The rant on Malborough Sauvignon Blanc is going to have to wait as, with Christmas creeping up, our guests have started peering into the higher reaches of our wine list giving me a chance to taste some interesting aged wines from New Zealand's preeminent region for Bordeaux style reds.
Esk Valley The Terraces 1995
This wine was quite inky and thick in the glass with a hint of purple to the hue, very gradually lightening at the rim. The colour can probably be attributed to the high percentage of Malbec in the blend, which was 35% in 1995 (with 45% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc making up the rest). It had a lovely rich nose of plum and prune (but not in a bad, oxidised way but rather the unctuous softness of prunes) with an underlying sense of something floral. There was a sensation of sweetness at the front of the palate, perhaps cinnamon, and all those lovely soft fruit flavours from the nose, fine tannins and a warm earthiness. This is a sexy, supple wine and the softness belies a good strucure. A lovely vinatge still with so much to offer.
Te Awa Boundary 1998
This was a disappointment even from the colour in the glass which was showing obvious signs of oxidation in a pinkish brown brick, badly thinning at the rim. The nose was exhibiting "prune but in a bad way" that is the polar opposite of the richness of The Terraces. There was still a little fruit on the nose but what was detactable underneath the prune was very light, tending towards redcurrants and a suggestion of citrus and clove. After a sip the wine seemed to re-group itself and presented its best side with a little chocolate and cedar at the front as the Cabernet came through but after this it fell away ending with slightly bitter red fruits. Unfortunately this was a great example of a good wine past its best. Tired.
The next wine made me wince. There was a touch of the Vidal Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 left in the decanter giving us the chance to try another wine from the hugely applauded 1998 vintage from the Hawke's Bay. But even from the nose it was obviously corked. Overpoweringly musty wet blanket and dank with no discernable fruit flavour showing through. I wasn't brave enough to try it although Rich did (and immediately spat it out). The horror (and the desire to find something redeeming in the wine) stemmed from the fact that a table of four Americans had 'enjoyed it' over dinner and there is definite cringe factor in the Sommelier not picking up the musty smell as he decanted it. A real shame also the guests who were unfamiliar with New Zealand wine were given such a bad experience.
On a slightly different note but touching on the 1998 vintage from the Hawke's Bay again. I've had a couple of opportunities to try the Te Mata Coleraine 1998 recently and just wanted to throw my two cents in the ring. I've no doubt that New Zealand Bordeaux style blends have the ability to age (not all NZ wines are drink-me-now fruit bombs), and the 1995 Terraces is ample proof of this, but on last tasting the Coleraine 1998 I was struck at how disjointed the wine still appears. It presents quite grippy tannins and somehow there is a hole in the middle of the Cabernet that the Merlot is failing to fill up. It's possible that the wine is still closed and we are still waiting for it to blossom, it's certainly dense enough. Ah well, just a thought.
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