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

BC Riesling and Springtime Pasta

Sunshine.

Two days. In a row... my family is so stunned that they didn't know what to do! My son Adam was born less then three weeks ago and it snowed that day in Maple Ridge. Today it was 16C but felt like 25. Brilliant right? I mean, what could possibly be wrong with a sudden spell of great weather?

Well asides from the melt-off that threatens to wash away my Editor in the Kootenays... try to stay dry Ian~! Asides from that, the more practical, chef-side of me has the kitchen and the fridge organized for pot roast, roast beef, pasta bolognese... you get the idea. But the change in weather demands a change in food and so off I went in search of appropriate victuals. The trouble is, just because the sun comes out, that doesn't mean the grocery store has any different fruits/vegetables then it did a few days ago when it was 2C and pouring cats-and-dogs.

for my 2-year old, no mushrooms!

Lucky us, here in BC, we have a fantastic resource of local hothouses/greenhouses; one of my favorite being Windset Farms ( https://www.windsetfarms.com/ ). Because of sustainably-focused farmers like this, I get to enjoy local bell peppers, tomato, cucumbers, eggplant and more long before my own garden is ready to produce even the smallest sprouts. Walking into the grocery store with my daughter and seeing all of this beautiful produce inspired me to make a perennial favorite of Italian Springtime: Pasta Primavera which literally means "the first green". Of course, you know I can't think about food without considering what wine to pair and Windset Farms artisanal approach to fruit and vegetables reminded me of another BC producer who is just as adamant about quality.

Wild Goose Vineyards ( http://wildgoosewinery.com/ ). It would be enough to appreciate that the Kruger family are amongst the true pioneers not only of viticulture in BC, having purchased their property in 1983 when there were less then 25 wineries in the entire province, but of truly World-Class winemaking here. Why do I say World-Class?

. Gold Medal: Okanagan Spring Wine Festival

. Gold Medal: Canadian Wine Championship

. Gold Medal: Northwest Wine Summit

. Lieutenant Governor's Award of Excellence

... and the list goes on. But to me, as much as I appreciate the opinions of learned wine-judges, I was more impressed by two things: my own palate and the fact that the Krugers have taken such pains to divide their (relatively) small production of Riesling into three lots: the basic "House Label" which is anything but basic, the "Stoney Slope" label which drinks much like Chablis; absolutely pure in its expression of the mineral-laden soil and the third, "God's Mountain Vineyard" which is full of ripe aromas and has (almost) rich Viognier nuances.

A small vineyard, divided into three separate labels? This my friends is top-tier precision in the vineyard found only in true craftspeople, leaders in the industry. When one speaks of Riesling, leaders like this are found in the Alsace area of France and in Germany for the most part. Wine from these regions, treated with such care, is an minimum of $35-$40 in the BC market. The Wild Goose wines run about $19-$20 at the winery, or about $22 in the savvy BC private stores. With prices like this, these are easily amongst the best values in white wine on the market today. And with Spring peeking its head around the corner? Time to stock up on the white wines!

THE WINE

2012 Riesling

90 points, EXCELLENT VALUE

$19 at the winery

. a soft yet concentrated bouquet of yellow and white Summer flowers, ripening peaches and apricots, with a keen minerality throughout. Acid is brisk yet beautifully approachable, with a lean palate that is an excellent representation of the aromas and of BC terroir. Great balance, structure and concentration - I'm hard pressed to think of any other Riesling on the market that performs as well. This is my choice for the pasta primavera I did with roast turkey, but is a natural fit for most any pork/turkey dish... what a treat with chicken pot pie made from scratch or tortierre!

2012 "Stoney Slope" Riesling

91++ points, EXCELLENT VALUE

$20 at the winery

. an absolute purists expression of what Riesling is on rocky soil: intense aromas of crushed rocks/warm hay/Golden Delicious apples. The palate is mean and lean, almost aggressive with it's tightly wound acid and strikingly intense mineral/slightly spicy flavors... until I started to think of it as Chablis: that ultra-mineral driven, ever-so-lean Chardonnay grown in Burgundy. By allowing myself to be a bit more open-minded, I found I absolutely loved this wine! But the food pairings for this are very different to me: oysters being a natural, I would also use it with fondue/raclette/any cheese driven event. It's a racy little wine!

2012 "God's Mountain Vineyard" Riesling

92 points, STUNNING

$22 at the winery

. a bit of the first wine, a bit of the second, but all it's own creature. A Riesling with ripening stonefruit (apricot/peach) aromas, lush tones of wild flowers and grassy hillsides... hints of German-Riesling waxiness are in the background. The palate is as fresh as Spring, with inviting apple acids (like biting into a green apple), with all of the aromas coming through as well concentrated/well integrated flavors. Harmonious. As soon as I tasted this wine I thought of seafood: BC spot prawns, cracked crab, lobster... whether it's in a pasta, salad or otherwise the rich fattiness of great seafood will cosy up to the perky acids and create an even more perfect balance.

THE FOOD

Want a really great Primavera?! To me, it's all about treating the different vegetables individually: to bring out more pronounced individual flavors. Roasting, grilling, steaming, raw... all enhance different flavors. Try using more of these techniques as a natural way to enhance what is already there in the food!

RECIPE (for 4)

1              white onion, finely diced

1 fl oz     canola oil

2 fl oz     white wine

2 cups    2% milk

2 cups   36% cream

salt and pepper to taste

cornstarch to thicken

1.5 lbs   cooked turkey meat, cubed

1 lb          pasta

1 fl oz      extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 lb     each: snow-pea, bell pepper-julienne

1/4 lb      Crimini mushrooms

1 fl oz        canola oil

1/2 fl oz   white truffle oil *(available at Bosa Foods and other specialty stores)

1/4 wheel Boursin cheese (about 4 Tbsp)

• start by sautéing the onions in the canola oil on medium heat: the onions should sweat, or go translucent, not go brown
• deglaze the pot with the white wine, then allow the wine to cook until the pan is just dry - then add the milk and cream, bring up to just simmering. Season
• while the sauce is coming to temperature, cook the (optional) mushrooms... optional in my house as my 2-year old doesn't like them. Sauté in the pan with canola oil for 3-4 minutes, then toss with truffle oil and season - into the oven @ 350F for 5 minutes
• when the mushrooms go into the oven, toss the turkey into the sauce and thicken with cornstarch. Now you can focus on the pasta. When the pasta is cooked and drained, toss it in the EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• only when the pasta is cooked do you steam the veggies! These only take 60-90 seconds and so merit your full attention.
• Plate, then top with a tablespoon wedge of Boursin... just because life is good

So enjoy your pasta with great wine and family or friends. Treat yourself, spoil someone else, and above all: savor the moment~! Many thanks to the Kruger family and Wild Goose Wines for the sample bottles. http://wildgoosewinery.com/

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

on Twitter @AStudentofWine

on Facebook @ 

Veranda Beach Cellars, Washington State

http://www.verandabeach.com/

Jim Hammond, developer and principal behind the concept of Veranda Beach, Oroville, Washington, remembers growing up on the great plains of Saskatchewan. Specifically, he reminisces on those eternal Summer evenings where lazy melded with moonlight and decks became festooned with hammocks, sleeping bags and air-mattresses in an attempt to beat the heat. Childhood talks, carried by breezes, spoke of new bicycles, where the fishing would be good, and who was a better swimmer.

I remember those nights too.

Growing up in Edmonton, Alberta, I had a great-uncle who had a farm in the (then) small community of Fort Saskatchewan. My parents would drive us out in the heat of the day and we kids would pick strawberries and Saskatoons for dessert, eating as much as we put in our buckets. Then we'ld slump on the wrap-around deck with gallons of lemonade whilst the fruits of our labor (literally) were turned into pies, tarts, or simply covered in cream in deep bowls to be devoured.

That was a good time to be a kid; riding my bike along the highway in the morning (I was only 6 or 7) on Brave Adventures... coming home only to eat, and then back out again to Forage in the Wilderness. We were scamps, we were feckless, we were a force without reckoning.

And now, many years later, I watch my two-year old growing up in land where she will perhaps never know such wild abandon, such freedom to discover. And I thought of this even more as I tasted the wines from Jim Hammond's development.

Styled as a throwback to the 50's and showcasing over a mile of private beach on what must be the warmest lake in Canada, Veranda Beach is a beacon to that lifestyle. Today though, let me tell you more about the wines then about the resort... For as much as the place itself deserves to be advocated, the wines are articulate and well-crafted, meriting a champion. (insert Kristof as said Champion)

I first came across the wines of Veranda Beach on a decidedly far too warm private coach ride from Lake Chelan, Washington to Penticton, British Columbia and the 2013 Wine Bloggers Conference. It was June and the bus had failing air conditioning and yet on-board came our brave adventures from the resort with beach balls, bottles of chilled wine, and unfailing joie-du-vie. They laughed as they poured and we wine-writers responded with good manners and more then a cursory interest in the wine.

How could we not? Crisp, clean, great concentration and yet refreshingly easy to enjoy on their own - but I digress. For to tell the story of the wines of Veranda Beach, one first needs to tell the story of Katy Perry.

???

Yes, friends, Katy Perry. Just not that Katy Perry. The one I speak of is a tenured winemaking professional, with a pedigree that would do any cellar proud:

This uber-professional has not only a degree in viticulture from famed UC Davis, but also in eonology. This means the lady has smarts - real smarts. But there are many types of smart, right? Katy knows this as well, so she went to Australia and worked with the former winemaker from Penfold's before going to world-class Yalumba on a stint. But even Aus wasn't big enough to hold Katy and so she flew back to America to work with the pantheon known as Stag's Leap, and then a foray into boutique production in Carneros AVA.

But we all know that there's no place like home, and home beckoned to Katy one fateful day when she was asked to speak at an event in Lake Chelan, Washington. She fell in love with the area, and then that minxy mistress Fate dropped in and Katy was being asked to take on the role of winemaker at Woodville for Chateau St Michelle. This is a dream-job for many, and so on forged our brave Katy, working alongside Eric Olsen and Ernst Loosen to create the first iconic vintages of "Eroica".

Now Katy and her husband have their own vineyard and winery in Lake Chelan; Tildio Winery (  http://www.tildio.com/ ) and Katy is firmly in-place driving the wines of Veranda Beach to greater heights with the able assistance of vineyard manager Finis Hale.

We all know that winemakers agree; 80% of the work done with wine is done in the vineyard, so Finis has a lot on his plate if he's going to keep the vineyard matching the pace of Katy - right? One small (potential) hitch: the vineyard is in the development. Yup - that's right, your cottage at Veranda Beach may in fact be one of those that's surrounded by Sangiovese or Cabernet Franc. A nice way to wake up, if you ask me, but I could see challenges getting the picking equipment between the parked station-wagons (lol).

Actually, vehicles aren't allowed at the cottages, which means the kids can run as free as they want to - which brings me back to how I started this article: I started tasting these wines and remembering what it was like to be filled with the freedom that (seemingly) only children possess. I wanted to ensure that my daughter had that as she grows up.

Perhaps, just like smarts, there are many types of freedom. What is Freedom if it isn't a young Paleontology assistant becoming winemaker in her own winery and at the same time in another World-Class resort just down the road? What is Freedom if it isn't a boy from Saskatchewan growing up to build a resort where kids can run free and parents can relax on wrap-around decks whilst sipping sinfully seductive Riesling?

And speaking of Riesling, I almost forgot to review the wines@! Here you go my friends...


2012 Regatta Rose

90+ points

50 cases produced
Double-Gold; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; medium solid raspberry/cherry core with watery rim and silver highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful aromas bursting with fresh red berries; strawberries, cherries, red raspberries and currants abound followed by a savory/muskiness and a clean, precise line of minerality
• palate:    clean; medium+ red raspberry acid, light+ body, medium+ alcohol (13.1% ABV), medium intense and youthful flavors perfectly inline with the bouquet; a stunningly bright/fresh mineral note washes through with a kaleidoscope of red berries, a light savory tinge completes.Very good to excellent balance, very good to excellent structure, medium- concentration.
• conclusion:   drink now, drink slightly chilled, drink often. This wine will not develop with time but will last in the cellar for a few years with ease; enjoy 2013-2016
• FOOD PAIRING:   so crisp, so clean, I really want to serve this to start a meal and open the palate~! Consider prosciutto wrapped spot prawns, mesquite grilled, with Okanagan peach-heirloom tomato-basil salsa... the salt of the prosciutto will love the berry tones in the wine, and the sweet/salty prawn will do the same... the basil enhances the natural herbaceous qualities and brings them forward to balance 

So you remember that perfectly pretty girl in school/work? The one that you soooo wanted to dislike; she was curvy, she was athletic, she wore clothes that made her look like a rock-star. You were so sure that she was a ditz, and how you would savor trumping her in brains! Ah.... then you found out that she was a straight A student as well, and... she was really nice. Crap.

You found yourself liking her, despite your best intentions. In fact, she may have become your best friend (or your wife - lol).

This next wine is alot like that for me; from the first whiff of the ripe, stonefruit-and-honey laden aromas I thought "Oh - another pretty girl who can't chew gum and walk at the same time." Oh how I was wrong! Layered with goodness and dimension, this is a wine that expresses not only varietal correctness, but is an excellent candidate to showcase what the South Okanagan is capable of for World-Class whites. This makes me hungry to try a late-harvest from the vineyard... and seems a natural for Spatlese or Auslese style. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sp%C3%A4tlese )

2012 Lakehouse (Riesling)

91 points

102 cases produced
whole-cluster pressed
100% stainless steel
Double-Gold; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; pale straw core with watery rim, silvery/golden highlights
• nose:   clean; medium+ intense and youthful bouquet; intoxicating (forgive the pun) layers of honeyed raisins, warm apricot compote, little white Summer flowers dripping with pollen... so sweet it smells like there must be Muscat in the glass
• palate:   clean; off-dry, medium- white grape acid, medium- body, medium- alcohol (12.4% ABV), medium+ intense and youthful flavors perfectly inline with the aromas; lusciously ripe stonefruit is cut by an almost Burgundian (read: Masterful) wet-slate minerality, floral notes are diverse like warm-climate Viognier and the finish is crisp, semi-sweet. Excellent balance, excellent structure, medium+ length
• conclusion:   I would love to watch this wine develop it's aged characteristics, but is sheer pleasure to drink now! Enjoy 2013-2020 and possibly beyond
• FOOD PAIRING:   I want to drink this whilst on a boat - a yacht... I want a loaf of fresh French bread, baguette, even a green-olive ficelle, with soft brie, smoked chicken (or turkey, or duck) thinly sliced, some pickled purple onions and a dab of Rainier-cherry relish.... don't be deceived~! This wine has dimension and depth to handle complicated dishes (Thai, Filipino and Vietnamese foods will adore this wine) but I will savor it's nuances with simple foods, as rich with flavor as it is.

And then we came to the end of the tasting... an innocuous bottle named "Collage". Immediately, crafts-classes from Grade 1 came springing to mind in a most unfashionable-manner. I thought that perhaps this was the end of my lucky-streak of finding rare wine-gems... little did I know~!

I love Washington-State Sangiovese. And when I say love, I mean love in the purest sense! This isn't an infatuation, this isn't puppy-love where I try a bottle and say "oh this is looovely" and then never write about it again. No my friend, Washington-State Sangiovese is worthy of time, of consideration, and most of all; worthy of your money. This is the second time in a month that I've tried it and been stunned. 

2010 "Collage"

70% Barbera, 20% Sangiovese, 10% Cabernet Franc

92 points

250 cases produced
Silver; www.SeattleWineAwards.com

• visual:   clear; full garnet core with slightest cherry rim, no bricking
• nose:   clean; fully intense youthful bouquet of buttery/creamy wood tones, ripe red fruit at the height of Summer, nuanced sous-bois (forest growth) and woody/musky sandalwood, slight eucalyptus/menthol finish
• palate:   clean; dry, full red raspberry/currant acid, medium+ fine tannin, medium- body, medium alcohol (13.8% ABV), medium+ youthful expressions that match the aromas brilliantly! Crisp/tight red berry/fruit tones cavort with a herbaceous undergrowth, whilst a musky backdrop reveals itself. This wine has layers upon layers. Very good balance, stunning structure and medium+ to long length.
• conclusion:   almost a tragedy to drink now - if you must, then decant a minimum 1 hour or double-aerate. Enjoy 2015-2020
• FOOD PAIRING:   this is a wine suited for a prince. Live like a prince for one meal! Chorizo and roasted walnut stuffed partridge breast, cranberry Manitoba wild rice, chevre-stuffed fresh figs torched with "Fireweed" honey, cranberry and fresh thyme essence... yes, perhaps a little overboard, but, don't you deserve it?? This wine needs a little fat to balance those overactive acids and the chorizo will provide just that - but the wild red berry tones will cosy to wild meats and partridge is gamey without being "too" gamey. Cranberry tones enhance the bright red berry tones already there and the fig is a dark fruit which balances. Chevre balances with fat, but a savory fat, and the wild thyme enhances the slight herbaceous tones. Delightful~!

And that, as they say, is that. There are plans to develop the property, and expand the vineyard. But plans are just that: plans. They sometimes go astray and oft lead us to places we never expected. I sincerely hope that your plans, well-laid or not, lead you to Oroville, Washington soon so you can tell me your thoughts on these brilliant wines. The proof is in the glass!

As always, I look forward to your comments, here or on Twitter @AstudentofWine

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

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~!!!

2007 Piesporter "goldtropfchen" Riesling spatlese weingut St URBANS-HOF

Riesling; the longest-lived wine on the planet. Period. There is a barrel of Riesling in a German museum, which is still drinkable and tasted every 5 years by a panel of experts, from the mid-1600's.

   That's right, the wine is almost 400 years old.

   I thought an exclamation point at the end of that last statement would be overkill, but I'm sure you felt the implied emphasis! Riesling is a kind of "magical" varietal and no one is (arguably) better at working with this ancestral vine then the Germans. Baden, the Mosel, Pfalz or the Rheingau ; all of these areas and more, every part of Germany lends something different to it's wine. Some give a clean-slate minerality, others- ripeness of fruit, whilst some offer a baked-honey-utterly-lavish finish to the late-harvest wines that most of the world only dreams of.

   Yes, in Germany the mighty Riesling  becomes more then the sum of it's parts.

   And in Germany, depending on when in the picking season the grape is harvested, the sums of those parts will be given a different name. I suppose I should start by offering that these ingenious folks even have different names for varying levels of quality. Not given arbitrarily, all wines are given rigorous tasting and testing before judgement:

1. Deutcher Tafelwein : basic table wine
2. Deutcher Landwein :  a little better quality, from one of the specific 19 regions
3. Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA):  here's where we start to find some good quality; region specific to only 13 areas... these wines start to speak about where they come from
4. Prädikatswein :  the best quality; this is a new title replacing a much longer one that was easily confused with the third level (especially for non-German speakers)... although these can be dry, they almost always have a lip-smacking, dentist-(un)approved residual sugar. These wines tell a story, and tell it well.

St Urbans-Hof slopes

   So alot of information to digest, but this article is going to focus on one  Prädikatswein in particular: the St Urbans-Hof Riesling Spatlese... always a thing of beauty, this particular vintage (2007) is a true gem. I truly am thankful to the friend and colleague who turned me on to this small band of artisans. 

   Of course, this isn't the first article I've written about the family run winery from the Mosel region ( http://astudentofwine.blogspot.ca/2011/03/riesling-st-urbans-hof-mosel-germany.html ) and I imagine that it won't be my last. These wines are filled with depth, concentration, balance and offer good to excellent value at any price-point.

   You doubt my words? Fine with me, for the proof (as always) is in the glass my friends.

2007 piesporter, goldtropfchen, Riesling-spatlese weingut 

St Urbans-Hof (winery), Leinwen, Mosel, Germany

$55 regular, on-sale at some speciality stores in BC for $39

93 Points
http://www.urbans-hof.de/

wine merchant in BC/Alberta: www.renwine.com
 

let me diverge from my normal style of article and talk about the label for a second, and the litany of words/names that appear.  

piesporter :   name for the (small) wine-growing region around the village of Piesport on the north bank of the Mosel river. Approximately 69 HA
goldtropfchen :   a term used to signify a this regions' top-level wine meaning "little drop of gold" 
Riesling-spatlese :   these Rieslings almost always carry a richer currant of ripe fruit flavors; I often find stonefruit dominant in tasting notes, and because of a generally higher level of residual sugar often have a fuller body and higher alcohol 
weingut :  meaning an estate which is growing grapes for wine, as opposed to purchasing their grapes, purchasing their juice, or growing their grapes for someone else's wine
Leinwen : is the name of the small town and Mosel as stated earlier is the region

• visual:   clear; ultra pale straw core with gold and silver highlights
• nose:   clean; fully intense and developing aromas of warm hay, honey, ripe stonefruit and stewed apricots, a super-intense line of crisp/vibrant minerality is piercing and yet balances thr ripe fruit perfectly
• palate:   clean; off-dry (64.7 grams sugar/L), full (yellow grapefruit) acids, moderate- body, moderate- alcohol (9% ABV), fully intense and developing flavors that mimick the nose with that strong current of minerality running rampant throughout... a strong spicy finish reminiscent of great Gewurztraminer. Excellent balance, very good structure and long length
• conclusion:   already drinking well, this wine has the acidity and sugar levels to ensure a long life in the cellar, but will not develop appreciably. Drink 2012-2025
• FOOD PAIRINGS:   use the sugars to best effect! Consider grilled lobster with fresh Thai basil coconut sauce on roasted peanut rice noodles and steamed gai-lan ... lobster loves Riesling  and a slightly spicy sauce will play well off the residual sugar in the wine. The mineral tones will embrace the earthy flavors from roasted nuts and the fresh vegetable will act as a little palate cleanser.

looking DOWN the slopes at St Urbans-Hof

    So many names, so many descriptive words. The Germans seem determined to make something as simple as fermented grape-juice as complex as they can. But what are we talking about? What is wine?

   Wine is more then just the grapes, more then just the fermentation process, or the maturation. Wine is more even then the people that perform all these tasks and more. Wine is a sometimes magical process that allows the grapes to tell the story of the land and the people that they come from.

   Perhaps a simple concept, but not an easy task. St Urbans-Hof has managed to do just that; with the German concepts of name, name, naming I can start to understand that story a little better from the moment I pick up the bottle. I know where this wine is from, and a bit about the people who made it. They're proud of what they've done, to put their name on the label so prominently.

   And so they should be

Nik Weis, current winemaker/proprietor

As always, I welcome your comments and questions.

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