Bid you Good Day
The oldest and most prestigious wine auction in the Southern Hemisphere is almost upon us and it’s definitely a highlight for me. Kicking off on November 11th at 1pm is the 26th Annual Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction, where the regions most revered wine producers offer one-off, exclusive lots, (many in collaboration with artists, luxury accommodation providers and restaurants) to be auctioned for the benefit of Cranford Hospice Foundation Trust. This year 44 auction lots are up for grabs, consisting of spectacular wines and also creatively tasty, combined wine and tourism offerings. Keenly anticipated in the lead up to the auction is also the announcement of who the contemporary artist is that’ll be commissioned to create the signature art lot.
This year the Hawke’s Bay Wine Auction team have worked alongside one of Hawke’s Bay’s leading contemporary art galleries, Parlour Projects, to bring in the very talented Ben Pearce. Ben has created a gravity-defying, stacked, sculptural work in Corton steel called Aspect 1. Art aside, you could also bid on entire vertical collections of Babich Patriarch, commemorative lots and exclusive appellation blends. There’ll be more whole barriques (225lt), half barriques (112lt) and quarter barriques (56lt) of wine up for ownership than you can shake a spittoon at, plus there’ll be mountains of magnums, jeroboams and exclusive bottlings of all manner of highly collectable wines that’ll make you the envy of your friends. Fancy a Central Hawke’s Bay trout fishing excursion and a chardonnay-filled lunch? Tukipo River Estate have that sorted. Fancy a private degustation dinner at Te Awa, or an exclusive lunch prepared by Jeremy Rameka, owner of Cuisine Magazine’s Best Restaurant of the Year 2017 award? You can bid for them! There’ll be NZ Symphony Orchestra concerts and sojourns to Vanuatu as well. The passion of the people there and pedigree of what’s on offer means there really is no other event like it in the New Zealand wine calendar, and the best thing is, while tickets are only $50, you don’t even need to be there in person to get your hands on something rare and regal. Just get a syndicate of friends together, visit www.hawkesbaywineauction.co.nz to see what’s on offer, and get bidding! Absentee bidder forms are on the site.
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Valli Gibbston Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Gris 2016 $30 (5 star)
Created by the master pinot craftsman Grant Taylor, comes my new favourite pinot gris. Lovely nashi pear, peach and the softest of ginger flavours makes this Gibbston-grown gris kick start a happy dance in the mouth. With a rich, creamy, textural mouthfeel and huge palate appeal, you’d best be quick to get your mits on this generously quince-packed, quencher that absolutely roars with personality and zing. Love it!
www.valliwine.com
Hawkdun Rise HR Central Otago Pinot Noir 2014 $40 (4 star)
John Grant and Suzanne Bali-Grant run the Hawkdun Rise property on Letts Gully Road in Alexandra. Their HR pinot noir is floral and feisty on the nose, all raspberry tea and cherry. It’s a lighter style which shows soft waves of cherry and pomegranate that sneak up and grip you around the gums. Textural and terrific with duck liver parfait.
www.vineyardstay.co.nz
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Here’s your champion triple-threat from the 2017 New World Wine Awards…
Saint Clair Premium Marlborough Chardonnay 2016 $14.95 (4 stars)
This is a real crowd-pleaser of a chardonnay that ticks all the boxes for tropical tastiness, toasty, nutty notes and some plucky peachy layers that’ll keep everyone happy. Softer-styled and supple acidity adds extra complexity to the mouthfeel.
www.saintclair.co.nz
Forrest Marlborough Rosé 2017 $22 (5 stars)
Ever felt let down by rosé that lacks body and bounce? The fret no more because this little cracker from Marlborough pioneer’s Forrest Estate, has buckets of raspberry, strawberry and creaming soda characters and bright acidity make this a fruit fest of a rosé if ever there was one.
www.forrest.co.nz
Saint Clair Premium Marlborough Pinot Noir 2015 $23.99 (5 stars)
Punchy and perfumed with black tea, spice and ripe plummy notes, this is a slippery, succulent, super-easy, red fruited refresher. Fresh and youthful as opposed to those super-earthy, leathery, horsey, sweaty pinots that are out there. Bright, breezy and easy-pleasy. www.glengarrywines.co.nz
