Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 5 Jan 2016
Bubbles causes a real raquet…
For the next fortnight, fans of backhands, forehands, faults and aces, loves, deuces, advantages, serves, volley’s, outs and on-court tantrums will be going bats and balls over the ASB Classic in Auckland. Usuallly tennis is the domain of pimms and cucumber sandwiches, however this year some seriously fine sparkles is getting in on the action.
Ticketholders this year will be able to visit the ever-so-elegant Moët & Chandon Champagne Lounge to enjoy a flute of champagne and nibble on fizz and food matches including a snapper slider with japanese slaw and eton mess served with fresh strawberries, mint and Moët and Chandon Rosé champagne cream. And if the thought of nursing a glass of champage and foody treats whilst watching the on-court battles of some of the world’s leading athletes wasn’t enough, you could also bag yourself a bit of statement bling.
Local designers Naveya & Sloane have created just two bespoke champagne diamond rings worth $20,000, one to give away to one lucky lounge visitor, the other will grace the digits of returning tennis star (and all-round style maven) Ana Ivanovic, second seed and 2014 champion.
In addition to commissioning snazzy pieces of jewellery, the folk at Moët and Chandon have also gussied up one of their bottles with gold leaf with the sole purpose of auctioning it off to benefit CanTeen NZ. A massive, gold leaf-covered 6litre Methuselah bottle valued at $30,000 was showcased at a red carpet event back on November 26th and recently sold for thousands of dollars at an online auction for the charity, which I think is a fantastic achievement. There are rumours that the champagne house will possibly create another gold bottle in 2016 that’ll also be up for grabs to a lucky bidder. Wine companies donating unique wines to benefit worthy causes is something I’d like to see more of – so I’ll be watching that auction with interest.
Giesen ‘The Brothers’ Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2014 $29.80 ★★★★
An explosion of lychee and ginger, peach and plush, musky sweetness is going to hit you in this ripe, rumpty gewürztraminer that’ll have you asking for another glass pronto. If the tropical, spicy, juicy flavours don’t wow you, then the pure, refreshing, finish definitely will. While it’s a darn tasty wine to drink now, I’m also thinking a couple of extra years in the cellar (if you’re disciplined enough) could add some extra layers of honeysuckle and spice. Great with garlic and chilli prawns. www.giesen.co.nz
Beach House ‘The Levels’ Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014 $35 ★★★★★
Crafted from the ‘Stony Beach Gravels’ of the Te Awanga coastline, this is a stonkingly good chardonnay that oozes smoked grapefruit, roast peach, juicy stonefruit intensity all rugged up in a blanket of vanilla, buttered cinnamon toast and cashew characters. Fresh, funky and quite simply outstanding. www.beachhouse.co.nz
St John’s Road ‘Line & Length’ Barossa Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 $20 ★★★½
Here’s a bottle of banging Barossa cabernet that’ll tick all your boxes if you’re looking for bolshy sweet plum and blackcurrant notes, chocolate, peppercorn and classic minty characters. There’s a plush, fleshy sweetness, fruitcake spices and a smoky, toasty finish that just cries out for beef sausages straight off the BBQ. www.winedirect.co.nz
Take a step sideways into two wines from brands that’ve recently gone through some major re-branding. The labels are slick, the stories are solid and most important, the wines are seriously good.
Bannock Brae Goldfields Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 $30 ★★★★
This is one heck of an exotically perfumed pinot made for the Bannockbrae team by world-class winemaking wahine, Sarah-Kate (SK) Dineen. Boasting plum, black tea, hedgerow fruits, savoury, peppery notes and a chunk of cherry on the palate, it has freshness, buoyancy and real character. The spice layers and solid tannic grip make for real interest on the finish too. Huge potential here. www.bannockbrae.co.nz
Mahana Clays and Gravels Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2014 $25 ★★★★
Previously known as ‘Woollaston Estate’, this is sauvignon blanc made ‘off road’ in that it’s about as far removed from the clean, green, crispy-clean style that New Zealand is famous for. Ripe fruit was fermented on its skins (to extract chew and astringency for texture), then the wine was aged for 12 months in a combination of oak puncheons and acacia barrels and the lees stirred regularly to add layers of silky creaminess. The result is a sauvignon showing lemongrass, pepper, lime, lean acidity and toasty oak complexity. Outstanding stuff. www.mahana.nz
