Published NZME Regional Newspapers Tue 19 Jan 2016
Love me tender? Hardly…
They say trying to buy houses is one of the most stressful things for any relationship. I would go further and say that trying to buy a house via ‘tender’ is actually THE most stressful thing. The sheer, bewildering, ambiguity of being in that situation for weeks or sometimes months is enough to send any couple sideways. That tug of war between how badly you want the house to how badly you don’t want to be penniless at the end of every month. From how emotionally gun-stapled to the gatepost of said dream-house you are, to how desperately hard you try not to show it whenever the agent is around. Where there’s bravado at the bank followed by much hand-wringing and tension at the lawyer’s office. Open homes, inspections, sleepless nights and anxious days poring over LIM reports and compliance certificates, researching regional real estate statistics and then being told by everyone “just put your best offer forward”. For heavens sake – what if that ‘best offer’ is way under, or worse, way over what the sellers are looking for? It’s the not having a ballpark that’s the killer. So after going through this process more times than I care to remember, I am today officially saying that when it comes to tenders, for the sake of my marriage, family and sanity “I’m done. Stick a fork in me”.
But Yvonne what does this have to do with wine you may ask? Let’s just say that I almost needed to order another glass bin for my recycling because of all the extra chardonnay that went under the bridge during the last one. Good chardonnay like the Spade Oak Voysey Gisborne Chardonnay 2014 $18.50 that oozes dried pineapple, roast peach and slices of toast dripping with melted butter with cinnamon sprinkled on top and finishing with a splash of juicy grapefruit. That’s what kept me from going postal.
Mahana Clays and Gravels Nelson Riesling 2014 $30 ★★★★
Arriving in a slimline, classic germanic blue-green bottle, this ultra-pure, intense lime and crabapple-scented riesling has a steely dry, lip smacking texture and a finely-tuned, length finish. Just the faintest seam of honeysuckle adds complexity and juiciness. Great drinking now but give it another 2-3 years and it’ll absolutely sing. www.mahana.co.nz
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 17 Plateau Merlot 2014 $33 ★★★★½
Cleverly crafted by winemakers Matt Thomson and Hamish Clark (who has a background in microbiology, zoology and forensic science interestingly enough) from fruit grown in the Gimblett Gravels, this is a wine with deeply earthy aromas of chocolate, liquorice and cured meats. Those same characters soak through onto the palate lifting peppery spices, dark fruit and dried herb notes into the fore. It’s elegant and stylish but has serious punch, a bit like a kickboxer in a ballgown. www.saintclair.co.nz
Church Road Hawke’s Bay Syrah 2013 $20 ★★★★★
I really, really, really, really like this wine for loads of reasons. It’s not just its elegant aromas of peppercorn, plum, violet and red fruits freshly dusted with cocoa powder, or its buoyant acidity and ethereal texture or even its sandy, emery-like tannins with just the right amount of ‘chew’. It’s mainly that all that good stuff can be had for just $20. Widely available in supermarkets.
Allan Scott Cecilia Brut Vintage 2011 $28 ★★★★
The Scott family have been making wine in Marlborough since way back in 1990, however it’s only been in recent years that their sparkling wines have really started to make a real impact, well on my palate anyway. This vintage Methode Traditionnelle is crafted from chardonnay only (as opposed to the usual blend of chardonnay and pinot noir) in a blanc de blanc style. Crisp, lemony and cashew-like aromas and mid-palate characters lead to clean, delicate oyster-shell and wet stone mineral note on the finish. It’s a quality sparkling wine indeed. www.allanscott.com
Music Bay ‘Summer’ Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $15 ★★★
This is one of those super-easy, ‘drink it, don’t overthink it’ wines that ticks all the boxes for all those good things like passionfruit, peach, hints of fresh herb, capsicum and cut grass flavours. It’s definitely a sauvignon to savour now – don’t go stashing it away thinking it’s going to improve with age. Just pop a bottle in the fridge for an hour, pour and enjoy in the sun. www.wineandmore.co.nz
