Earlier in the week I celebrated a birthday which landed me firmly on the wrong side of 40 but I’ve decided to not give any figs because I still feel like a 20 year old. I’m also secretly happy each time I notch up another birthday because it means I’ve had another year of getting better at being an embarrassment to my children. Gotta have goals right.
One young’un who is fast on his way to achieving some serious goals in the wine business is Connal Finlay. Earlier this month Connal became the only New Zealander to graduate with the WSET (Wine & Spirits Education Trust) Diploma of Wine in 2016. Not ony was he the only New Zealander present and graduating, he was also named the “Youngest ever graduate of the WSET Diploma of Wine” at just 21 years old. Held in London’s Guildhall with over five hundred of the most influential professionals in the global drinks industry in attendance (including Jancis Robinson MW), it’s a huge event that showcases the best new talent emerging in the beverage business. The WSET Level 4 Diploma is considered one of the highest qualifications of its type and only 9000 people around the world have ever achieved it.
Starting out adult life as a baker upon finishing high school, at the ripe old age of 18 it was suggested to him that he had a good palate and might benefit from doing some training in wine. So he applied for a 3 month WSET course having never tried a drop in his life, soaked himself in study and quickly began topping the class. Fast forward to 2016 and not only did he become the youngest ever holder of the WSET Wine Diploma, he also began a BSc in Chemistry and Biology at Auckland University with a focus on aromatic/organoleptic sciences. If that wasn’t enough to make you feel like a low achiever, Connal also launched an online wine retailing & wine knowledge business called www.thecellar.store.
If you or anyone you know has an interest in gaining a wine industry qualification, then I absolutely encourage you to follow Connal’s path and go directly to the New Zealand School of Wines & Spirits for info on how to become one of our new wine professionals www.nzsws.co.nz
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Pegasus Bay Waipara Chardonnay 2015 $41 (5stars)
If you can catch a whiff of struck match on your first sniff then welcome to the world of sulphide complexity, something I love o see a little bit of in my chardonnay. With smoked pineapple, grapefruit and grilled peach characters zigzagging across the palate and erupting on the finish – it’s a super stylish example from this aristocrat producer. A meal in itself, sure. But unbutton that belt and sip with roast chicken boasting bacon rashers under the breast
Delta Hatters Hill Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 $34 (5stars)
I really enjoy this kind of pinot noir, the kind that packs a punch with a fistful of fruit in a cloud of sexy spices. Plush cherry and raspberry layers are interwoven with sweet black tea and allspice on the nose and palate, the acidity adds succulence and juiciness to the mouthfeel and the tannins are super-smooth, silky and soft – yet the wine has beautiful structure and solidity on the finish. Love it!
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Stay in sync with some pink this summer and indulge in these crisp, dry, berry-driven beauties…
Gladstone Wairarapa Rosé 2016 $25 (4.5 stars)
I adore the pink diamond-ballet shoe hue of this gorgeous little pinot rose from down Gladstone way and I love its seductive, candied aromas and layers of raspberry, creaming soda and juicy red fruits on the palate. Boasting classic cherry and berries and cream characters alongside lip-puckering acidity makes this absolutely magical. Organically produced by a team who are 100% sustainability focused, here’s a pink treat that’s perfect with salmon on spiced cranberry couscous.
www.gladstonevineyard.co.nz
Bannock Brae Cathy’s Central Otago Rosé 2016 $22 (4 stars)
Crafted from 100% pinot noir grown on Catherine and Crawford Brown’s Cairnmuir Road vineyard, this is a super-bright, raspberry and wild cherry-soaked rosé that’ll definitely win friends and influence people this summer. The fruit concentration rocks across the palate, while the nose is so floral and fabulous, it takes some discipline to not dip your finger in the glass and dab some behind your ears. Juicy beyond belief, and just delicious with tandoori chicken thighs drizzled with spicy yoghurt.
www.bannockbrae.co.nz
French Peak Banks Peninsula Rosé 2016 $20 (4 stars)
Nowhere are Canterbury’s subregional differences more “Holy Nora!” obvious, than in the wines from Banks Peninsula. Thanks to constant sea breezes, the vines remain clean and dry and the wines extremely pure as a result. This pinot noir rose is pink-diamond-pale, scented with delicate watermelon and raspberry and on the palate there’s a pink grapefruit/blood orange intensity which makes it juicy and concentrated. Plus I love its incredible, textural length of flavour. Sip with curried shrimp salad
www.frenchpeakwines.com
