blanc that I enjoyed late last year, tonight I am trying the 2018 vintage to see how it is holding up two years from vintage.
With the 2018 edition of this white wine, Yealands celebrated its 10th year of operations. Back in 2008, founder Peter Yealands set out to become one of the world’s most sustainable wine producers. He determined that the only way to craft truly beautiful, award-winning wines was in partnership with nature - a philosophy that holds true today and forms the basis of their approach to winemaking.
Peter Yealands is a third generation Marlborough native and his trademark "can do" attitude is the stuff of legend. The former founder had an irrepressible imagination, inexhaustible energy, and an unswerving passion for the land. He also had a career of leading-edge innovation across many industries. At the winery, they installed a large solar panel array on their winery roof, as well as bailed and burned their vine prunings to heat their water. The vision is to push boundaries, think innovatively and produce some of the most exceptional, and sustainable, wines around.
While this vintage is long gone from LCBO shelves, the latest vintage is the 2019 edition with its new label is widely available at LCBO outlets across Ontario. Let's see how the 2018 is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
YEALANDS SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#277731) (XD) - $16.95
Screw cap and vegan-friendly, this NZ Sauvignon Blanc has an elegant, restrained nose of guava and passionfruit aromas followed by some lemon citrus, mint, and thyme notes. It's medium-bodied with bracing acidity that freshens the palate. Ripe and tart with flavours of lemon/lime citrus, guava, and gooseberry, with touches of pear and thyme. Well-balanced with touches of mineral on the mid-palate and very good length on the juicy, lip-smacking finish. Score: 89 pts
wine review is this lovely Gewürztraminer that I picked up from the winery in Marlborough during my recent trip to New Zealand - just before all of the COVID-19 restrictions came into place here in Canada. More about my visit to Marlborough and other New Zealand winegrowing regions is coming soon, so stay tuned.
Johanneshof Cellars is an artisan boutique winery located in the mountainous locality of Koromiko, about 20 km north of Blenheim. It was established in 1991 by Edel Everling and Warwick Foley, two winemakers who were from opposites part of the globe.
Edel Everling, M.Sc.Oenology, grew up in Rheingau, Germany, in a winemaking family that had been making wine on both sides of her family for five generations. From an early age, Edel was helping in the vineyards overlooking the river Rhine, where vines grow on very steep slopes. The knowledge she gained here was beneficial when she met Warwick in New Zealand and helped him establish Marlborough's first steep hillside vineyard in 1977. Edel continued her travels and finished her degree in viticulture and oenology at Geisenheim University in Germany. She also worked at the world-renowned Wine Research Institute of Geisenheim in the Department of Grape Breeding and Grafting under the leadership of well-respected wine scientist Prof. Dr. Helmut Becker, which gave her an in-depth insight into vine growing and crafting wines from a scientific angle. Further knowledge was gained by working at different wineries and a distillery.
Warwick Foley is a 5th generation New Zealander and grew up on the property where Johanneshof Cellars resides. As a teenager, he planted one of the first vineyards in Marlborough on their steep hillside land in Koromiko in 1977, just four years after the first commercial grapes were introduced to Marlborough. This vineyard consisted of mainly Riesling, but was re-planted to Pinot Noir and named "Maybern Vineyard" in honour of Warwick's parents May and Bernhard. Warwick met Edel in the early 1980's while learning about winemaking and working at New Zealand's first wine research station in Te Kauwhata, near Hamilton. He took up viticulture and winemaking training in Germany, followed by working at various wineries in Rheingau and Baden.
Upon returning to New Zealand, Edel and Warwick combined European wine traditions with modern technology and founded one of Marlborough's pioneering artisan wineries to produce a collection of outstanding fine wines from New Zealand, such as this Gewürztraminer.
Johanneshof Cellars is renowned for producing multi-award winning table wines, classic Methode Traditionnelle sparkling wines, and some outstanding spirits such as Brandy and Grappa. They are part of New Zealand Winegrowers, an accredited member of New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing, and a founding member of Methode Marlborough.
Unfortunately, the lovely wines from Johanneshof Cellars are currently not available in Ontario - or anywhere Canada for that matter. However, they are seeking representation and would love to have their wines in our market. If any Agents read this, you can inquire directly with the winery or reach out to me and I can connect you with Edel and Warwick.
Tasting Note:
JOHANNESHOF CELLARS GEWÜRZTRAMINER 2019 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (D) - $31 NZD
Screw cap. This hand-harvested Gewürztraminer has a gorgeous, intense, focused, and very pure nose of lychee, rose floral, lemon citrus, and musky spice aromas. The concentrated, full-ish palate is off-dry with lovely lychee, floral and spice replays with touches of marzipan on the mid-palate. Bracing acids are juicy and keep things nicely balanced. More rose and lychee notes complete the dry finish, with excellent length. Top NZ Gewürztraminer! Score: 91 pts
wine review is a lovely Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand that will be arriving in LCBO VINTAGES on .
It is produced by the legendary Kevin Judd at Greywacke - his Marlborough label on the South Island of New Zealand. Greywacke is the fulfillment of a long-held dream, a name adopted by Kevin and his wife Kimberley for their first Marlborough vineyard located in Rapaura which has a high prevalence of rounded greywacke stones in the soils of the vineyard. I am excited to be visiting New Zealand later this month and will be meeting up with Kevin at Greywacke and hope to see these stones in person. Stay tuned.
The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc were sourced from various prime vineyard sites in Marlborough's Southern Valleys, the central Wairau Plains (specifically in Woodbourne, Renwick, and Rapaura), and a spectacular river terrace site in the upper Awatere Valley. Soil types vary from the young alluvial soils of Rapaura, Renwick and the upper Awatere, which contain high proportions of New Zealand’s ubiquitous greywacke river stones, to the older and denser clay-loams of the Southern Valleys.
The previous three vintages of the Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc that I tasted have all been amazing, high-quality wines - and perhaps not really surprising given who is behind these wines - so, I fully expect this latest vintage to also be delicious! The 2018 vintage was very warm and humid, but also very wet, resulting in a challenging year that promises to deliver quality wines. Let's see how the 2018 is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
GREYWACKE SAUVIGNON BLANC 2018 - Marlborough, South Island, New Zealand (#164228) (XD) - $24.95
Screw cap. Ripe, medium-high intensity nose delivers guava, kiwi, passion fruit, tropical fruit, gooseberry, and citrus aromas with a fine mineral underpinning. It is medium-bodied with good weight to the fruit and slightly creamy textured. Zesty citrus, ripe kiwi, guava, and passion fruit flavours with touches of spice and floral are lifted by the fresh, vibrant acidity. Fine mineral and lime zest notes linger on the long, crisp finish, with excellent length. Lovely, as always. Score: 91 pts
Tuesday, February 23, 2021
