the artistry behind NakedWines

NAKED WINES

When the good people at Naked Wines asked me to endorse their efforts, I responded as honestly as I could:

“Folks: I’ve never heard of most of your winemakers and I’ve never tasted any of these wines. I can’t endorse what I don’t know. “

So they sent me a half-case of wine. Nice!

I tried to keep my mind free and rid myself of any preconceptions but the marketplace is flooded with wines that are at best created by “style-gurus” and at worst sugary-chemical-broths masquerading as wine. I dreaded that this would be another “Apothic” story but did my due diligence: I let the wines rest after their long journey, I opened them one at a time and gave them my fullest attention. It turns out – the culture of wine clubs is changing dramatically.

Meet NAKED WINES: the wine-lovers newest bestest friend. Forever??

This is the place where you as a consumer get to move past the hype, the slick-sales-talk, the bullshit. This is the place where artisanal winemakers come to be judged by you – the consumer. If Naked Wines likes their work they will invest your money and bankroll the winemaker’s efforts to create something worthy of notice. You as the financier (you and 49,999 like-minded individuals) reap the whirlwind when you buy these wines at a fraction of their marketplace value and get to feel like a king. The wines do well and the winemaker keeps working his/her craft with feedback from hundreds, thousands of consumers like you on a regular basis.

Want added perks? How about being able to talk with these winemakers on a regular basis on the Naked Wines website? How about being given a free bottle of premium wine every month? Catch? Catch you ask? Yes, there is a catch – – – – you have to trust. You have to trust Naked Wines to keep investing your $40 per month into winemakers you’ve never met, who don’t have these wines in the local stores. Your local restaurant will not have these wines listed and no – no – NO you can’t ask your favorite wine-geek friend to tell you all about them and recommend the best.

Because your wine-geek friend probably doesn’t know anything about David Akiyoshi or Camille Benitah. That is, unless your friend is also a Naked Wines “Angel”.

Rowan Ghormley, founder and CEO of Naked Wines, courtesy The Telegraph

And I’m not the one who’s going to tell you to join these fine folks. The truth is, they don’t have room for new members anyways; there’s a waiting list of over 13,000 people who want to join the US club alone. And it’s not for everyone! This is not a wine-Mecca for the masses; the friends who come over and when you ask if they’ld like some Merlot they respond with “No thanks, I only drinkred wine.”

This is not to make it sound elitist, because it isn’t, but some consumers/some people are always out there looking for “something cheaper” whilst others are looking for a “better deal”. I don’t care about price I care about value. Show me a great value for $10 or show me a great value for $30 and I’m a happy guy and that’s something I can stand behind: if I had bought the 5 wines listed below, as a Naked Wine “Angel” I would have paid less than $70 USD.

Shut the front door! AMAZING VALUE! I live in British Columbia, Canada: second highest liquor tax in the world (after Sweden) and I couldn’t buy two of these bottles for $70. If you really enjoy 2-buck-chuck and Apothic then power to you. If you don’t; if you love searching farmers markets for the freshest produce, if you drive down to the fisherman’s wharf for the freshest catch, if you care about quality then you have to try these wines!

Five wines: four #WorldClass stars and one that, for whatever reason, just didn’t live up to the standard. But I consider that a stunning win. In an industry where I will sometimes taste a hundred wines in a row before giving 92 points… well, you can read for yourselves….

 2013 “Mont Blanc” Sauvignon Blanc

Lake County, California

by Camille Benitah

91+ points, EXCELLENT Value

… to me this wine is deserving of the moniker “Mont Blanc”: clean, purist mineral tones drive a palate so fresh, so powerful, that it seems to have blown down the side of that impressive Swiss mountainside. Here is a superbly crafted articulation of Lake County and of the varietal. Truly, one of the best California Sauv-Blancs I’ve ever had; the bouquet has layers of small white flowers and summer gardens in bloom to balance the austerely elegant granite and slate mineral backbone. Enamel-peeling full lemon zest acid somehow seem perfectly balanced yet crave a New York bagel “wit a schmear” or fresh Atlantic lobster drown in clarified butter. These zealous Meyer lemon, white grapefruit and ripe lime flavors collide into something that makes me instinctually remember the best ceviche and crave just one – more – bite as I savor what’s left in my glass. Enjoy this now and enjoy this often for, though it could hold for many years, the Stelvin enclosure prevents development in bottle and – brilliant as this is – why wait??

2013 Akiyoshi Sauvignon Blanc

Musque Clone

Lodi, California

by David Akiyoshi

92 points, STUNNING

… even after a few years of sommelier education and penning hundreds of articles, I was stumped when I read “Musque Clone” scrawled with such dominance on David Akiyoshi’s label. What was “Musque” and why was it so damned important? It turns out that “Musque” is perhaps more important (and controversial) then I could have expected: in general it refers to a “musky” quality that can result from genetic variation/development in a grape varietal. What does this mean in real terms? Well gewürztraminer is actually a “Musque clone” of Traminer which is, for all intents and purposes, a dying varietal. So is gewürztraminer it’s own varietal or is it a “Musque clone”? Who should decide and how should it be labelled? Well in this instance, second generation winemaker David decided that what was in the bottle was Sauv-Blanc first and foremost, Musque-clone second. I concur! Whilst the perfumed bouquet offers a bounty of heady floral tones, warm exotic fruit compote and hints of Arabic spice straight from the Sook, the palate of this wine is pure Sauv-Blanc;  unadorned full citrus acid almost Pinot Grigio-like in intensity but with a balance and concentration of peripheral tones (white tea, young mango, kumquat, green apple) that turns this into a chef’s dream… the 80’s classic dish: “Neptune” comes to mind immediately: picture a filet of fresh white fish (pike for those on the Prairies, Red Snapper for the WestCoast and cod on the East. Pan-sear the fish and top it with crab-meat mixed with scallops and perhaps rough chopped prawns, then a few pieces of young asparagus, then Hollandaise sauce. Now – wait for it – scorch or brulée that sauce with a chef’s torch for just a moment… Neptune: over-the-top richness to play off the exuberance of this consummate wine!

2013 Akiyoshi Sangiovese Rosé

quite possibly my top rose for 2014

Lodi, California

by David Akiyoshi

92+ points, STUNNING

…if ever a wine was crafted for the express purpose of beating the summer heat, rosé must surely be it: so light, so refreshing, so perfectly suited for the middle of the afternoon with a half loaf of fresh bread, a hunk of good cheese and some artisanal cold cuts. David Akiyoshi’s interpretation certainly satisfies any craving one may have for both greatness in rosé and in Sangiovese. This wine carries the blush of youth and the bloom of young flowers; aromas of roses, cherries, red plums, red currants and early raspberries. The full acids convey a palate that mimics the bouquet brilliantly; impeccable balance, concentration and structure show the excellence in viticulture as much as the skills of Mr Akiyoshi. Should I wish to use this wine with a meal instead of the laziness of a July afternoon, seafood would be my first choice *(natural) but a close second would be turkey! I usually go with a northern Beaujolais (Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent) for Thanksgiving but a rosé with such structure and elegant power will certainly pair superbly… just don’t forget to baste that turkey with a little butter! #NofatNofun

2013, Lay of the Lay Pinot Noir

Marlborough, New Zealand

Mike Patterson, winemaker

92 points, EXCELLENT Value

… at the risk of sounding melodramatic: THIS. IS. MARLBOROUGH… superbly crafted, this is a Pinot that truly speaks about where it comes from just as much, if not more, then it does about who made it. The textured bouquet is awash in Carneros-like seasalt and briney green olives, yet carries tones of lush green grass, soft savory herbs like parsley and thyme and a background of granitic minerality. Elegance would best describe the balance and structure; a palate conveying mirror-like qualities from the bouquet, medium+ young raspberry acids bursting with the exuberance of youth, medium fine tannin craving just a hint more bottle age before they truly start to come into their own. I would call this textbook if textbooks could have examples of such quality. A joy to consume now, this is best enjoyed 2015-2020+ but will not develop appreciably due to Stelvin enclosure *(pity). FOOD PAIRING is most natural when the wine is used at the start of the meal to take advantage of the dynamic acid… pâté, rillete and the like will find harmony. Feeling casual? Pair this with a classic Roman panini with a thick lathering of pesto and layer of Italian coldcuts and cheeses… once again the acid will bring balance and as Pinot Noir is a light wine, will work perfectly with hints of sunshine and a picnic blanket~!

2012 Columba Syrah

El Dorado, California

by the Jarvis Tomei family

88 points, Decent

… putting to one side that everyone has their own preferences in style and interpretation of any varietal, much less one that has as much diversity as the mighty Syrah/Shiraz; this wine is, at best, table wine. Not poorly made table wine, but table wine still. Though the color is a robustly bruised purple the aromas are simple; bright red berries carrying candied notes much like Beaujolais Nouveau. The palate mimics the nose to its own demise; bright/cheery medium+ raspberry acids carry freshness though no structure and the tannin is a slightly clunky medium+ as well… very basic flavors of the young red berries with an unfortunate tendency towards overoaking. Please understand that the “harshness” of this critique is only due to it being presented in the same line-up as the previous wines which were, unequivocally, World-Class. Should someone offer this to me at Sainsbury for 3 Euros or Safeway for $7.50 I would consider it a fair transaction.

Naked Wines staff USA

So how does this work? As an “Angel” you put $40 a month into your Naked Wines “piggy bank” which you can use whenever you want. You can even withdraw it if you so choose. Cool. That’s the same as a few bottles of table wine so no big deal to most folks. You and I know that we’re going to spend that money on wine anyways – it’s just a matter of how we want to spend it.

I’m thinking of a local winemaker I know; he’s fantastically gifted but just hasn’t been able to crack into the market yet. It’s a struggle for him and, as a father, I understand his woes. He’s a Dad to two great kids – there are bills to pay and those don’t stop just because you’re having a bad day. But he’s an artist as well and won’t compromise on the quality, the finesse, the uniqueness of his wines just to make the wines “easier to understand sell”.

This man, this winemaker, has my unquestioned admiration. If he could work with a company like Naked Wines it would mean the world to him. An automatic audience that connects with what he’s doing and what he wants to do. A chance to quit taking time out of his days for tastings rooms and sales calls and get back to what really matters: being in the vineyard, being in the cellar. Working with the wine.

That is what the Naked Wine “Angels” get to do. They get the opportunity to do something truly valuable with their consumer dollars. And they get wickedly exciting wine as well. Well heck, if that isn’t just what I asked Santa Claus for this Christmas!

Many thanks to Naked Wines for the generous sample bottles: it revealed not only a new business module to me but a hidden layer of winemaking in the world. As always you can find more recipes, free wine reviews and my notes on premium distillates and cigars on:

 Twitter @https://twitter.com/astudentofwine

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Portfolio Review: Mud House, New Zealand

www.MudHouse.co.nz

When I called Nadine Worley, one half of the winemaking powerhouse from Mud House wines of New Zealand, I knew that I was in for a treat: Nadine has the kind of innate knowledge of her vineyards that only comes from incredible passion blended equally with tremendous work ethos. Nadine's respect for her little patch(es) of Marlborough and Waipara is self-evident in her wines and I was excited to have a few minutes to dig through the many layers of her hard-won knowledge.

KRISTOF:   Nadine, thank you so much for taking the time for us today.

  NADINE:   A pleasure.

KRISTOF:   Nadine, let me get right down to it: I've had some time to go through the samples you were kind enough to provide... I hope you take this the right way, but I have to tell you how stunned I was at the complexity of your wines! Every time I moved up a notch, no matter the varietal, I was rewarded with a marked increase in complexity, integration, concentration... 

   NADINE:   Well there's a reason why some of the finest wines in New Zealand rarely leave New Zealand~! Our locals really have come to love the work that we do and, while exports are incredibly important, some wines are made in such small quantities that some markets that rarely see them. 

KRISTOF: - but the range of flavors!

   NADINE:   -thanks Kristof, that's what we're striving for. We at Mud House are really excited about this great range of flavors and aromas that New Zealand terroir wants to express: from lush tropical notes to green peppers to grapefruit. For us it's that trinity of balance, dimension and flavor that we're only just getting to because we're starting to truly know the sites.

KRISTOF:   The expression from the sites is brilliant and that brings me to my next question: with this vast diversity in flavors, how does a global brand such as Mud House work with the difference in palate between Europe, Asia, North America...

   NADINE:   -not an easy task, for certain. But what makes it easier for us is that our markets are really telling us what they want; in Australia for example they love the young fruit flavors/more of a Spanish style . Whereas in the North American market we definitely need more concentration in the wines even if only due to the length of time the wines need for travelling, crossing customs, and then finally reaching the consumer.

KRISTOF: So lead me through it then; explain it to me like I'm 5 years old: what, to you, are the biggest differences between the Mud House labels when it comes to "Woolshed", "Homeblock" and "The Mound".

   NADINE:   Well when we're talking about "Woolshed" we're talking about such a work in progress; this is truly a case of knowing the individual blocks and what they want to showcase. And that takes time, no way around it. When we get down to brass tacks and are finally tasting the wine from the blocks, we do it blind so that there's no prejudice. And if the acid is high? We showcase it! Because that's the wine that "Woolshed" wants to make that year.

2012 Marlborough Sauvignon-Blanc

89+ points, very good value

• visual:   clear; pale straw core to watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful aromas of cantaloupe and honeydew melons, guava, precise minerality, long green grass in the background
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ grapefruit acid, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (13% ABV), medium+ youthful flavors much in-line with the nose; starting with a refreshing burst of grapefruit and melon, clean lines of minerality and just a hint of exotic fruit in the background. Good balance, good structure and medium- length
• conclusion:  a refreshing Summer wine meant to be consumed young. Enjoy 2013-2016 for best results
• FOOD PAIRING:   given this wine's precocious nature, I would pair it off food with a bit more fat to it. Consider Thai green curry seafood bowl with BC Spot Prawns and wild salmon, steamed local gai-lan and Shiitake mushroom, toasted coconut jasmine rice, pickled mango

2012 "The Woolshed Estate" Marlborough Sauvignon-Blanc
92+/93 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

• visual:   clear; pale lemon-straw core with watery rim, gold highlights
• nose:   clean; fully intense and youthful aromas of lush Summer flower-gardens, ripe apricots, strawberry-papaya, guava, warm grass and underneath it all: a very keen minerality smacking of Burgundian-style precision
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to full yellow grapefruit acid, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (13.5% ABV), medium+ intense and youthful flavors that are perfectly in-line with the aromas; the minerality takes center-stage here! Grassy notes play well with stonefruit, grapefruit-dominated citrus. Excellent balance and structure with long length that continues to develop for 20 seconds and longer
• conclusion:  Stunning example of varietal. Will cellar easily for several years, but, will not develop appreciably... enjoy 2013-2018
• FOOD PAIRING:  I've said before that Sauv-Blanc does well with seafood, but in this instance the natural grapefruit-dominated palate makes me think of seasalt barbequed duck with smoked garlic aioli, Swiss-style potato rosti, charred sweet pepper and corn succotash with garden-fresh Italian parsley... 

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KRISTOF: "Homeblock"

   NADINE:   That's a vineyard that I feel still needs some vine-age to really develop the phenolics; this is wonderful gravel soil with enough clay to it that Pinot Gris is showing beautifully on it already.

2012 South Island Pinot Gris
89 points, very good value

• visual:   clear; ultra pale core with watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium- youthful aromas of waxy Anjou pear and Golden apple, warm hay and spicy/peppery background
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to full grapefruit acid, medium- body, medium alcohol (well integrated 13.5%), medium concentration of youthful flavors that are in-line with the aromas; a clean line of minerality is enhanced by the orchard-fruit tones and a peppery finish. Very good to excellent balance, very good structure, medium- to short length.
• conclusion:   an excellent introduction to NZ expression of varietal, enjoy young 2013-2016
• FOOD PAIRING:   these crisp tones will sing next to fattier birds; consider crispy-skin duck breast on caramelized onion potato rosti, hazelnut sauteed Brussel sprouts, apricot compote... the hazelnuts will emphasize the freshness in the wine through contrast, the natural sweetness in the apricots bring the spicy palate into greater alignment

2012 "The Home Block Vineyard" Pinot Gris

(Waipara Valley)
92 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

• visual:   clear; pale straw core to watery rim, light silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense youthful aromas starting with a burst of ultra-precise minerality, warm/ripe pear, a myriad of little white and yellow summer flowers and at the end a touch of dried apricot
• palate:   clean; dry, medium white grapefruit acid, medium body, medium+ alcohol (14% ABV), medium intense and youthful flavors much in-line with the aromas; the palate starts with an ultra-crisp and clean minerality that carries through the strong structure of Southern Hemisphere citrus tones (orange pith, grapefruit, lemon and limes and more limes) finishing with a light touch of Thai chili. Excellent balance and structure, medium length
• conclusion:  an absolutely professional example of what small-lot production can bring out of southern Pinot Gris; enjoy 2013-2016 and possibly beyond but will not develop further
• FOOD PAIRING:   if ever there was a natural of south-east Asian salads, this is it~! Green papaya salad with grilled Spot-prawns and baby octopus, mango emulsion, toasted peanut... the wine has depth and layers! Just beware of pairing with too spicy of food as it may pull that balanced 14% alcohol out of balance

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KRISTOF: and "The Mound"

   NADINE:   Well that's the heartache for us; it's just such a hard sell for us still to showcase single vineyard Riesling from New Zealand... when people think about great Riesling, they aren't thinking about us yet.

KRISTOF: A pity... I've enjoyed some top-tier Riesling from around the world and yours is certainly one of them.

   NADINE:   Thanks Kristof.

2012 Waipara Valley Riesling
88 points, good value

• visual:   clear; pale straw core, watery rim
• nose:   clean; medium- intense youthful aromas of smokey minerals and crushed seashells, ripe stonefruit in the background
• palate:   clean; dry, medium+ to fully intense yellow grapefruit acid, medium- body, medium- alcohol (12.5%), medium+ intense youthful flavors; the yellow grapefruit is like a big deliciously-mouth-watering bomb that goes off! Huge citrus flavors with a small supporting cast of the auxiliary stonefruit/minerality, and the end of the palate is all grapefruit again. Very good to excellent balance, good structure, short length
• conclusion:  great for the mid-afternoon glass on the patio! Enjoy it whilst it's young 2013-2015
• FOOD PAIRING:   "panini in the park": fresh arugula panini with mustard and rosemary fire-grilled chicken, red pepper pesto and fresh mozzarella (bocconcini)

2012 "The Mound Vineyard" Waipara Valley Riesling

92+/93 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

• visual:   clear; ultra pale silver/straw core, watery rim, silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ youthful bouquet of smokey minerals, warm hay, mango jam, young pineapple, grapefruit skins
• palate:   clean; off-dry, fully intense yellow/pink grapefruit acids, medium- body, medium+ alcohol (12% ABV), medium+ concentration of youthful flavors perfectly in-line with the nose; bright citrus and cranberry flavors dance on a palate glued together with a fine mesh of tight minerality... exotic fruit notes create a subtle backdrop. Excellent balance and structure, long length that develops appreciably for 20 seconds and longer
• conclusion:   as I am a newcomer to New Zealand Riesling, it's only a guess, but I would hazard that this has a long life ahead of it: enjoy 2013-2023 
• FOOD PAIRING:   so dense with flavors and layers, I would enjoy this much like I would a fine German Riesling... sous-vide pork tenderloin, coriander-coconut marinade, dried apricot-Challah stuffing, sweet potato pave, spicy mango relish, fresh steamed Collard greens

KRISTOF: On to a happier topic: tell me about some of the regions outside of New Zealand that are most exciting for you personally right now?

   NADINE:   Well in some of our more structured tastings *(industry events) we're getting the opportunity to sample some brilliant work from Chile: really superb expressions of Sauv Blanc, Chardonnay, Syrah, Cab Sauv...

KRISTOF: One of my favorite regions as well! But now what about within New Zealand; what's the place and what's the grape that's really tugging at your heart?

   NADINE:   That's easy: Central Otago Pinot Noir. I've absolutely been blown away by the flavors; the complexity and texture that are being achieved there right now when the vines get a bit of age to them and we the winemakers come to a better understanding of the sites.

KRISTOF: And so if Pinot Noir is the grape that you're most attached to these days, what's the oddest you've seen in New Zealand?

   NADINE:   Ha! Gruner-Vetliner is top of the list... 

KRISTOF: -and yet they're growing some brilliant Gruner in Australia as well these days.

   NADINE:   True, small quantities but excellent quality.

KRISTOF: So we're living in the greatest age of wine-making the world has possibly ever seen. So many boundaries broken, so many traditions shattered... New Zealand is renown as the land of Sauv Blanc, and now Pinot Noir - both cool climate grapes. Is it possible that we could see a cool climate Bordeaux style blend coming from these inspired winemakers?

   NADINE:   Definitely. Without a doubt. The area around Hawkes Bay... 5 years ago people would have thought it was madness but, now? Climates are changing, the world is changing, and we're seeing that something like that is possible.

KRISTOF: So much possibility... Nadine, there are going to be a few young winemakers who read this. Any words of wisdom?

   NADINE:   I don't know how much wisdom I have, but: just treat the vines with respect. Soil health/biodiversity... it's really about not putting into the soil what you don't want want to take out, and that doesn't need a certificate, just common sense. That, and while you're out in the world and learning - make sure you keep those good principles you're fortunate enough to see in action.

KRISTOF: And a last question, a bit more personal: If you could have anything right now, anything in the world, what would it be?

    NADINE:   I love what I do, where I do it, and the madly brilliant people I get to work with.

KRISTOF: But?

    NADINE:   One day, it will be me on a little plot of land. I'll have Pinot Noir, a bit of Chardonnay... and it will be decades of getting to an intimate knowledge of my vines until I can name every single one of them.

KRISTOF: Beautiful vision you have Miss Worley. Thank you so much for sharing your time with us.

    NADINE:    My pleasure Kristof. Please come and visit.


And that was the end of my whirlwind adventure through New Zealand terroir with Mud House and Nadine Worley... I set out with the clear intention of understanding what Mud House was "bringing to the table" with their single-vineyard offerings: more concentration? Better balance? Structure? Really, was it worth the extra $10 or $15 to upgrade? I got more of an education than I was expecting. For in this winery, and in these winemakers, I've found small-town values in the big city. Here is a place where the land isn't just respected, it's the beginning, the middle and the end of the story. Here is a place where winemakers hope that this year they will understand what their vines are trying to say - just a little better then the year before. Nothing is perfect; perfection is a dream of vanity. But... these entry level wines are full of concentration and balance, which makes them anything but entry-level. And the single vineyard wines? As lovingly crafted and articulate about the soil as could be hoped for by any maestro. The wines alone would be reason enough to admire Mud House vineyards, but, I find it is the genuinely humble and talented artisans who work there that have won my respect.

Many thanks to Mud House wines for the samples and to the irrepressible Peter Sheehan for all his work in coordinating and facilitating this article. For further reading on Mud House, I invite you to read my first article on their work: the SWAN Pinot Noir http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2013/07/mud-house-single-vineyard-pint-noir.html

As always, I look forward to your thoughts, comments and questions. Here, or:

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/TheChefandTheGrape

Cottesbrook Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand

Cottesbrook winery is in the place that winemakers call "the origin of the new Sauvignon Blanc"; Marlborough, New Zealand.



many thanks to Wikipedia!



     Sauvignon Blanc isn't native to New Zealand, but it is here, in this southern extremity, that we have found the purest expression. And it is in this wine that New Zealand, and especially Marlborough, came to find part of their identity.

     I can understand a little of what life in Marlborough must be like: the entire district only has a population of about 45,000 and that population is spread thin. A few towns, such as Havlock, and Ward (which sort of sound like names for New York cops, right?) sprout up between the rolling hills and sprawling vineyards which account for over 60% of all of the land in New Zealand growing grapes. I've lived small town life before. It has it's perks, and it has it's challenges, but there is a sense of comfort being able to walk down a street and know (at least by face) most of the people you see. Of course, that same sensation can be a little tiring somedays!

     And then there was Cottesbrook... the little winery that could.

     I'm a strong believer in environmental responsibility. As a chef, I do my utmost to source local, source seasonal, and ensure my suppliers are being minimalistic with their packaging. With gas at over $1.20/litre (that's $5/gallon for my American readers), I don't even have to ask anyone to be conscientious with their driving, right?

     And so the vineyards that produce Cottesbrook have joined with New Zealand's green-initiative which, to quote http://www.rossendale.co.nz/ says:

     "This involves adoption of "best practice" reducing the carbon footprint and ensuring accountability and traceabiity for the long term benefit of the soil, the surrounding environment and ultimately the consumer."

     Amen.

     If enough people were willing to do the work necessary, then our children may still be able to enjoy...

     As for myself, I can tell you now how much I enjoyed the wine.

2009 Cottesbrook Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

12.5% ABV,    $14    **EXCELLENT VALUE**

http://tagliquorstores.com/fox-reach/

• visual:   clean; pale straw core with green and gold highlights, slight watery rim
• nose:   clean; moderate+ youthful aromas; gooseberry, clean grass, straw, slight melon and papaya, light minerality
• palate:   clean, dry, moderate+ (crisp apple and lime) acids, moderate ABV, moderate body, moderate+ intense youthful flavors mimicking the nose well; minerality comes in stronger, opens with minerality, pear and melon, develops into gooseberry, limes and apples. Very good balance, structure and moderate finish
• conclusion:   drinks far above its price. Drink now but will keep 2011-2013
• PAIRINGS:   the apple in this wine would love roast turkey... traditional turkey with bread stuffing and buttered brussel sprouts. Feel like fish? Try New Zealand's Orange Roughy with a kiwi and roast apple chutney and a sweet pea risotto!

     Marvellous deals to be found out there, if you're willing to look *(or let me look for you). You can find the Cottesbrook Sauvignon Blanc at Fox's Reach Liquor Store in Maple Ridge (and other fine spirit importers).

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

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Some still say that the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world come from New Zealand. Those that make this proclamation invariably will state that Marlborough makes some of the best in NZ. Well, to each their own - that is one of the great marvels of wine-tasting: we each have our own sense of taste...we all taste sweet a little differently, sour a little differently. Some of us love pickles, even with wine - and some could think of nothing better than NZ Sauv Blanc with some warm brie and fresh bread.

This winery actually is fairly new to the wine-game, and recently has invested a great deal of capital into developing all of their hardware & wine making gear. If memory serves, they even engineered some of the equipment themselves! Pretty cool if you ask me.

WINE A

clear visual;

• very pale straw
• slight green tinge to it
• moderate legs

clean nose; moderately intense notes of

• green grass
• granitey minerality
• soft floral notes
• subdued fruit nuances of green grapes, golden delicious apples

clean palate; 0 dryness, full- acids, 0 tannins, moderately intense flavors of

• the green apple is immediate and intense
• mellow grassy notes
• crisp minerality on the back of the palate
• after-palate is all lemon, grapefruit & a touch of cape gooseberry

moderate body, moderate or moderate- alcohol, decent structure

IMHO, this is not a wine to be drunk on it's own - this is a food wine. The acids I found a touch overwhelming and so I would pair this with rich rich food - such as chicken florentine or chicken Kiev. Really! You will never hear me advocate chicken Kiev (that throwback to the 1980's) but in this instance, with the black forest ham, the gruyere cheese... I think it would pair marvellously and allow those acids a good counter-balance.

2009 "Nautilus" Sauvignon Blanc

from the Wairau & Awatere Valleys, Marlborough, New Zealand