Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: New Zealand
Saint Clair Vicar’s Choice Sauvignon Blanc 2008
Saint Clair, Marlborough, Vicar’s Choice, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 In the nose you’ll find apricot and green pepper spiced up with floral notes. In the mouth the acidity is vibrant and the body light with a bit of petillance – a … Continue reading
Sauvignon Republic Marlborough 2008
Sauvignon Republic, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 The current vintage shows plenty gooseberry and freshly cut grass. In the mouth, it is racy as ever, with added depth of flavor and a sense of citrus peel – very nice. Notes on … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Oyster Bay Sauvignon 2008
Oyster Bay, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Like the ’07, This is in-your-face Sauvignon with bell pepper and lots of acid. All stainless with some lees contact. 13% $10.49 at Bottle Barn Oyster Bay
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Another look at Central Otago
Mt. Difficulty, Central Otago, Roaring Meg, Pinot Noir 2006 The red fruit smells blend with a bit of compost in the nose. The mouth is tart and a little tannic and lasts a long time. P&B in Bannockburn 14.5% $17.99 … Continue reading
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2006
Cloudy Bay, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2006 In the nose there are fresh and lightly stewed cherries. This wine demonstrates the tart character that Pinot can display and how refreshing and food-friendly that can be. The mouthfeel is creamy as well, … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Saint Clair Marlborough Pinot 2007
Saint Clair, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2007 Give this new vintage a little air to blow off a bit of reductive character. The fruit is quite alive in the mouth, clean and lively with a price that makes it a great … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Rippon Pinot Noir 2006
Rippon, Central Otago, Lake Wanaka, Pinot Noir 2006 This vintage sports smoky and toasty notes in the nose. The mouth is densely packed with fruit and the ample acidity carries the flavor for a long time. Notes on the previous … Continue reading
Posted in Central Otago, Lake Wanaka, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Sherwood Pinot Noir 2007
Sherwood Estate, Marlborough, Pinot Noir 2007 Brambles, earth and green spices mark the nose and the fruit is still in the background, waiting to come out. In the mouth though, the fruit is poignant, framed by lots of acidity. Proprietors … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Kiwi delight
The Drylands and Omaka Springs shine in this flight and show two slightly different taste profiles. Drylands, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 A pungent rush of gooseberry jumps out of the glass when you pour this wine with cut grass in … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Summer whites
Whitehaven, Marlborough, Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This is full-throttle gooseberries and herbaceousness with loads of acidity – a delicious mouthful of citrus fruit and green peppers. Our friends Chuck and Barbara brought over the ’06 version to share with us at … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Round the world with Pinot
Les Carabenes Vin de Pays d’Oc 2006 Too bad this sample is corked. Imported by PlanetWine in Oakland Mis in the postal code F-11300 13.5% 14.99 at Traverso’s Greenstone Point South Island Pinot Noir 2006 A little weedy, very firm … Continue reading
Posted in Casablanca Valley, Chile, Languedoc, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Focus on Central Otago
The second flight of Pinot tonight is drawn exclusively from the wine region of Central Otago. Mt. Difficulty Central Otago Pinot Noir 2006 Firm, gripping and marked by earthy and berry notes. P&B in Bannockburn 14.5% $28.99 at Bottle Barn … Continue reading
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir
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Southern Pinot
2 flights of Pinot from New Zealand and here is number 1 Daniel Schuster Waipara Pinot Noir Selection 2006 Intense acidity marks this Pinot to drink with food today or lay down in the cellar. P&B in Waipara 14% $26.99 … Continue reading
Posted in Madeira, Marlborough, Nelson, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Waipara
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Kiwi Sparkling
No.1 Family Estate Marlborough Cuvee No.1 Blanc de Blanc Sparkling Wine nv Crisp and concentrated, like biting into a green apple. As with Blanc de Blancs from Champagne, this is 100% Chardonnay, aged two years en tirage. Owner & winemaker … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sparkling Dry
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Bordeaux Grapes in the New World
Wynns Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 Mild green elements add a nice complexity to the cherry fruit. This is a light-bodied Cabernet with a complementary level of acidity. All Cabernet aged in new and used French and US oak. Winemaker Sue … Continue reading
Critter by a Cloudy Bay
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Intense green characters, like cutting grass in the summer on a windy day with plenty of acidity. There is full concentration on the palate. Machine harvested, fermented in stainless and aged on the lees … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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The Saint
Saint Clair Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Vibrant grapefruit and grassy aromas are flanked by ample acidity and citrus on the palate – mouth-tingling. Owned by the Ibbotson family; winemaker Matt Thomson. P&B in Blenheim 13% $13.49 at Bottle Barn Saint … Continue reading
Posted in Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Secret Sauvignon
Craggy Range Martinborough Te Muna Road Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2006 Te Muna means ‘secret place’ and it is where this vineyard is located, adjacent to the Huangarua River. P&B in Havelock North 13.5% $19.99 at K&L Craggy Range
Posted in Martinborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc
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Pinot North and South
On a later date we tasted the substantial Pinot from Amisfield alongside this gem from Australia. Kooyong Mornington Peninsula Haven Pinot Noir 2004 This is one of the single vineyard bottlings from Kooyong. Tasted a year later in December ’08, … Continue reading
Rockin’ Rose
Wild Rock Central Otago Rose 2006 Fresh strawberries and perfume to smell and a clean, dry, fruity palate with some creamy texture. Vin Gris from Pinot Noir, P&B in Hastings, Hawkes Bay 14% $9.99 at Bottle Barn Wild Rock
Posted in Central Otago, New Zealand, Pinot Noir, Rosé
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Australian Chardonnay is Not Cut of One Cloth
In this latest taste-off, we look at a Kiwi Chardonnay alongside the Giaconda. Babich Hawke’s Bay Unoaked Chardonnay 2006 This wine is all stainless steel. P&B in Henderson 13.5% $10.99 at K&L Babich Two delicious wines, two very different interpretations … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Chardonnay, Hawke's Bay, McLaren Vale, New Zealand, South Australia, Victoria
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Wooping it up in the Republic
Their is ample acidity in both wines in this flight. The WW adds a slight richness whereas the Sauvignon Republic pulls no punches with its intense honoring of Sauvignon’s grassy side. Woop Woop South Australia Verdelho 2006 Winemaker Ben Riggs. … Continue reading
Posted in Australia, Marlborough, New Zealand, Sauvignon Blanc, South Australia, Verdelho
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Gewurzzzzzzzzzzz
Steve Bird Marlborough Old Schoolhouse Vineyard Gewurztraminer 2006 P&B in Tauranga 13.5% $12.49 at Bottle Barn Steve Bird Lucien Albrecht Alsace Gewurztraminer Reserve 2006 Winemaker and proprietor Jean Albrecht. Bottled in Orschwihr 13% $14.49 at Bottle Barn Albrecht
Posted in Alsace, Gewurztraminer, Marlborough, New Zealand
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PG 3
This flight provides some noticeable contrast in PG styles. The Shaky Bridge has a bit of onion-skin color and herbaceous characters with some of that BO we associate with Sauvignon. The Albrecht Alsatian is quite rounded and lower in acidity. … Continue reading
Riesling Revue
More recently we tasted a variation on the original revue below. This flight features 3 wines. First there is the 06 Aurum then the 06 Polish Hill from Grosset and last a more mature bottle of the Pewsey Vale. Notes … Continue reading
New World White Flight
This flight features 2 grapes, 3 wines and 3 countries. Oyster Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 This is in-your-face Sauvignon with bell pepper and lots of acid. All stainless with some lees contact. 13% $9.49 at Bottle Barn Oyster Bay … Continue reading
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