With around 200 wines and three dozen different beers for
tasting, it was certain that a number of stars would shine and glitter at the
2009 Regional Wines Roadshow. Each of
the 30 plus tables of exhibitors had something special and it would take more
than the scope of this blog article to delve into each of the exceptional wines
and beers that were revealed. After a
speed tasting of many of the wines (but not all of them) I noted ones that I
believed to be worth investigating. Many
of you may have others that were especially tasty, however, here are my
thoughts:
The latest vintage of Sauvignon Blancs looks strong, as
evident by the following excellent 2009s: Astrolabe, Blackenbrook, Discovery
Point and Eradus. Many 2008s are
drinking beautifully, and I was enamoured by the Clos Henri. For something different and fun, it’s worth
tasting the Mount Riley Sparkling ‘Savee’.
It’s Sauvignon Blanc for sure, but not as we know it! The number of top Chardonnays was astounding,
and many of them offer great value.
Don’t go past the Beach House, Coopers Creek
‘Limeworks’, Discovery Point ‘Judd’, Highfield and Sileni Estates ‘The Lodge’
from 2008. With an extra year of
bottle-age, the Gibbston
Heights ‘Heartbreaker’,
Mills Reef Reserve and Odyssey ‘Reserve Iliad’ 2007 Chardonnays looked most
interesting. Also, there was plenty of
choice in aromatic wines. I liked the
Astrolabe and Blackenbrook Reserve Gewurztraminers, both 2008s. High points in Pinot Gris were Johner Estate
and Starborough 2009s and Peregrine 2008.
And there was a standout Viognier – the Spade Oak 2007.
It is tough finding a ripe, balanced, fruity rosé nowadays,
with the style often a by-product of red wine making. But when specifically aimed at, they can be superbly
refreshing. The Gladstone and Te Mania
2009s fit the bill. As with Sauvignon
Blanc and Chardonnay, there are many Pinot Noirs to choose from. The 2008s are mostly more forward and
accessible than other years, but serious examples include the Gladstone, Peregrine and Vynfields. 2007 yielded more concentrated Pinot Noirs,
and the Highfield, Odyssey ‘Behave’ and Terrace Heights Estate were very
attractive. The Isabel 2005 Pinot Noir
showed the variety’s ability to develop complexity if well-made from the start. The Bordeaux
styled wines and blends were wide ranging in style, from the elegant, but
complex Benfield & Delamare and Redmetal ‘Basket Press’ 2006s. Offering great balance and immediacy was the
Clearview ‘Two Pinnacles’ Malbec/Merlot 2008.
A modern thoroughbred was the Mills Reef ‘Elspeth’ Cabernet Sauvignon
2007. Two other reds deserve mention:
the Ch. du Bourg Beaujolais-Villages 2007 for it’s fruitiness and the
Beach House Montepulciano 2007 as a stand alone varietal.
To finish a meal or evening, you could not go past the
Alluviale ‘Anobli’ or Konrad ‘Sigrun’ Noble Two Riesling, both from 2008.
Duncan
has arranged for a selection of the staff’s picks to be tasted instore on Saturday
10 October from 11.00 am to 4.00 pm. If
you missed out attending the roadshow or wish to have a re-look at some of the
best as seen by our staff, come into the shop for the tasting.
As with the wines, a good number of beers stood out and I
refer you to Kieran Haslett-Moore’s
thoughts in the Beer Blog. As Regional’s
Beer Specialist, he’s much sharper than I am on this subject!
-Raymond Chan