What’s in the glass tonight December 28th– Sauvignon Blanc

Palliser SB 2017

Palliser Estate Sauvignon Blanc Martinborough 2017 – $$

As it appears on the tin, a ‘serious sav’. 12.5% alcohol. Palest clear straw colour.

Intensely aromatic with scents of apples, honey, gooseberries, pavlova (!) and passionfruit. Hints of grass and yellow capsicum.

Sweet and fresh entry, citrus flavours, bone-dry finish, short and stopping/must reload! Intensity again, green apples to the fore, apple pip, lemon pith, gorgeous and layered. Anyone who says that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc can be a one-chord-wonder should try this wine. And it’s barely pupped from the tank!!

Highly Recommended 93 points

What’s in the glass tonight Feb 28th – Sauvignon Blanc

Martinborough SB 2012

From the Cellar: Martinborough Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2012 – $$

13.5% Bright straw colour.

A softer style of Sav. Aromatic with marine metallic notes of cut grass, cooking apple, red capsicum and rock melon.

Light & off dry to taste. Austere, steely sharp & textured and salty. Nice development. Framed by elegance and quality.

BTVG 4+

Wedding Week Wines

This has been the most wonderful weekend where I was privileged to marry the loving, gorgeous, kind and clever L in front of our loving families and the best and most warm and generous friends anyone could ever have. I am feeling blessed in every way!

We drank some great wines before and after the great event. Here are some that I recall. There were many:

From the Cellar: Martinborough Pinot Noir 2009 – $$$+

Brown carmine colour. Savoury nose, typical of Martinbo/Wairarapa. Dense and ticklish with spice and dust. Intensely aromatic. Gorgeous. Burgundian characters, with heft and presence.

In the mouth, black cherries, drying. Spicy and fine grained tannins. A defined line of red fruit acid. A savoury finish with heat on the back palate. Beautiful balance. BTVG 4+.

From the Cellar: Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2009 – $$$

I drank this with my old mate DT. I did’nt make any notes while we caught up but it tasted like this: Dark carmine colour. Dense fruit, deep and savoury, & spicy, on the nose. Savoury flavours and red cherry fruit flavours, white pepper and star anise bitterness delivering on the finish. A delicious wine. BTVG 4+

Wedding Gift: Bollinger NV

My First Bolly. I am no Champagne expert, but here is what I noticed: Brioche, bready notes, bright acid attack and lively, fine bubbles, and a bitter finish. Party time. 3+

Babich Headwaters Vineyard Organic Chardonnay Marlborough 2014

13%. Pale gold. Complex & honeyed; vanilla, oak, with white flower florality; rich in a European style. Yum.

Ripe white stonefruit flavours with a nice acid line of lemon and grapefruit pith. Generous mouth feel and weight; creamy; but not too big on it. Nice oak buzz on thre back. VG 4

What’s in the glass tonight on Anzac Day April 25th

An important day today, for several reasons. It had a early, solemn start at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park where L and I attended the Dawn Service to mark the 100^th anniversary of the Anzac invasion at Gallipoli in 1915, along with 20,000 other Wellingtonians and visitors. I wore my Grandfather’s WW1 medals. Lest we forget.

Then, later that day, after a bike ride with the Chosens and a nana-nap, L and I made some important plans, and then went off to the Museum Hotel for a nice glass of wine, before getting ready to head for D’s place for dinner with him and his partner D, and guests J and R.

Te Mata Estate Cape Crest Sauvignon Blanc

What a great wine this is. A complex and distinctive fresh bouquet. Delicious to drink. Great oak handling. A treat. Perfect choice for the day after International Sauvignon Blanc Day!

then off to D’s for Roast Duck. Yum!

Palliser Estate Methode Traditionelle 2009 – $$$

We brought a bottle of this to share first up with the other guests. Funky aromas. Fine fresh fruity bubbles. Classic brioche flavours. Dry finish.

From the Cellar: Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir Martinborough 2008 – $$$

This was such a treat. Gorgeous red cherries and complex savoury notes on the nose. Spicy and dense and ripe fruit flavours. Rewarded decanting. Just wonderful. BTVG 4+

What’s in the glass tonight April 20th

Martinborough Vineyard Chardonnay Martinborough Terrace 2012 – $$$

Pale gold. 13% Alc.

Lovely aromatic quality, all effortless summer stonefruit, butterscotch and citrus.

In the mouth there is balanced fruit, tannin and oak. Minerally and fresh in equal measure, with a gorgeous citrussy finish. Such easy drinking, with fruit weight and elegance. Absolutely perfect. Drink more, people, all of it. Because Chardonnay.

Outstanding 5

BTW Decanter named this top wine of their tasting Chardonnay: The World’s Best (outside Burgundy) in the Mar 2015 issue. Their tasting note echoes mine, but is better expressed: Finely expressed summer fruits nose with hints of lime and apple. Perfectly poised on the palate with a certain raciness and also quite mineral. In balance, with natural fruit, citrussy richness, fine oak and a long finish.

What’s in the glass tonight July 3rd

From the cellar: Martinborough Vineyard Martinborough Syrah Viognier 2009 – $$$

Hey wow. I bought this back in the day at a Martinborough Vineyard tasting at Regional Wines. It stood out from the pack. Well, that and its sister Pinot, but I’m saving that for another day…

This is dark inky red in the glass. 14% and leggy with it. Browning slightly around the rim. Syrah blended with 4% Viognier.

Soft floral aromatic nose, with violets, licorice and vanilla.

Absolutely delicious in the mouth. Black Doris plums. Tannins with grip. White pepper. Licorice again. Rich, deep, mouthcoating, savoury, almost meaty. Did I mention long too?

Outstanding. 5

What's in the glass tonight

I love New Zealand wine

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