The passing of Labour weekend is always a happy turning point of the year for me. It’s the start of beach season and by ‘beach’ I mean the husband starts looking for every opportunity to get the boat out. He’ll hunt around for lucky cray pot spots, drop a line or three in the hope of catching some fat, juicy gurnard or, if the visibility is good, he may even flop over the side with a snorkel and try to spy some paua for fritters in the late afternoon.
These are three of my four favourite foods (prawns being the fourth) and I love the fact that I can cook and eat them any which way, and I only need one wine to provide the perfect match; and that’s sauvignon blanc. Classic Marlborough sauvignon will do the trick, crunchy-fresh and packed with passion fruit, green herbs and lime-laden loveliness. But if you’re not a fan of anything too acidic then best you reach for a more tropical, creamy style, like a barrel fermented example from the warmer North Island climes.
Speaking of sauvignon blanc, if you happen to find yourself in Tamaki Makaurau (or Auckland to the less te reo inclined) between October 19 and November 16, then you could punch over to Parnell to indulge in a little bit of Marlborough’s finest in the form of a ‘pop-up’. ‘Cloudy Bay Sail Away’ at 46 & York restaurant is running for four weeks and will include a completely new fitout for the iconic Parnell establishment, an exciting array of food and wine pairings and an exclusive release of Cloudy Bay library vintages available for visitors to enjoy. So if you’re a fan of snazzy food and wine pairings then this could just be your cloud nine dine, because chef Sam Mannering has created a four course tasting menu designed to work a charm with all the current Cloudy Bay vintages.
Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2016 $36 ★★★★½
This new vintage of what’s become an Antipodean icon, has all the hallmarks of becoming another stunner. I say ‘becoming’ because despite this wine already boasting punchy basil, sweet pea, passionfruit and crunchy-fresh citrus and floral characters – I personally really love drinking this wine in the height of summer, a few months on from release when that mouthfeel becomes even more intensely juicy and the finish lingers long. Lovely stuff. www.cloudybay.co.nz
Stonecroft Gimblett Gravels Crofters Syrah 2015 $22 ★★★½
If you’re after pure peppercorn and light violet layers in your syrah then you’ve come to the right place. A brisk, sandy texture in the mid-palate and some punchy plum and boysenberry fruit forces its way across the tongue and around the back teeth. The finish is juicy and bright, moderately spicy and definitely nicey.
www.stonecroft.co.nz …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
Matawhero Gisborne Merlot 2016 $22 ★★★★
For a red that’s only just been bottled and released, this is drinking darn gorgeously. Ripe, round, plush plum and milk chocolate notes on the nose and palate, it’s dangerously smooth and velvety in the mouth and boasts a long, warming finish. Subtle fruitcake spices, pepper and hints of red berry add to the fruit core and make this a very drinkable wine indeed.
www.matawhero.co.nz
Allan Scott Generations Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 ★★★★
Softer and much creamier than most squint-inducing Marlborough sauvignon blancs, this wine has a hint of toast and watercress on the nose, marzipan and just a sneaky squeak of lemongrass, lime zest and dried herbs. It’s Marlborough sauvignon but with an edgy, slightly smoky side. Allan Scott’s son Josh heads the winemaking team and he’s a fan of this softer style which I think is gorgeous with steamed mussels stuffed with coriander, chilli, ginger and garlic.
www.allanscott.com
De La Terre Hawke’s Bay Barbera 2014 $43 ★★★★½
‘De La Terre’ means ‘of the earth’, which fits as they have New Zealand’s only earth brick winery building up on the Taihape Road. ‘They’ are Tony and Kaye Prichard, who’ve been working on their own label following Tony’s departure from Church Road a little over a decade ago. Barbera is super-rare and the Prichard’s only make a few hundred bottles each year of this brisk, berry-driven, tamarillo-infused, Christmas cake spiced sensation. Sip with Bangladeshi Lamb and tomato curry.
www.advintage.co.nz
