Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

New Zealand Wine: Kim Crawford Pinot Gris

Kim Crawford Pinot Gris was spotlighted as one of the wines from New Zealand featured in the fall of 2014 at Whole Foods Market.  The grocery’s wine folks sponsored a virtual tasting event for these wines, and I received and invitation to participate, along with samples of the wines.

The winery had an inauspicious beginning, in Kim and Erica Crawford’s spare room in 1996.  Recognition of their reputation followed quickly and today they are reported to be the top-selling New Zealand producer in the U.S.

Kim Crawford’s winemaker, Anthony Walkenhorst, says on the winery website, "Being a winemaker allows me to combine creativity and science, which I love."  He has developed an uncluttered wine style which lets him capture the essence of the fruit with which he works.

On social media, @davidnzwineusa commented that,  "@nzwine = diversity, quality, value. Balance, great with food."  @WineHarlots tweeted, "Light and lively, the @kimcrawfordwine Pinot Gris $16 yearns for ceviche."  Which reminds, me - so do I.  @JamesTheWineGuy liked the "green citrus, fig, sesame, white flowers, and sesame."

The Kim Crawford Pinot Gris 2013 utilizes grapes sourced mainly from the Wairau and Awatere sub-regions of Marlborough, New Zealand.  They describe the winemaking process in a nutshell: "After harvest, the grapes were crushed and direct pressed with minimal skin contact. The clarified juice was then cool fermented to optimise varietal expression, flavour, and intensity. There was no wood and minimal skin contact. We used five different yeasts to ensure that we profiled the fruit and kept the fresh acidity."

The wine has a 13% abv alcohol number, so the one-glass-only drinker won’t have to worry about getting tipsy at lunch.  It comes under a screw cap and the retail price on the Pinot Gris is $17 at Whole Foods.

Peach and pear juice - ripe and running down the forearm - adorn both the nose and the palate of this lively Pinot Gris.  The aromas are full and rich, while the mouthfeel is bright and zippy, with admirable acidity and a light touch of citrus minerality on the lengthy finish.   It sips great, and will serve as a great aperitif. It also marries quite well with food.  We had ours with takeout vegan cashew curry, some pineapple fried rice and my wife's roasted carrots and parsnips.  It was delicious.  It’s also good with Brussells sprouts and goat cheese.


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Monday, December 29, 2014

The Wines Of New Zealand at Whole Foods

In the recent Twitter tasting for the New Zealand wines, which were fall features at Whole Foods Markets, there was lively discussion of The Red Blend, from Villa Maria.

@WFMWine hit us with some background info: "Villa Maria The Red Blend.used to be called cab-merlot, new name, new vintage. Nice label and package."   One WFM location had  guests tasting on hand: "The Villa Maria red blend was also popular with many guests at tonight's tasting."  @WFMSantaFe tweeted, "New Zealand - where the reds are sassy and the whites are grassy!"   They then got down to business by noting, "Best paired with a ribeye! Villa Maria Red Blend, 2013 vintage #cutsthefat."

Sir George Fistonich founded Villa Maria Estate in Auckland in 1961, starting with a one-acre vineyard.   An innovator, he instituted the practice of quality-based pricing for grapes in New Zealand, hired viticulturists and made Villa Maria cork-free beginning with the 2002 vintage.  Sir George received New Zealand’s first knighthood from Queen Elizabeth in 2009 for his importance in the country’s wine industry.

Villa Maria has been a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand since the organization’s birth in 1995.  The company has vineyards in Aukland, Gisborne, Marlborough and Hawkes Bay, which is the source for The Red Blend.  The Hawkes Bay region is on the east coast of New Zealand’s North Island.  It’s a dry, temperate climate that gets hot summers and cool winters.

Villa Maria's The Red Blend is a mix of Bordeaux grape varieties - Merlot-heavy at 75%.  14% of the makeup is Cabernet Sauvignon, while Malbec takes up 7% and 4% goes to Cabernet Franc.  The alcohol is a fair 13% abv and it looks to have a fairly medium intensity of dark red coloring.  It is bottled under Villa Maria’s “Private Bin” label.

The Red Blend’s nose brings the Bordeaux, with all the blackberry, cassis and oak spice you can stand.  Clove, cedar and nutmeg are prominent, with undercurrents of vanilla, cinnamon and a good whiff of Merlot smoke.  The palate echoes those sentiments, for the most part.  It's dark, without getting all primeval on us.  It doesn't brood, it just furrows it's brow a bit.

The tannins are lively enough to mate this wine with a variety of red meats, the fattier the better.  It goes great with soft cheeses, too.


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Friday, November 7, 2014

Holiday Wines At Whole Foods Market: Sophora Sparkling Cuvée

Whole Foods Market used social media recently to help celebrate wines from New Zealand, the chain’s fall spotlight in the wine department.  In a pair of virtual tasting events held on Twitter, tasters were invited to chime in with their impressions on the wines using the hashtag #WFMwine.  Here is what some of the participants thought about the Sophora Sparkling Cuvée:

@nzwineusa expressed a thought that resonated with many: “always a fan of going back for more bubbles.”  In fact, @MattMcGinnis tweeted, “Yeasty and full of ripe pear. We had to pour a second glass. Yum.”  For @WineHarlots, a favorite pairing came to mind:  “I love fish & chips with sparkling wine.”  The tasters taking part at @WFMFlorida thought “the Sophora Sparkling Wine is stealing the show tonight,” while @cloulew advised us all to “Stock up for the holidays. The bottle is beautiful.”

@wowaustin claimed, “The Sophora was def a fave here, even w/o sabering.”  This came in response to @DeniseClarkeTX’s boast of sabering the bottle open using a kitchen utensil.  Sabering, by the way, is a wine-related party trick which you can check out here.  You may want a handful of disclaimers to go along with the video - “Don’t try this at home,” “sabered by a professional using an actual sword” or “your mileage may vary.”


I shared my Sophora with friends Guido and Tina, who had invited us over for dinner.  They seemed to enjoy the festive bubbly, although they did not gush forth with tasting notes for me.  Not being wine-obsessed, like me, they had somewhat reserved reactions.  Tina liked the flavor, Guido liked the sweetness level.  I liked the fact that it gave a great start to a lovely evening of food, drink and conversation.

Sophora’s golden tint and big bubbles are certainly festive enough, and the fruity nose of pear, citrus and bread was a hit with all.  That big, yeasty, bready sensation continues to dazzle on the palate.  The creamy mouthfeel makes it seem very rich.  It's a blend of Chardonnay (52%) and Pinot Noir (48%) so its resemblance to Champagne is a fairly close one.  Since the holidays are just about to come barreling down the tracks at us, you may want to keep this one in mind for seasonal entertaining.  At $15, you can start a few parties of your own without too big a bite from your wallet.

Whole Foods’ wine department - they call them the Wine Guys - recommends pairings this sparkler with Rogue Creamery Oregon Blue cheese, French toast, bacon-wrapped figs, hazelnut shortbread, eggs Benedict and Baked Cranberry-Walnut French Toast.  It makes a heck of a mimosa, too.


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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Whole Foods Market: NZ Grove Mill Pinot Noir

Whole Foods Market makes it easy to be an adventurous wine lover.  They make it pretty affordable, too.  The popular grocery chain is shining the autumn spotlight on the wines of New Zealand, which offer a lot more than just Sauvignon Blanc.

Two tasting events on social media have featured New Zealand Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and even a sparkling wine.  You can access the Twitter conversation by searching the hashtag #WFMWine.


Grove Mill Pinot Noir 2012

The Grove Mill Winery 2012 Pinot Noir is very manly.  It's the Chuck Norris of Pinot Noir.  It could have been called Chuck Noirris.  If you stick out your pinkie while drinking it, that finger will be dislocated.  I've heard that when Chuck Norris makes wine, the grapes crush themselves.  I can't vouch for that, but I won't argue the point, either.  Chuck Norris doesn't get drunk from wine, the wine gets drunk from him.

Located in the Wairau Valley of the Marlborough region, at the top of New Zealand's South Island, Grove Mill is sustainable and ecologically committed.  They even have a wetland area next to their vineyard, which is home to the Southern Bell Frog.  Their masculine Pinot Noir hits only 13% abv and sells for a reasonable $20 at Whole Foods.

This Pinot is dark ruby red and has aromas to match.  Dark raspberry is layered with sage, clove and forest floor.  On the palate, black cherry cola meets a tart handful of raspberries over a cup of black coffee.  Herb and spice linger on the finish, rounding out a spectacle that is ready for the holiday table.

On Twitter, @WFMWine commented on the $20 price point: "We think Grove Mill is quite a wine for the $."  I agree.  @WineHarlots tweeted that it was "a little heavy on the oak, pairing with a grilled lamb chop might balance it."  @JamesTheWineGuy tasted it differently: "gorgeous nose! Rich yet balanced; a beautiful wine - low ABV 13%."

Whole Foods recommends pairing the Grove Mill Pinot with charcuterie, goat cheese, pork loin or roasted chicken.  They have a recipe for that chicken on their website.  I'll take mine with turkey, both white meat and dark.  Pass the cranberry sauce, please.

Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Whole Foods Market: NZ Oyster Bay Chardonnay

Whole Foods Market has another social media get-together planned to spotlight their New Zealand wines.  The Twitter tasting event is set for Thursday October 9, 2014 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. CT.

To participate in the virtual tasting event, get the wines at a Whole Foods Market near you, take them home, log onto Twitter and stay ready with the hashtag: #WFMwine.  Using the hashtag in your tweets will channel your comments into the stream with everyone else's.  To follow along, set up a search for #WFMwine and save it.  It's very easy to keep in the flow that way.

Here are the wines which are set to be the topic of the October 9th Twitter tasting:
 
Sophora Sparkling Cuvée
Kim Crawford Pinot Gris
Grove Mill Pinot Noir

A previous event featured these wines:

Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc
Oyster Bay Chardonnay
Villa Maria The Red Blend

All the wines are available in the wine department at Whole Foods Market.  Get yours, get set and get ready to tweet about what's in your glass.


Oyster Bay's stated winemaking philosophy is to produce "elegant and assertive wines with glorious fruit flavours."  A noble objective, sure, and one on which they deliver.  The real calling card of their wines, however, is their monumental minerality.  Their Sauvignon Blanc is well known and loved, and found on restaurant wine lists everywhere.  It is laden with enough minerals to form a quarry.  The mineral-driven fruit of their Chardonnay takes the same path.

The Chardonnay grapes used to make this wine grow in the Marlborough region, on the northeastern tip of New Zealand's South Island - in vineyards located in the Wairau Valley and the Awatere Valley.  The Whole Foods wine department calls this a "sleek, well- balanced white" with a "whisper of oak."   Both French oak barrels and steel tanks were used for fermentation, with an additional six months of aging in oak.  No malolactic fermentation was employed, so it is as crisp as can be.  Alcohol is restrained, at 13.5% abv and it retails for $14 at Whole Foods.

This New Zealand Chardonnay shows off a pale green tint, with a slight frizzante - bubbles cling to the sides of the glass.  The nose screams minerals, along with citrus and apple aromas. On the palate, a strong citrus flavor and mineral tartness marries perfectly with the bracing acidity.

The Wine Guys at WFM say to pair it with Gruyère cheese, fish or squash with caramelized onions or onion soup.  I say, that sounds great - but try it with some hummus and pistachios for a great snack.

The Whole Foods Wine Guys - @WFMWine - opened the comments on this wine with "Oyster Bay Chard. Love this wine, drank many a bottle visiting a few years back. We Americans love Oyster Bay winery."  @AIRNZUSA tweeted, "We're definitely picking up the lemon aroma in this one!"  @davidnzwineusa admitted, "drink this wine often at home. Classy balanced and a gr8t value to boot."  @vespaspeed1 noted, "tastes like summer and good for any occasion."  @WFMSantaFe had an interesting question from a customer: "Do you have half bottles of the Oyster Bay? If I had a whole bottle I'd drink it all!"  Get the whole bottle and be proud of your restraint.


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Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Whole Foods Shows Off New Zealand Wines: Wairau River

Whole Foods Market is celebrating wines from New Zealand this fall, and they are taking to social media to alert the wine-loving public.  There is a virtual tasting event set - one occurred in mid-September - for Thursday October 9, 2014 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. CT.

To participate in a virtual tasting event, get the wines at a Whole Foods Market near you, take them home, log onto Twitter and stay ready with the hashtag: #WFMwine.  Using the hashtag in your tweets will channel your comments into the stream with everyone else's.  We always have so much fun that way!  To follow along, set up a search for #WFMwine and save it.  It's very easy to keep in the flow that way.


One of the wines featured in the September event was the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc 2013.

Wairau River Family Estate Wines is one of the largest independent wine producers in Marlborough, on New Zealand's South Island.  It has been a family operation since Phil and Chris Rose got the kegs rolling in 1978.  The Rose family has enough members to start a small town, and Sauvignon Blanc is their flagship wine.  They also produce Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The grapes for this Sauvignon Blanc grew on some of the oldest vines on the Wairau River estate, planted in 1983.  The alcohol is a very moderate 13% abv and it retails at Whole Foods for  $17.  The winemaker notes that it does not have to be consumed immediately - it will cellar well for two to three years.

This is real New World Sauvignon Blanc, with a grassy, grapefruity overlay on the nose that allows aromas of pineapple and lemon-lime to come forward.  In a word, sensational.  The sip does not disappoint, as the palate shows extremely bright acidity and a fresh-as-a-daisy mouthfeel.  Clean and crisp all the way to the finish, flavors of green apples and grapefruits get a tropical twist.  As it happens so often with this variety, a bit of springtime escapes when you unscrew the cap.

Whole Foods advises pairing this with seafood enchiladas - which sounds really good - and fennel salad.  On the label, the winery suggests that it is "best savored with high-jinks and convivial company."  Any type of seafood will swim up the Wairau River for this Sauvignon Blanc.

On Twitter, @WholeFoods kicked things off with an invitation to "follow our wine experts @WFMWine... They'll be sharing all sorts of knowledge!"  @WFMWine - the chain’s wine guys - had a little fun with the notion that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc smells… well, different. "You guys like this wine? not 2 much cat pee, sometimes overwhelms the nose.this one doesn't at all.u guys smell much pee?"

Once the tasting got started, @craigabarrett opened the discussion of the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc with, "Effervescent nose. Strong green apple jolly rancher notes. Medium + body," and we were off to the races.  Many Whole Foods stores across the country were participating by pouring for shoppers. @WFM_Louisiana noted, "Broad St. guests are describing the Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc as "tart" and "heart warming."  @kuqofywukuqo answered a Tweeted question: "What do you think of the Wairau River? We love it!"  @MomsToolbox tweeted, "Wow! Love the grapefruit & green apple in this zesty Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc!"


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Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Whole Foods Market: Wines Of New Zealand

Whole Foods Market is celebrating wines from New Zealand this fall, and they are taking to social media to alert the wine-loving public.  There are two virtual tasting events set - one on Thursday September 18 and the other on Thursday October 9, 2014.  Both tasting events are scheduled to run from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. CT.

To participate in a virtual tasting event, get the wines at a Whole Foods Market near you, take them home, log onto Twitter and stay ready with the hashtag: #WFMwine.  Using the hashtag in your tweets will channel your comments into the stream with everyone else's.  We always have so much fun that way!  To follow along, set up a search for #WFMwine and save it.  It's very easy to keep in the flow that way.

You can also win a trip to New Zealand in the Whole Foods wine department.  Look here for details on the contest. You have until the end of September to enter for that prize.


Here are the wines which are set to be the topic of both Twitter tastings:

Thursday September 18, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CT:

Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc
Oyster Bay Chardonnay
Villa Maria The Red Blend

Thursday October 9, 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CT:        
 
Sophora Sparkling Cuvée
Kim Crawford Pinot Gris
Grove Mill Pinot Noir

Get your wines, get set and get ready to tweet about what's in your glass.


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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Zealand Wine: Allan Scott Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012

Allan Scott Family Winemakers was founded in 1990, but Allan Scott's presence in Marlborough winegrapes goes back a couple of decades before that.  He was involved in Marlborough's early days as a wine region and eventually decided to bottle his estate grapes.

For the Marlborough Pinot Noir 2012, winemaker Matt Elrick and senior winemaker Bruce Abbott put together a 100% Pinot Noir that is only 13% abv and is contained under a screw cap, not a cork.  The original vineyard was planted in the mid-1970s, but today's Pinot vines on the Scott estate came along in the '90s.  Whole Foods Market featured this wine as one of their 12 holiday wines, and was priced - I guess that it still is - at $15.  It was supplied to me for review.

The wine displays a medium brick tint rather than a pure ruby-red hue.  The nose comes on strong with dark raspberry and cranberry aromas.  In the mouth, this Pinot has smooth tannins, nice acidity and big fruit flavors with tea and cola notes in background.  It's not a light and delicate Pinot, it's very dark and bold.  Minerals play a big part.

In fact, the wine is so dark and bold it's rather hard to keep in mind that it is a Pinot Noir.  I have heard talk of some winemakers "juicing" their Pinot with Syrah to add color and body.  This comes across more like a Syrah juiced with Pinot!  Of course, it may just be the dark nature of New Zealand Pinot that's in play here.


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Friday, November 15, 2013

Top Ten (12) Holiday Wines At Whole Foods Market

The Whole Foods Market wine department is crazy about lists.  They come up with lists of Top Ten wines for every occasion, holiday and season - which sounds like a pretty good job to me.

This is the time of year, of course, for the WFM Top Ten list of holiday wines.  Each wine on the list is priced below $25 and each is hand selected by the WFM wine folks as a winner for holiday parties, gift-giving and feasting.  There were so many good wines to choose from, the top ten list became a Top 12 list this year.  The more, the merrier.

WFM is sponsoring a pair of Twitter tasting events you may find interesting - and informative.  The first one comes in time for Thanksgiving, on Thursday November 21, 2013.  The second will give you inspiration for the Christmas party season, on Thursday December 12.  Both of these virtual tasting events will happen from 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CT.  The December lineup will feature singer/songwriter/musician Mat Kearney chatting about his Napa red blend, Verse and Chorus.

It’s easy to participate.  Just pick up a bottle or two of the top holiday wines at Whole Foods and open them for the Twitter Tasting event.  Follow along on Twitter, using the hashtag #WFMWine.



Here is a list of the twelve wines. I have not tasted them yet, so I’m including the WFM descriptions to help steer you in the direction you want to go. “*” indicates a wine available only at Whole Foods Markets.


For Nov. 21,2013  7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CT

*Grace Lane Yakima Valley Riesling, Washington $9.99
“This medium-dry riesling has delicate notes of fresh green apple and crisp white peach. Its delicate yet complex flavors lead to a long, full finish.”

*Tablao Navarra, Spain $7.99
“This juicy red, made up of mainly tempranillo grapes, has an aromatic nose of raspberry with complex hints of licorice and cherry, which round out its sublime, lingering finish.”

*H & G Priorat, Spain $13.99
“Silky and robust, this spicy, well-balanced red is rich with aromas of red ripe stone fruits and finishes with a touch of oak and earthy minerals.”

*Les Hauts de Bel Air Bordeaux, France $10.99
“The powerful but elegant nose is redolent of red and black fruits, especially cherry and blackberry, with black pepper. This rich and supple red has smooth tannins and is superbly balanced on the palate with a lengthy finish.”


For December  12, 2013  7:00 - 8:00 p.m. CT

*Roger d’Anoia Cava, Spain $9.99
“Lively effervescence with bright notes of green apple and pear, this sparkler is ripe and round with a touch of sweetness in the well-balanced finish.”

*Skouras Anassa, Greece $11.99
“Made with 70 percent moschofilero and 30 percent viognier, this medium-bodied white has aromas of ripe apricot and orange peel and a clean, crisp finish.”

*Santa Julia Innovacion Bonarda Cabernet Sauvignon, Argentina $9.99 (1 liter)
“Deeply complex and full-bodied, this red created by the Zuccardi family has forward notes of plum and cigar box with jammy flavors of dark ripe berries. The luxurious finish has smoky, savory notes.”

*Mat Kearney Verse and Chorus Napa Valley Red, California $24.99
“This bold claret is made through a partnership between famed musician Mat Kearney, Peju and the John Anthony family who, combined, have more than 60 years of Napa Valley wine making experience. This luscious red is 87 percent Napa Valley merlot and 13 percent Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon and has soft aromatics of black currant, plum, and notes of cedar. The bold but well-balanced flavors of vanilla, black cherry and chocolate give way to juicy dark cherry and wild blackberry. And, the long finish has nuances of roasted coffee and toasted hazelnut.”


The other four:

Simonnet-Febvre St. Bris Sauvignon Blanc, France $12.99
“The micro-climate in the Saint-Bris appellation allows for the sauvignon blanc grapes to express their full aromatic character as well as the minerality of the terroir. The exuberant nose is characterized by freshly cut herbs and delicate fruits with a hint of red bell pepper, and the elegant finish has a lovely minerality.”

Novellum Chardonnay, France $10.99
“This zesty white has honeysuckle and white peach aromas, and anise, fennel and a hint of oak show in the lengthy finish.”

Allan Scott Marlborough Pinot Noir, New Zealand $14.99
“This wine is rich and dark with black cherries, violets and a pleasant earthiness on the nose. It has a velvety, harmonious finish with smoky oak, subtle spice and raspberry flavors.”

Cercius Côtes du Rhône, France $14.99
“This blend of 85 percent grenache and 15 percent syrah is beautifully textured, lush and decadent with an aroma of smoky eucalyptus and berry and deep notes of kirsch, plum and stewed fruits and plum and a hint of leather in the long finish.”


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Friday, November 8, 2013

New Zealand Sparkling Wine Challenges Big Bubbles

While seeking out this tasting event, I was hijacked into another wine event at the same hotel, held at the same time.  It was a stroke of luck to encounter two wine tasting events for the effort of one.  Also luckily, I made it from the restaurant up to the pool area at the Sunset Marquis to sample Kim Crawford Fizz, a méthode traditionelle sparkling wine produced in New Zealand's Malborough region.

The wine was poured blind alongside four other notable bottles of bubbly (Veuve Cliquot, Taittinger, Gosset and Schramsberg.).  Blind tasting not being one of my strong suits, I'll skip the gruesome details of how my investigation fizzed out and concentrate on the attributes of what turned out to be wine number three.

Kim Crawford Fizz Méthod Traditionelle is part of their Small Parcels range.  The sparkling wine is produced in the same way Champagne is made - méthode champenoise - but the folks from the Champagne region have successfully restricted use of that term only to wines produced in Champagne.  So, elsewhere, it is known as the traditional method.

The wine is named after Felicity Nelson, Kim Crawford's winery host (pictured).  Her effervescent personality gave her the nickname "Fizz," and it's now on the label.

The winery's website describes the sourcing of the 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes and how they display themselves in the wine.  "Chardonnay from the Castle Cliffs Vineyard in Marlborough's cool Awatere Valley provides elegance, minerality, and pure citrus flavors. The Brooklands and Hay Vineyards - in the heavy clay soils of Marlborough's Southern Valleys - provide depth, structure, and complexity for our Pinot Noir."

Bubbles are medium-sized and they dissipate quickly.  The nose shows a toasty grapefruit, apple  and tangerine aroma.  The mouthfeel is dry and full, and the fruit is embedded in a yeasty framework with a long finish. It's a clean and refreshing quaff.


Images by Allison Levine

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Friday, November 1, 2013

A New Zealand Sparkling Wine Goes Head-To-Head With The Big Names

While seeking out this tasting event, I was hijacked into another wine event at the same hotel, held at the same time.   It was a stroke of luck to encounter two good wine tasting events for the effort of one.  Also luckily, I made it from the restaurant up to the pool area at the Sunset Marquis to sample Kim Crawford Fizz, a Méthode Traditionelle sparkling wine produced in New Zealand's Malborough region.

The wine was poured blind alongside four other notable bottles of bubbly (Veuve Cliquot, Taittinger, Gosset and Schramsberg.).  Blind tasting not being one of my strong suits, I'll skip the gruesome details of how my investigation fizzed out and concentrate on the attributes of what turned out to be wine number three.

Kim Crawford Fizz Method Traditionelle is part of their Small Parcels range.  The sparkling wine is produced in the same way Champagne is made - méthode champenoise - but the folks from the Champagne region have successfully restricted use of that term only to wines produced in Champagne. So, elsewhere, it is known as the traditional method.

The wine is named after Felicity Nelson, Kim Crawford's winery host (pictured).  Her effervescent personality gave her the nickname "Fizz," and it's now on the label.

The winery's website describes the sourcing of the 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir grapes and how they display themselves in the wine. "Chardonnay from the Castle Cliffs Vineyard in Marlborough's cool Awatere Valley provides elegance, minerality, and pure citrus flavors. The Brooklands and Hay Vineyards - in the heavy clay soils of Marlborough's Southern Valleys - provide depth, structure, and complexity for our Pinot Noir."

Bubbles are medium-sized and they dissipate quickly. The nose shows a toasty grapefruit, apple and tangerine aroma. The mouthfeel is dry and full, and the fruit is embedded in a yeasty framework with a long finish. It's a clean and refreshing quaff.


Images by Allison Levine

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Wine Tasting At Mignon Wine Bar, Los Angeles


A small wine tasting event at Mignon Wine Bar in downtown Los Angeles packed a lot of punch.  There wasn't a very big turnout - I was the only taster during the final hour - but the few wines poured were top-notch.

Only three producers were represented, and the only winemaker on hand was New Zealand's C.P. Lin (left) of Mountford Winery in Waipara.  He had been in the U.S. for six weeks when I met him, visiting his wine buddies from coast to coast.  Lin is a Pinot Noir specialist, and he is blind.  I asked him if it was difficult making wine without the assistance of vision, a question I thought was pretty dumb when I heard myself ask it.

"Not really," said Lin.  "I do everything in the winery myself, cleaning the barrels, everything.  I do depend on my harvest crew quite a bit.  I used to even do the harvesting myself, when we were a very small producer.  Now we bring in a lot of grapes, so I need some help.  I also have an assistant winemaker who helps out a lot."

Lin's wines are delicious.  He makes a Liaison line which is produced from contract fruit.  He has a deal with his neighbors in which he gives vineyard management advice in return for grapes.  He does a great job with the fruit, but it's his estate line that really shines.  The Liaison Pinots are fresh and lively, but the Mountford estate wines show off the limestone terroir of his vineyard, something his neighbors don't have.

The Mountford Estate Pinot Noir 2009 shows the mineral-laden earth to its full extent, with a marvelous savory feel on both the nose and palate.  His estate wine "The Gradient" 2008 shows lots of minerals and fruit as well, and is a single vineyard Pinot.  Only three barrels were produced.

Lin also makes Chardonnay.  He loves the Chardonnay of Chablis and Meursault, so he emulates them.  He produces his Chardonnay with 100% malolactic fermentation, but still strikes a great balance between creaminess and acidity.  The minerals of his soil dominate the flavors.

Wes Hagen wasn't there to pour his Clos Pepe wines, but his distributor was.  Kevin Stuart of Infinity Imports poured me through the '09 Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noir - a big, juicy nose and a mineral-driven palate - and the '10, which is showing riper fruit.

The Clos Pepe Chardonnay 2009 boasts a phenomenal smokey nose and great mineral freshness.  Stuart described it as a "non-Chardonnay drinker's Chardonnay."  Hagen has a side label which he uses for his personal diversions - the Axis Mundi offers something different each vintage.  The 2010 is a blend of Grenache and Syrah from Windmill Vineyard in the Santa Ynez Valley.  It looks like Pinot with its light coloring, but sends forth a huge expanse of ripe cherry and spiciness.  Still, it's a very restrained effort, especially considering the warmth of the region.

Knight's Bridge Winery - and sister labels Pont de Chevalier Winery and Huge Bear Winery - rounded out the event.  Jeff Ames makes the Knight's Bridge wines, and his West Block Chardonnay 2010 is a winner.  The warm block yields fruit with a nice tropical flavor, and the oak effect gives a pleasant buttery feel.  The Knight's Bridge '07 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon shows great dark fruit and graphite, while their '09 Dr. Crane Cab is a single vineyard effort that plays an herbal twist against the red and black fruit.

The Pont de Chevalier Sauvignon Blanc 2010 is fresh, grassy and tropical, while their '10 Chardonnay has a beautiful popcorn butter nose and a fruity palate that keeps the oak in check.  Winemaker Douglas Danielak did a nice job on these.

Huge Bear's winemaker Meredith Cahill-Marsland scores big with the Russian River Valley Pinot Noir 2010 - the first vintage of Pinot for the winery - and the '07 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which displays a bright, fruity nose and a lean, mineral-driven palate with gentle tannins.

While I spoke with Kevin Stuart, he told me of a popup sausage event at Mignon which takes place every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m.  Knackig features different kinds of German sausages, and Mignon has plenty of Riesling, Lemberger and pilsner to wash them down.


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Sunday, October 23, 2011

LATE NIGHT PINOT NOIR AT MIRABELLE


Oyster Bay Pinot Noir at Mirabelle

A few vacation days afforded my wife and I the opportunity to depart from our early-to-rise schedule and enjoy life the way the night people do.  Oh, the freedom!  Stopping in at a restaurant - way after 11:00 p.m., mind you - for a glass of wine and a late snack.  We both had lived this way before, in previous lives, and we agreed we could get used to it again if we had to.

I opted for a popular New Zealand brand, Oyster Bay Pinot Noir.  This 2009 Marlborough effort was $10 by the glass at Mirabelle on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles.  Oyster Bay is probably best known for their Sauvignon Blanc, a staple on nearly every restaurant wine list.  It's a very distinctive wine, and their Pinot Noir turned out to have its own unmistakable identity as well.

A remarkably meaty nose whet my appetite immediately.  Minerals on the palate play into a rich meatiness there, too.

Extremely dark aromas and flavors are the rule for this Pinot.  It's smooth and mellow, but after the initial impressions it seems a little one dimensional.  It does pair nicely with Mirabelle's flatiron skewers, but a little more tannic structure would be appreciated with the beef.


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Monday, June 7, 2010

CRAGGY RANGE SAUVIGNON BLANC TE MUNA ROAD VINYARD 2008


Craggy Range

Hostile Grape at the M Resort in Las Vegas is where I got away from the casino floor for a bit and relaxed with a nice, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc.  It was well into the triple digits outside, so a cool and fresh wine was definitely the order of the day.  Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc was my choice.  It's a single vineyard wine.

Craggy Range SB is very easy to drink.  The straw color is fairly innocuous but the nose gives a good, healthy dose of that fine grassy aroma I like to find in a Sauvignon Blanc.  This effort, from Marlborough, New Zealand, shows that grassy note as the dominant feature in a very fresh nose.  Pineapple aromas also come through.  The taste is fruity with a nice acidity.  The acid seemed a bit restrained at first, but became more noticeable on the finish.  Pineapple flavor is joined by guava, with a grapefruit trailing edge as a parting shot.

I thought it might be a wee bit lackluster at first, but it became more complex as I drank it.  If you stay away from Sauvignon Blanc because it comes on too strong for your taste, this may be a great wine for you to try.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

KONO Sauvignon Blanc

Not very often does a waiter recommend a particular wine to me unsolicited.  I suppose I'm fairly decisive when asking for a wine, so they figure they don't need to chip in with their two cents worth.  I certainly would not have expected that sort of offering from a waiter at The Daily Grill, but that's exactly what I got at the Studio City location.

Chain restaurants generally have lackluster wine lists to begin with, and the help doesn't usually seem to care too much about your order anyway.  So when our waiter hesitated on my request for Rodney Strong Sauvignon Blanc, and instead suggested a New Zealand brand, he had my attention.  It was only $8, so I figured I'd give it a shot.  I'm glad I did.

KONO, it turns out, is a New Zealand company that sells both seafood and wine primarily to importers, wholesalers and the hospitality trade.  The weather was nice out in Southern California and I was really feeling the springtime.  This Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc played its role perfectly.

Giving a greenish-gold glow in the glass, the nose is grassy with a bit of melon rind in the background.  There is a scent of citrus, but not overwhelmingly so.  On the palate the citrus is a bit stronger.  I taste citrus orange zest and again a slight melon rind comes into play.  It's not so tart as to make the mouth pucker, yet the acidity makes this wine a natural for a food pairing.  I loved it with my BLT sandwich and the cole slaw that came on the side.  It's a very smooth quaff, perfect for a nice spring or summer day.