Lifford Wine and Spirits Winery of the Week: Staete Landt, New Zealand

www.LiffordWine.com

www.StaeteLandt.co.nz

Ruud Maasdam is a great fellow; jovial, quick-to-smile, enthusiastic when he speaks and rarely cross, and so I naturally found myself liking him as he and I spoke at the 2013 Lifford Wine tasting at the Stanley Park Pavilion in Vancouver, BC.

I must say that I actually owe Ruud an apology: I recorded our conversation for podcast, but there was so much ambient sound that it made my recording unpublishable. Anyways! So Ruud is a great guy, and we were having a fantastic discussion on wine, but why oh why is this important to you?

Because Ruud makes World Class Wine. Period. You and I may instinctively think of New Zealand and make associations with Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, but what if I told you that one of the most exciting Chardonnay I had all year was from Staete Landt, from New Zealand?

New Zealand Chardonnay? My friends, if you haven't had the pleasure of trying some of the absolutely brilliant product that never leaves the country (because the Kiwis drink it all!) then you must, definitely must try some. And soon!

And so when my good friends at Lifford Wines sent me a quick email saying that they were choosing Staete Landt as their Winery of the Week, I simply had to re-post. This is a winery easily on par with the very best from that country, and most certainly worthy of your time and attention. But I will defer to my colleagues at Lifford to say what they've managed to coax out of the Maasdam family and into our over-taxed country.

FULL DISCLOSURE: This is an email from Lifford Wines intended for restaurants and Independent Wine/Liquor Stores, not the general public. The views here-in are Lifford Wines', not my own.

Staete Landt is a boutique family owned and operated vineyard and winery. They are focused on producing ultra premium wines that represent the unique terroir of the famed “Golden Mile” in New Zealand’s most important wine region, Marlborough. The Golden Mile is a special strip of land in the sub region of Rapaura; a unique micro-climate (close to the Wairau river) creates the region’s best wine growing conditions. It’s home to some of the oldest and most famous Marlborough vineyards. Staete Landt wines are estate grown and made with the firm belief that the best wines are wines with character, complexity and great balance. Other Cool Stuff: A wine family we love… a lot. Ruud Maasdam and his wife Dorien, Dutch by birth, moved their family to a New Zealand apple orchard in search of producing the country’s best wines. Incredible passion and dedication to quality: in depth soil analysis led them to identify 24 different blocks within their small vineyard. Each block is picked separately according to slight variations in maturation. The name, Staete Landt, references Dutch explorer Abel Tasman who discovered New Zealand in 1642 and proclaimed it “Staete Landt”, land for the Dutch state. Although that didn’t work out, the Maasdam family carries on the legacy of Tasman in the heart of Marlborough. Okay okay we know SAUVIGNON BLANC. Yep, theirs is elegant, nuanced and complex, WE KNOW. But have you tried the Chardonnays?! OR the Syrah?! OR the Riesling?! Sensational.  §   Map Maker Sauvignon Blanc 2011 *spec, SKU 889444 12 x 750 mL $17.99   "Annabel" Estate Grown Sauvignon Blanc 2011/2012 *spec, SKU 638403  12 x 750 mL $27.99   Estate Grown Riesling Auslese 2010 *spec, SKU 364117 6 x 750mL $34.99   "Josephine" Estate Grown Chardonnay 2010 *spec, SKU 402198 6 x 750 mL $34.99     Map Maker Pinot Noir 2010 *spec, SKU 519280 12 x 750 mL $29.99   "Paladin" Estate Grown Pinot Noir 2009 *stocked spec, SKU 401547 6 x 750 mL $39.99 "Arie" Estate Grown Syrah 2010 *spec, SKU 620807 6 x 750 mL $39.99   § Please contact your Sales Agent if you require more information. Plamen Velikov – plamenv@liffordwine.com Joe Dobbie – joed@liffordwine.com Nick Waggott – nickw@liffordwine.com Niki Randall – nikir@liffordwine.com If you would like to taste any of these wines between August 12th and August 23rd, email igala@liffordwine.com and he will be pleased to arrange an appointment.

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As I said my friends, this is a winery on the same level as many from the same region charging far more per bottle. Excellent wine but stunning value, and, you get to support a really fantastic fellow :) ... If you're looking at making room in your portfolio for: more New Zealand, a new Chardonnay, etc-  then this will be worth your time.

The proof is in the glass!

As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments, either here or on Twitter @AStudentofWine

CINCIN~!!!      SLAINTE~!!!     CHEERS~!!!