Spring wine festivals
Claudine Earley9/09/2009 12:00:00 a.m.
THE Eurowine International Winemakers Roadshow hits town on September 22.
Just $25 will get you tasting a selection of new releases from Australasia at the Holiday Inn on Featherston Street.
There’s always a hard decision to make at these roadshows. There will be 160 wines so you can’t try them all. Are you going to taste by variety, say one white and one red, or by winery? I usually end up with good intentions, such as leaving the delicious savs alone because I always taste them, and focus on a more unusual grape, such as pinot gris, only to find myself irresistibly drawn to those frisky savvy devils.
If you prefer to have a chin-wag with the winemaker, wineries to make a beeline for include: Man O’ War (Waiheke Island), Stonecroft (Hawke’s Bay) and Ata Rangi (Martinborough).
Two days later, Nelson Wine Art is on at the Boatshed. With around 50 wines to taste it will be a great opportunity to become more expert on Nelson terroir. As an added bonus there will be a fashion show by Nelson designer Emma Manhart and local produce to munch on.
Wine of the week:
Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 ($29.95), from the Earnscleugh Vineyard, Alexandra with its black cherry and bacon aromas. The palate is a little restrained, not the dense concentrated fruit you get in typical Central Otago pinots. Instead there’s the sensation of raspberry flavours and textures, black doris plum tartness, with a long finish combining tannin and acid – and a lingering hint of glace cherry.
Just $25 will get you tasting a selection of new releases from Australasia at the Holiday Inn on Featherston Street.
There’s always a hard decision to make at these roadshows. There will be 160 wines so you can’t try them all. Are you going to taste by variety, say one white and one red, or by winery? I usually end up with good intentions, such as leaving the delicious savs alone because I always taste them, and focus on a more unusual grape, such as pinot gris, only to find myself irresistibly drawn to those frisky savvy devils.
If you prefer to have a chin-wag with the winemaker, wineries to make a beeline for include: Man O’ War (Waiheke Island), Stonecroft (Hawke’s Bay) and Ata Rangi (Martinborough).
Two days later, Nelson Wine Art is on at the Boatshed. With around 50 wines to taste it will be a great opportunity to become more expert on Nelson terroir. As an added bonus there will be a fashion show by Nelson designer Emma Manhart and local produce to munch on.
Wine of the week:
Grasshopper Rock Central Otago Pinot Noir 2007 ($29.95), from the Earnscleugh Vineyard, Alexandra with its black cherry and bacon aromas. The palate is a little restrained, not the dense concentrated fruit you get in typical Central Otago pinots. Instead there’s the sensation of raspberry flavours and textures, black doris plum tartness, with a long finish combining tannin and acid – and a lingering hint of glace cherry.
