Hospitality Business March 2020

Page 48

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DOUG N O R E M A BY C

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intage 2020 has started in earnest with the first of the harvest underway beginning February 12th. Most of the fruit harvested is for sparkling wine base. Sparkling wine fruit is always harvested earlier than the main harvest as is requires quite a lot more acidity to get it through the primary fermentation and then another secondary ferment in bottle and then onto to bottle maturation time. Overall, the vintage is looking excellent for most regions. Unfortunately, parts of Canterbury and most of Central Otago have experienced unseasonal weather events, mostly cooler-than-expected weather and too much rain. Northland is bone-dry and in drought, with grape growers desperate to keep their vines watered. We won’t be seeing any wines from the 2020 vintage till at least August when the first Rosé, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc wines are released. In the meantime, there is an abundance of early-release wines to look out for and many of them with a specific story to tell. For example, the Neudorf Tiritiri Sauvignon 2019 is a new release from this Nelson Organic producer. A new tier in the Neudorf portfolio the Tiritiri Growers Series acknowledges their support for supplier growers in the Nelson area. X Wines is a relatively new player in the wine sector, with most wines coming from Hawke’s Bay. Owner and winemaker Tim Adams recently released a rather delicious field blend white wine. A field blend is essentially a wine that is made from whatever varieties are grown and harvested from a single site. Most of the time the winemaker knows what varieties are in the vineyard, but occasionally this is unknown. This makes for an interesting winemaking challenge, but also allows the winemaker to step back a little and let the wine tell its own story. X Wines is a tiny brand with fewer than 2,000 cases produced annually. When you are describing a wine for a customer don’t hesitate to tell a little of the story underpinning the wine and how it came to be included in your portfolio.

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TOHU REWA MARLBOROUGH BLANC DE BLANCS MÉTHODE TRADITIONNELLE 2015 This 100% Chardonnay has a very captivating bouquet with aromas and flavours of white peach and red apple, fine lees toasty quality and developing complexity. On the palate in particular the wine has a light+ weight, elegant fine mousse with a satin chalk texture balanced and contrasted by the fruit and non-fruit flavours of white-fleshed stone fruits, apple and citrus. A lovely wine with great balance and length. Drinking well now and through 2025. Points 94 RRP $30.55 Distributor: Kono Beverages Phone: (0800) 864 894 www.kono.co.nz

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JACKSON ESTATE VINTAGE WIDOW MARLBOROUGH PINOT NOIR 2016 A bouquet loaded with Pinosity – red berry fruits and roses, plums and violet, soft dried herb and crushed stone minerality. Detailed slowly revealing complexities as the wine opens up in the glass. On the palate – satin textures are contrasted by firm youthful tannins and noticeable acid line and in turn contrasted by a core of fruit with flavours that reflect the nose. I really like the way this wine holds my attention with mid-palate weight and flavour. A lovely Pinot Noir just beginning to integrate. Needs time. Best drinking from 2021 through 2026. Decant for service before then. Points 93 RRP $45.00 Distributor: Hancocks Wine Spirits and Beer Merchants Phone: (0800) 699 463 www.jacksonestate.co.nz

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Cameron Douglas is New Zealand’s first and only Master Sommelier. An experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant, he is academically in charge of the Wine and Beverage Programme at AUT University in Auckland and is Patron of the New Zealand Sommeliers and Wine Professionals Association. Douglas consults to a variety of establishments, taking care of their wine lists, wine and food pairings, and staff training matters and he currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Court of Master Sommeliers Americas. 12  | HB – THE SHOUT NZ | MARCH 2020


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