Torlesse Tasting

NBWC hosted the winemaker from Torlesse Wines in Waipara who gave us some background info on the Torlesse Winery and the opportunity to taste some of their range.

http://www.torlesse.co.nz/

Omihi Road Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2006 ($18.50)
Torlesse Canterbury Riesling 2006 ($16.50)
Omihi Road Chardonnay 2003 ($20)
Torlesse Waipara Cabernet Merlot 2003
Torlesse Waipara Pinot Noir 2006 ($20)
Torlesse Reserve Tawny Port ($25)

Nicely made and well priced wines - my faves of the night were the Savvy and the Pinot Noir.

NZ Syrah Tasting

Very nice New Zealand Syrah Tasting at Cellar Masters last wednesday - Most from the Hawkes bay except the Man O’ War from Waiheke, but all with very different characters.

Red Rock ‘The Underarm” Syrah 2005 ($23)
CJ Pask Gimblett Road Syrah 2005 ($27)
Tinpot Hut HB Syrah 2006 ($30)
Gunn Estate ‘Silistria’ Syrah 2005 ($32)
Alan McCorkindale HB Syrah 2006 ($40)
Stonecroft HB Syrah 2005 ($40) 
Man ‘O War Dreadnought Waiheke Island Syrah 2005 ($46)
Vidal Reserve HB Syrah 2004 ($57)
Sacred Hill ‘Deer Stalkers’ HB Syrah 2004 ($60)
(RRP NZ$)

Value for Money for me was the Gunn Estate and Favourite of the tasting was the Sacred Hill.

And Now for Something Completely Different

Tonight we had the opportunity to tast8 wines a little out of the ordinary.

Kahurangi Nelson Gewurztraminer 2004 ($22)
Giesen Adams Block Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2005 ($24)
Pikes Clare Valley Riesling 2004 ($24)
Te Mata Woodthorpe Hawkes BAy Gamay Noir 2007 ($20)
Heron’s Flight Matakana Sangiovese 2003 ($20)
Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2003 ($26)
First Drop “TheBig Blind” Nebbiola Barbera (Adelaide Hills) 2005 ($2 First Drop ”Mothers Milk” Barossa Shiraz 2005 ($28) 

NBWMC Tasting - NZ vs Aussie

Tues 3 July: Tonight we tasted and compared a range of wines from NZ and Aussie - Presented by Alexis Goodman and Jake O’Connor - Wines provided by Hemmingways.

All wines marked out of 3 for colour, 7  for bouquet and 10 for taste.

Lindemans Bin 95 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (Aus) 11.5
Matua Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc (NZ) 16.0

Lindemans Premier Selection Reisling 2006 (Aus) 16.0
Shingle Peak Marlborough Reisling 2006 (NZ) 15.0

Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay 2003 (Aus) 15.0
Matua Eastern Bays Chardonnay 2005 (NZ) 16.5

Ingoldby McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004 (Aus) 16.5
Matua MAtheson Syrah 2004 (NZ) 12.5

Annie’s Lane Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot 2002 (Aus) 17.0
Matua Matheson Merlot / Cabernet Sauvignon (NZ) 14.5

So all in all some interesting comparisons between similar but in some case quite different wines a Tasman apart. Aussie beat NZ 75.5 to 73.5 with the big reds being the decider. Fave on the night Annies Lane 02 Cabernet Merlot.

Good Grief it’s July already

Sorry not a lot happening here yet but it will happen - I’m in the process of investigating how to shift the content of the website to this blog site, but at the moment it seems that cut and paste is the only way at present.

I’ve added a few pages to see how this will eventually look but everything is available on the original Website at www.nzwinelinks.co.nz

Just added Vinoculation to the blogroll - this is Max’s blog on wine and things viticultural - have a look! 

Good Grief it’s July already

Sorry not a lot happening here yet but it will happen - I’m in the process of investigating how to shift the content of the website to this blog site, but at the moment it seems that cut and paste is the only way at present.

I’ve added a few pages to see how this will eventually look but everything is available on the original Website at www.nzwinelinks.co.nz

Just added Vinoculation to the blogroll - this is Max’s blog on wine and things viticultural - have a look! 

NBWMC Tasting - Around the World in Eight Wines

Tasting on the 5th June - Wines of the World, predented by Paddy Holder and Hemingways Fine Wines.

An interesting selection -  I hadn’t heard of the Front Row Chardonnay before but didn’t find it all that brilliant. The Albarino was a great wine from Spain especially as I had not sampled any Albarino before (Favourite white on the night).

I had previously tasted the Casa de Maule wines at Cellarmasters so knew what to expect there - fab wines at a great price but the Montepulciano was the pick of the reds and in fact the best of the tasting.

Whites: 

Martini Asti D.O.C.G. (Italy)
Tin Pot Hut 2006 Sauvignon Blanc (NZ)
Front Row Canterbury Chardonnay 2006 (NZ)
Martin Codax Albarino 2005 (Spain)

Reds

D’Autrefois Pinot Noir Vin de Pays D’OC 2005 (France)
Valle Reale Vigne Nuove Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2005 (Italy)
Casa de Maule Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Chile)
Casa de Maule Carmenere 2005 (Chile)

This is Easier than I thought

Well this is a lot easier than I expected - it won’t be long before this blog is flat out with comments, images and interesting stuff about Wine and other things.

Still Practising

Getting the idea now - should start having a good blog going soon..

Hello world!

Hey All!

Welcome to NZ Winelinks Blog - I’m ‘JB’ and will be posting stuff about New Zealand Wines and Wineries

Well what are you waiting for- get out there and blog!!!