It’s that time of the year, when the ducks are quacking and the deer are on the roar. The menfolk shake the spiders out of their swanndri’s and talk in code to each other on the phone, hatching plans to hunt and kill anything with fur or feathers. They leave at dusk or dawn and arrive home late, smelling of strong drink and swelling with pride as they drop a blood-stained, plastic bag containing some shot-pocked bit of bird or bambi in the sink. The rest of the household are obliged to coo congratulatory remarks as they attempt to turn it into something resembling dinner.
Old family recipes come out and crockpots are cranked up in the hope of creating culinary magic – or at least a casserole of sorts. But whatever your concoction of deer or duck, if you pair it with a glass of good pinot noir, even a ropey old rissole can transform into a triumph.
Pronounced ‘Pee–no noo-ar’, the name is thought to refer to the shape of the bunch – in that it looks like a pine ‘pin’ cone. Tiny, conical and compact. Pinot noir is often referred to as the moody teenager of the grape world. Occasionally it realises that life doesn’t suck so badly at a relatively young age and can turn out plucky, positive and dependable. Unfortunately many stay sulky, spotty and evil-tongued for years, ‘til by some miracle of nature they might morph into something worth cooking for.
New Zealanders have a confusing relationship with pinot noir, and I guess it’s because many people have never been able to get their chops around a good one.
Perhaps they’ve never had cause to go that extra mile where wine is concerned or the money just hasn’t been handy. And good pinot costs. Unless you’ve been banned from your local wine shop for the last few years (oh, the horror!), you’ll have noticed that the price of a decent pinot is more than twice that of any other quaffing red, that’s because it’s incredibly hard to grow well. There are pinot’s on the market at $15 or less – but in my experience, they’re just soft, easy red wines, light, fruity and great for the friend that “doesn’t really drink red wine”. They’re not in the ‘good pinot’ league.
Quest Farm Grand Central Pinot Noir 2014 $28 (4 stars)
If silky, slippery, spice-saturated pinot noir for under $30 is your jam then get the good glasses out of the cabinet and get ready to pour. Crafted by Mark Mason (one of the founders of Sacred Hill) and viticultural consultant Michelle Crawford, this frisky four year old has buckets of moody, broody cherry and boxwood flavours, earthy notes and a lick of smoke and raspberry tea on the finish. Delicious with roast duck.
www.planetwine.co.nz
Black Barn Hawke’s Bay Pinot Gris 2017 $26 (4 stars)
Winemaker Dave McKee showed up on my doorstep recently, clutching a bottle of this shiny new wine looking grinny and proud. Deservedly so. Luxuriously textured, bursting with baked apple and spiced pear, white pepper and naturally juicy citrus characters. A hint of quince and racy acidity to finish shoots this gris into the sip-o-sphere. It jumps along your tongue like your tastebuds are a BMX track and you’re on the whoop-de-doos if you remember what that’s like.
www.blackbarn.com
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May is about to end. I think 2018 should be given an Olympic sprint medal because it’s speed so far is beyond scary.
Hãhã Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2017 $17.99 (3.5 stars)
Brand spanky and bursting with berries, this merlot is lighter in style than the previous vintage, but has a silky, spice-driven backbone and a warming, cuddly, savoury sippability. It’s a soft, supple, crowd pleaser of a wine with buckets of berries to put smile on everyone’s’ face.
Available in supermarkets everywhere.
Toño Mas O Menos 2015 $17.95 (3.5 stars)
Crafted by local lad Antony Mackenzie, Toño (Ton Yo) are a new twist on Spanish wines being grown in sunny Hawke’s Bay and it’s also the nickname of ‘Antonio’ in the Spanish language. This blend includes 55% Syrah, 30% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘Mas o Menos’ means ‘More or Less’ which is the case as Ant’s ‘Lyons Hillside’ vineyard was frosted in 2015, meaning he had some Syrah but only one barrel of Tempranillo (usually there’d be four) – so a blend occurred. Spicy berries, loads of violet and pepper layers and a solid, freshly-structured finish makes it a quality quaffer for sure.
www.blackmarket.co.nz
Urlar Select Parcels Gladstone Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $29 (5 stars)
This is an absolutely stunning example of a softly, beautifully balanced, barrel fermented style that’s organically and biodynamically produced. I love that it has aromas of fresh pollen, subtle lime, marzipan and lemongrass rather than the traditional passionfruit and cats pee. Deliciously textural and showing soft herbaceousness, nutty notes and a layer of freshy-baled hay-like loveliness, I absolutely adore this wine and I really want you to try it too.
For stockists near you email: angus@urlar.co.nz
