I LIKE to know a bit about the people behind the wines I drink, as I feel it adds an extra dimension to the experience. One of the best ways to do this is to visit the wineries themselves.
We’re privileged to have a premium wine producing region on our doorstep here, and the beauty of Martinborough is the ease with which you can get from vineyard to vineyard. It’s entirely possible to make a day trip there without worrying about driving.
If you prefer a more co-ordinated approach to getting to know your winemakers, there are plenty of great events each year as I discovered in January when I had my first experience of the wonderful Meandering Vineyard Lunch in Martinborough. This annual event is extremely popular, but appears to be a well-kept secret amongst its fans. Almost everyone I met at the lunch was a repeat attendee, and many had been to every single lunch. We visited four wineries, sampling the wines and eating a set course at each. The hosting from Croft, Julicher, Coney and Te Hera was impeccable, but for me the best thing about this event was the fact that there were no crowds, and by the end of the day we’d made a bunch of new friends. Perfect for people who find Toast Martinborough a little hectic.
There’s more to the Wairarapa wine producing area than Martinborough though, and the small wineries in the wider region are making some fantastic wines, with the Gladstone region being the best known. The only problem with visiting some of these other wineries is that they’re a bit more spread out and a car is essential. As a result the wider region tends to be a little neglected, which is a shame.
The good news is that this weekend the Wairarapa Wines Harvest Festival is bringing 17 wineries together in a convenient location 10 minutes from Carterton and Masterton. You may not recognise many of the names in the line-up, but it’s worth getting to know them. It’s a bit more of a family affair (under 12s get free entry), and local food producers will be there as well as art exhibitions and music. Tickets are $38.50, and more information is available from www.wairarapawines.co.nz.
And yes – you can leave your car behind, as there are plenty of transport options.
Urlar is one of the wineries that will be at the Harvest Festival, and their organic and biodynamic wines are worth checking out. Urlar Sauvignon Blanc 09 shows lifted aromatics, zippy citrus fruit, mineral riverstones, mellow acidity and a touch of texture from partial barrel fermentation. ($25)
Craggy Range Te Kahu 09 - This is the new vintage of Te Kahu, and it’s a cracker! Beautiful lifted nose with plenty of dark fruit and warm spice, rich on the palate, showing dark chocolate, tingly cinnamon and a long, silky finish. As always, this is unbelievably good bang for your buck! ($28)
Wine of the week – Vynfields Classic Riesling 09. Liquid gold, this has a beautiful nose of honeyed lime, with just the merest suggestion of kerosene. The sweetness is well balanced, and with the beautiful combination of honey and marmalade nuances, I can see my two favourite bears Paddington and Pooh fighting it out over a bottle of this! I would pop some of this away for a few years if you can keep your hands out of the hunny jar! ($35.50)