an absolute steal

It's easy to get carried away by the thrill of the new. And it's easy to be impressed by lavish wineries that cost millions. Forward thinking, techno-savvy winemakers and glamorous packaging. Or at least it's easy here in Nu Zillund where the gravitas of time and tradition has less sway than it might. Often a winery's best vintage is the most recent vintage as technique and understanding grow and in light of all this it can be easy to disregard a phrase like

"New Zealand wine since 1905"

This is the tag line for Vidal. A Hawke's Bay winery that's part of the Villa Maria group but proud of their independence and heritage. And a winery that really over-delivers with elegant wines full of strucure and harmony.

A tasting of their Reserve range earlier in the week highlighted just how thoughtful and well made these wines are. I realise I'm waxing lyrical but the Vidal Reserve Hawkes Bay Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon 2002 caused even more tactiturn types than myself to certain flights of fancy.

With 6 years in the bottle this is just starting to come into its own exhibiting bewitching complexity. The aroma is intoxicating, showing a dusty pencil quality which overlays rich black cherry fruit and game. The flavour is defined, structured and balanced with satisfying black plum, cassis and earth. Classic, classy, elegant. a 1 bottle wine.

and at $40 recommended retail..... an absolute steal.

My new favourite game

I'm not sure why but the wine adventurer voice in my head is getting more vociferous. Shopping for wine is always a pleasure but it's getting to be something of an extreme sport also... I can't go past the challenge of a bin end sale and I keep coming home with wine I know nothing about or wine, as in this case, that could be well past its prime. The Wirra Wirra Adelaide Hills Chardonnay 2002 at only $21.00 could have been a disaster waiting to happen. Inexpensive Chardonnay from the New World doesn't have a great track record for aging well and the buttery monsters that Australia has been famous for producing tend to go flabby and 'old fridge' in no time flat; even acres of new oak can't keep all that butter from splitting. Still, the cool climate of the Adelaide hills region does produce some of the more elegant wine coming out of Australia.

Deep yellow gold with an aroma of marmalade on hot buttered toast. I felt like a hint of 'old fridge' was hiding underneath the orange zest but then it was gone and I haven't found it since. The palate is layered. Charred caramel and wholemeal. Ripe grapefruit and last of the summer nectarine. Tobacco flower and a leesy almost yoghurt like creaminess at the heart of the wine flowing around a wild funkiness (10% indigenous yeast). So grown up and definitely not overgrown it finishes with caraway spice. Mellow, ample, supple and distinct.

AND this got better and better the more I let it sit in the glass. It loved being room temperature and just kept giving. (Jeez I'm waxing lyrical I know but I'm falling in love with what I thought was a mistake, or perhaps I'm drinking too fast).