Duval-Leroy 1996

A life without passion is no life at all. This is also how I feel about champagne so when the opportunity arrived to try some 1996 Duval-Leroy I obviously leapt at it. Rebecca at Wineseeker has managed to secure some of the '96 at an outrageously good price so it seemed criminal not to open some over Easter.

1996 as many of you already know was a stonking year for Champagne with wines providing much longevity and finesse making them highly sought after by those who love their bubbles.

The Duval-Leroy did not disappoint, it was glorious! Antique gold in appearance with small sprightly bubbles, the nose is pronounced it entices one in with big rich flavours of mushroom, candied peel, truffle, baked apple and fresh bread. 

On the palate the maturity is evident with heady savoury flavours, cashew nuts, honey and mushrooms but there is a lively acidity that keeps things fresh and well structured. The wine still has youthful traits and flavours of lemon, crisp green apples and floral notes. I would be interested in trying this again in a year or so to see how it has developed over time as it still seems to have plenty of life left in it. 

Duval-Leroy 1996 was a real treat to drink and a joy to review; for those new to vintage champagne it is an easily accessible example of a well made wine from a very exciting year.

Ritzling NV-Archer McRae

Sometimes I feel that the universe aligns just for me. Whilst I am still in visa purgatory in New Zealand, the Kiwi's have kindly provided me with some joyous bubbles and more importantly, sparkling Riesling a-plenty! So when I waltzed in to see Eddie at Pollux in Wellington he was excitedly waving the Ritzling at me.

The funky little bottle of happiness (their words) has a spankingly modern label and comes in a 250ml serving. A vinous offering of joy and sunny times comes from Chris Archer of Archer McRae over the hill in Martinborough.

At only 9% I was expecting a sweet treat but I wasn't sure if it would be the bottled happiness the label promised. Although luckily for me the stars were aligned and it turns out that just sometimes, happiness can be found in a bottle!

Ripe and fruity on the nose there are bags of flavours to be found, honey, lemon, summer meadow flowers, a certain grapeyness combined with white blossoms and papaya. On the palate the ripeness forms a more tropical approach with pineapple, mango and a little peachy stone fruit note coming through. Although there is an obvious residual sweetness the acidity is balanced and freshens up the palate to stop it being cloying and heavy. The bubbles are more of a cheerful spritz than a full on sparkle but it still shines.

This is a really pleasant, fresh and fruity sparkling Riesling which is a welcome addition to the sparkling world. The official launch of Ritzling isn't until the 28th of April which to me means two things should really happen.

Firstly, is it possible to convince the winery/PR people that high-tea or at the very least small but perfectly formed cakes should be passed around with the wine? Secondly, if you live in Wellington or the not too distant surrounding area one can enjoy a little demi-sec pick me up at your leisure before the rest of the world jump onto the Ritzling band wagon. Either way can only bring more happiness, no?

Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle NV

Many years ago when God was a boy and dinosaurs roamed the earth I tried Quartz Reef Pinot Noir at Majestic HQ for our first training day. It was a good day. When I discovered that they made a sparkling wine it was time to bring out the happy dance.

For those who don't know Duke Carvell's in Wellington it's a lovely little bistro situated just off  Cuba Street with a fairly awesome wine list and a friendly team. Slightly more importantly they have a comfortable amount of interesting wines by the glass including the Quartz Reef.

 

A blend of 76% Pinot Noir and 24% Chardonnay with the fruit sourced from Bendigo in Central Otago this sparkling is made in the traditional method with the second fermentation taking place in bottle.

Pale lemon with tiny, fast moving bubbles the nose is a delicious mix of apples, bread, yeast, honey, citrus  and wild strawberry. At this point I knew I was in for a treat and the palate didn't disappoint. Ripe apples, biscuit, grapefruit and honeyed pineapple add to the flavours present on the nose making a really classy and elegant glass of bubbles.

This is the first New Zealand sparkler I have tasted from Central Otago and it is good to know that alongside all that world renowned Pinot is some seriously good sparkling. I'm not sure if much of this leaves the country but if you happen to stumble across the Quartz Reef Methode Traditionnelle wherever you may be don't let this gem pass you by. Bring on the happy dancing!

Te Hana Sparkling Reserve Cuvee NV

Te Hana means To Shine in Maori and with a pretty little label like this, one would hope that it does. An 80% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Noir sparkling with the fruit sourced from the Marlborough region Te Hana is a relatively new product in Lion Nathan's attempt at a chunk of the sparkling wine market.   

Ripe and tropical this sparkling shows characteristics of pineapple, honey, apricot, fresh lime and papaya with a floral note which is all wrapped up with some medium sized bubbles which are relatively creamy in the mouth. Generally though this is good, simple, enjoyable sparkling wine which is really nicely presented.

The Te Hana range also has a rose and a sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, which is this years cool kid in New Zealand. Overall the range is an interesting addition to the New Zealand sparklers selection, sitting between the Lindauer's and the Palliser Estate's and Daniel Le Brun's available, it will be interesting to see how it performs over the long term.

Deutz Marlborough Cuvee NV

Time for some more big brand action, this time from Deutz which is produced in New Zealand by Montana. The original champagne house is situated down the road from Bollinger in the village of Ay near Epernay. I have visited a few champagne houses who have ventures around the world on my travels and as a rule they are pretty impressive. 

I first came across Deutz at Majestic Wine in the UK who had a healthy enough selection of sparkling wines to keep even me happy! I was pretty impressed with it then and when I tried some again recently I was not disappointed.

The fruit  for Deutz comes from two main estates in the Wairau valley, the Renwick Estate towards the centre of the valley and the Brancott Estate towards the south heading out. Hand picked, whole bunch pressed and separately vinified before being blended and put into bottle for two to three years ageing on the lees.

On the nose the wine shows apple, lemon and honeysuckle with hints of toastiness. On the palate there are biscuit and fresh bread flavours which combine with a pleasant yeastiness, fresh strawberries, baked apple and lemons. With a creamy mouthfeel and refreshing acidity this is a really pleasant and enjoyable wine to drink. Another success for the Champagne houses abroad!

Wairarapa Sparkles-Loopline, Gladstone & Joseph Ryan Vineyards

This weekend was the Wairarapa Wine Harvest Festival so being the dedicated sparkling chick that I am, I went in search of bubbles. 

There were limited bubbling options that were also limited in success. Wairarapa is better known for its Pinot Noir and Sauvignon blanc with some aromatics cropping up around the fair.

Loopline Vineyards Sparkling Riesling 2008 was the standout sparkling of the day. The fruit is sourced from the Opaki Plains in Wairarapa and is made in the traditional method with around a year on the lees in bottle after a first fermentation in stainless steel.

Pale lemon green with small fast moving bubbles and fine beading on the rim the wine looked enticing even before I got my nose into it. Crisp, green apples, fresh lemon and lime on the nose followed through into the palate with an added hit of minerality, fresh pears and honey. Crisp and refreshing with a creamy mouthfeel this was a really refreshing wine and made me wonder why we don't see more sparkling Riesling around. Delicious and impressive I would recommend anyone to hunt this one out.

Gladstone Vineyards are situated just south of Masterton in the Wairarapa region. The sparkling they make is only produced in years of higher production so it's a little bit wine lake but thankfully the wine isn't made as an afterthought. 

The 2009 is a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris the wine is vinified in stainless steel and then the second fermentation takes place traditionally in bottle with the wine averaging around 18months on its lees. With a residual sugar level of 14g per litre the wine doesn't taste sweet but instead a ripeness comes through. Pear and tropical fruit flavours combine with a crisp, refreshing acidity to create a pleasant and enjoyable sparkling wine.

Joseph Ryan produced their first sparkling wine in 2008 with  fruit from the Cliffs Vineyard in Wairarapa, a traditional method production with a blend of 60/40 Chardonnay Pinot Noir split. It hasn't really worked.

The fruit tastes under-ripe and a little bitter with a combination of green apples, hawthorns and almonds. In addition to this the wine is oxidised and the sweetness is out of kilter as if they have tried to up the dosage to cover up the flaws. This is a disappointing wine as everything just doesn't quite work. The fruit isn't ripe enough, the techniques during the vinification process aren't quite right and the dosage at the end just amplifies the faults in the wine. 

I am all for giving things another go so hopefully as the folks at Joseph Ryan work through each vintage and learn from the things that haven't worked in previous years they will produce the sort of good quality wine that is possible in Wairarapa.

Although the day had its disappointments it was a really good opportunity to try some different styles from an area not known for its bubbles and be left with a very important task to hunt out more great sparkling Rieslings.

Morton Estate Premium Brut NV

I love half bottles, particularly half bottles that contain bubbles so when a friend recommended I go to Moore Wilson's in Wellington I was a very happy girl to see they had a good selection of bubbles from around the world. As I had a small person to entertain far too early the next morning a half bottle of Morton Estate Premium Brut seemed ideal.

This traditional method sparkler is stainless steel fermented and made with fruit sourced in Marlborough and Hawkes Bay. A blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier the Morton Estate had flavours of mushrooms, baked apples, candied peel and a little hint of spice. 

This was a perfect mid-week sparkler, lots of interesting flavours and a good length for a wine that has been nicely put together. There are more complex sparkling wines from New Zealand out there but for something mid-range this was an unexpected treat.

 http://www.mortonestatewines.co.nz

Wineseeker sparkling tasting, the Pretty Woman version

Now sometimes as wine folk it's very easy to forget that spending $60 on a bottle of wine is not a bargain to a lot of people. It's also quite easy to forget that some people don't know where Rioja is, or that Montepulciano is both place and grape. It's also really easy to forget to be nice to people.

The scene in Pretty Woman where Julia Roberts is still dressed like a hooker and she walks into the dress shop in order to get herself into some decent garb and is soundly rebuffed is a little too common in the wine world sadly. 

As I don't look like the sparkling wine goddess that I am, I have been into a few wine merchants and been looked up and down and then ignored because I don't look like I'm going to buy the good stuff. The problem with that is, you're a shop and I spend my money on wine, books and dresses that's about it and in that order. 

Luckily Wineseeker in Wellington isn't like that at all, they cover the two essential factors a wine shop should have, after nice wine of course, they are intelligent and nice.

I stumbled across their shop after about a day or so  in Wellington and the manager Rebecca was friendly and passionate about wine even before she found out I was also a wine nerd. They have several tastings at the store and on the Friday before Valentines Day they did the decent thing and held a sparkling tasting.

The two sparklers on tasting were Daniel Le Brun Blanc de Blancs 2002 and Jean-Marc Vigreux-Frere NV Champagne.

The Daniel Le Brun was a sneaky little wine whose youthful freshness belied its almost 9 years ageing.  Sprightly and full of fresh lemons, baked bread and dairy notes on the nose the palate followed through with some baked and fresh apple flavours and a lot less maturity than I expected particularly considering it has spent 6 years on the lees.

I was reliably informed that the Huia Blanc de Blancs 2004 that they tried at a tasting earlier in the week is far closer to what one would expect from a  B de B with a little age on it.
 
The Jean-Marc Vigreux-Frere was  actually the first champagne that I have had in  a little while as I'm trying to stick to my New Years resolution of drinking local. Produced by a family who have been a going concern since the mid-80's it was a tasty treat.

The wine showed nougat, candied fruits, baked apple and hints of ground almonds with a creamy mousse and a very pleasant finish.

Wineseeker have a great selection of wines and are truly passionate about their wines in the way good wine merchants should be. Wine isn't only for us chosen few, it is for everyone to enjoy and if there were more places like Wineseeker then the wine buying public would be a little bit happier and less likely to buy mass marketed tat than they are now.

Contact them for future tasting details and general wine purchasing at...
Wineseeker,  86-96 Victoria Street, Wellington, 04 473 0228
www.wineseeker.co.nz

2011 New Years Resolutions

I love a New Years resolution. Not the horrible sort that mean no chocolate and no wine, I prefer them to include things like skydiving, learning how to make croissants from scratch and climbing mountains.

I can guarantee you that I will not be doing one of those things this year.

So what will 2011 bring? Not a clue other than things I can do nothing about (the Feds approving my visa so I can go and work at the fantastic Josef Chromy stable) therefore I should probably crack on with creating a few of my own adventures.

1. Drink local.
It would be churlish to live in Tasmania and not actually drink predominantly Tasmanian wine. Or Australian generally at the very least. There is so much  more to Australia than the battery farming for grapes that dominate the market. I shall be metaphorically rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in to some of these beauties over 2011 Josef Chromy, Pirie, Clover Hill, Bay of Fires, Yarrabank and Jansz These are some of my personal favourites and if you still haven't experienced how good Aussie/Tassie fizz is this is the year to discover it.

2. Hit the road
Last year worked out well for me on the travel front. I managed to sneak in 2 visits to Champagne, trip to Bordeaux, Austria, English fizz country, Napa and obviously Tasmania. I defy any wine folk not to have an exact knowledge of the location of their passport and suitcase at any given time, it is one of the greatest bonuses of the job, seeing the world. 
Being in the locality; Australia and New Zealand is going to be as thoroughly explored as I can physically manage. Beyond that Chile is yet again bewitching me; a truly glorious vinous experience with kick-ass mountains.

3. Cuddle up to Chardonnay
The Chardonnay love-fest needs to step up to a new level in 2011. A trip to Ruinart and Taittinger where I tried some exceptional Blanc de Blancs reminded me how great it is on its own in champagne and sparkling wine. It's a great grape variety whether it's still or sparkling and can be heart stoppingly wonderful when treated with a little TLC.
It's time to put the creosote coloured chardonnay behind us and use the sausage analogy for a reminder of how badly things can go. If more people did this they would be hunting down chardonnay like Hobbits in a jewellery shop.

4. Chart the globe
It's going to take some doing but the sparkling wine map needs to be plotted and then thrown into cyberspace to help people navigate their way around Cava, Prosecco, Champagne, English fizz, Tasmanian sparklers and all the other bubbly beauties to be found in their wine shop. Anything to stop them buying nasty wine, they don't deserve it. Well some do but it's a minefield for the polite and friendly wine buying public if we don't help them.

5. Embrace some artwork
Life can't all be about wine. Just mostly. I'm pretty happy with my obsessive book buying, 50's dress fetish and the chocolate habit so maybe a little ink isn't a bad extra for 2011. Just not like this.

2011 is an unknown quantity at a mere four days old. Have fun over the next 361 days and be sure that at least once a week I shall be enjoying the dual pleasure of a glass of fizz and a good book. It's the little things that make the difference; not a resolution, just a fact.