Of
the Villa Maria Estates portfolio, Esk
Valley holds a special
place. The image is one of a boutique
Hawke’s Bay winery. The wines are
exceptional across the board, and reflect the style, if not idiosyncrasies of
the passionate winemaker, Gordon Russell, who has been resident there for 17
years. Gordon is quick to point out that
the wines reflect the quality of the fruit from top vineyard sites, but it is
clear that without his passion, experience and drive, the Esk Valley
wines might not be so well respected. A
number of fortunate guests were invited to a special seven course wine and food
matched luncheon designed by Bernd Lippmann at the Icon Function Centre at the
Te Papa National Museum to launch the new Esk Valley
labels. The new labels are more
‘signature’ than the previous, and reinforce the individuality of the wines.
The
first course was Milford Sound Crayfish, vineyard snails and veal sweetbreads
matched to the Esk Valley Verdelho 2009 (18.0+/20). Bright, fresh with tropical fruit aromas and
flavours and zesty acidity, this had plenty of fruit extract and body
underneath to deal with the various textures presented on the dish.
Matched
to the braised N.Z. pork cheek and golden beetroot was the Esk Valley Pinot Gris 2008 (18.0/20). Off dry, this wine had fulsome spiced pear
flavours, a touch of minerals and honey, and lovely unctuous texture. It would probably match any type of food, and
seemed to have the potential to develop another 3-5 years easily.
One
of the best combinations was the new season Nelson scallops on a celerac mash
with crispy West Coast whitebait to the Esk Valley Reserve Chardonnay 2007
(19.0/20). The wine was youthful in
appearance and expression with strong acidity, but has developed powerful
stonefruit and mealy fruit flavours with a backbone of nutty, toasty oak. The acidity was a great cut to the flesh of
the scallops and the charred whitebait matched the oak seamlessly.
The
wine and food pairing got better from here!
Smoked quail breast confit with a peppery salad was a star with the Esk Valley Reserve Syrah 2006 (19.0+/20) for
winemaker Gordon Russell. The wine is
starting to come together with its black berry fruits, black pepper and spices,
and lush, stylishly concentrated palate.
But no hurry; there’s 10 years at least ahead with this wine.
On
to the classics. The Esk Valley Reserve Merlot/Cabernet/Malbec 2005
(18.5+/20) is now in lovely proportion and balance. Savoury, meaty, some game notes, concentrated
and dense, yet with a sweetness of fruit providing relief from any
austerity. Great with the five spice and
bitter chocolate rubbed Canterbury
hare loin, the savoury and bitter notes meeting the Merlot and Malbec
components on their level.
The
pièce de resistance was fillet of First Light Wagyu beef topped with Perigord
winter truffle butter served with the Esk
Valley ‘The Terraces’ 2004 (19.5/20).
This wine has a burgundian sweetness of fruit and ethereal expression
compared to other vintages of The Terraces.
Yet it is undeniably Bordeaux
in flavour and structure. A baby packed
with primary red and black fruits, quite sumptuous, and with fine extract and
structure underneath. The beef and wine
enhanced and enriched each other.
The
dessert continued the quality of the meal, wine and matching. White Toblerone encasing manuka honey mouse
with vanilla figs and muscatels. This
was served with Esk Valley’s
‘Winemaker’s Secret’(17.5+/20), an as yet unlabelled, unavailable fortified
muscat wine with material averaging 10 years old and some of it dating back to
1991. Pale tawny, this had fresh, lifted
raisiny aromas and flavours, still youthful, with complex rancio yet to fully emerge, and
pronounced and refreshing acidity.
Quality spirit without burn or coarseness. This needs another decade of maturation!
Some
jobs are tough, but someone’s gotta do it!