The wine consumer can be forgiven for being somewhat sauvignon blanc centric when it comes to Marlborough, it is after all the grape and unique style that the whole world identifies with the region. So, no surprises if the audience is a little tone-deaf to media noises of chardonnay on the rise (and pinot noir for that matter) in Marlborough. However, it is visionary vineyards like Nautilus Estate that have been championing chardonnay for thirty years that substantiate the unstoppable progress of chardonnay in region.  

Actually, it’s not just Marlborough that chardonnay is on the rise, it is all of New Zealand, and many of the heavyweights of the wine writing world are saying so, like Jancis Robinson MW in her recent article The world’s great Chardonnays “I have long argued that New Zealand makes even better Chardonnay than Sauvignon Blanc, but market forces are clearly a great deal more persuasive than my bleating…” click here for full article.  

Comparisons to France and White Burgundy are inevitable so I’d like to put my hand up early for Chablis, as a generalization of Marlborough’s style of chardonnay with focal points on purity of fruit and pronounced minerality. It makes sense that Marlborough’s ancient river gravels and greywacke soils will impart distinct minerality, particularly on the valley floor, as is the Renwick Vineyard, the source of Nautilus Chardonnay for thirty years. With its high sunshine hours and cool night time temperatures, purity and vibrancy of fruit flavours and naturally high acidities and freshness are the hallmark of Marlborough.

All that said, chardonnay is very malleable in the winery and the temptations of winemaker’s interventions can put an indelible stamp on the wine. Clive Jones, winemaker at Nautilus Estate has made the all of the last twenty vintages of chardonnay and with his experience has evolved the Nautilus style of minimal intervention with whole bunch pressing direct to barrel to give a higher level of solids in the natural (wild yeast) ferments. It is a markedly restrained style with careful use of oak that benefits greatly with bottle age building in complexity yet retaining freshness (see tasting note of 2015 Nautilus Chardonnay below).”

What impresses me most with Nautilus Estate Chardonnay is the focus on authenticity; to consistently produce wine expressing its terroir from vintage to vintage from a specific vineyard site. As Clive Jones comments,“Looking back through a vertical tasting, there is a very consistent thread through our Chardonnays…. Nautilus Chardonnay has a true sense of place, driven by our 30-year heritage, at the spiritual home at our Chardonnay – our Nautilus Renwick Vineyard.”  

The 2018 Nautilus Estate Chardonnay should start appearing on many restaurant wine lists soon and is thoroughly drinkable now, however keep a lookout for aged releases. Better still buy a case or two for your cellar and enjoy it as it evolves of the next 5 years plus. https://www.nautilusestate.com/

Cheers!

The Wandering Palate

www.thewanderingpalate.com

Nautilus Estate Chardonnay 2018

The nose opens with ripe peach and nectarine with subtle tropical hints of mango and persimmon, some youthful banana-like fermentation esters with almond nougat and a lace of manuka honey backgrounded by zesty lemon and distinct minerally river gravels. The palate is soft and creamy textured with lemon curd, lemon meringue pie, nuances of custard yet refreshingly tangy with nectarine and peach all nicely integrating with nutty oak and buttery malolactic fermentation notes. Overall a perfectly balanced and restrained medium-weight chardonnay that has lovely purity and freshness, pristine handling of oak, and a very minerally mountain-fresh river stone farewell with lingering stone fruits flavours and fresh ginger spiciness.

Nautilus Estate Chardonnay 2015

Alluring bouquet of poached peaches and cream, also sweet ripe mango and a honied beeswax richness with nuances of marzipan icing, nutty rich nougat and a distinct flinty mineral-earthiness. Rich oily palate with wonderful slippery creamy layers of lemon curd and poached stone fruits, sweet crystalized ginger and yet refreshingly steely flinty acidity and invigorating tangy citrus gives way to a buttery honeyed farewell and a long lingering mountain-stream minerally earthiness. A great example how just three years or so bottle age can give great rewards with secondary complexities, I would imagine this wine will continue developing nicely for another three years easily. And yes, I would put it right up there with the very best Chablis Premier Cru Fourchaume.

Available in all major wine markets and online Visit:  https://www.nautilusestate.com/

Loyal followers of Jasper Hill in Australia will know that their wines sell out on release in August each year with the cellar door only open the final weekend of that month. The rest of the year cellar door is open only by appointment – please phone or email to arrange a visit or if you like to be on their mailing list.  +61 3 5433 2528 E-mail: info@jasperhill.com.au https://jasperhill.com.au/

The tastings notes below reflect my thoughts on the current wines tasted in late-June 2019 with the benefit of a year or so in bottle.  There are also excellent detailed tasting notes by wine expert Andrew Caillard MW on the Jasper Hill website of all the wines produced over nearly four-decades https://jasperhill.com.au/vintage-tasting-notes/

Jasper Hill wines are distributed throughout Australia and key export markets: Singapore, Hong Kong, UK, USA, Canada, France, Denmark and Sweden, so you will find these current wines in fine wine retailers and restaurant wine lists around the world –  https://jasperhill.com.au/wine-sales/  

Having known Ron and Elva Laughton and their daughters Emily and Georgia for almost three of the four decades they have been making wine, furthermore being their distributor in Melbourne for some 12 years, I can say with great appreciation and some personal satisfaction that their pioneering of the Heathcote region has been an incredible journey and a compelling story of ‘authenticity’ –- making profound wines of the greatest integrity that reflect the very special vineyard sites and unique rare soils; ancient Cambrian soils 500/600 million years old on undulating hillsides of rusty red gravely loams. In their own words “Our aim is to make great wine, with the preservation of nature’s flavours, complexities and balance in our wines by using minimal intervention in our vineyards and in the cellar – to allow the individual vineyard’s “terroir” or sense of place to express itself by ‘interfering’ as little as possible.”

Notwithstanding Jasper Hill’s iconic status and Georgia’s and Emily’s Paddock being synonymous with cool-climate Australian shiraz and nebbiolo moreover, the benchmark of the Heathcote region, all of their wines should be considered ‘must-have’ including their joint venture wine with Michel Chapoutier, La Pleiade Heathcote Shiraz and Agly Brothers Cotes du Roussillon, France- click here

Cheers! The Wandering Palate www.thewanderingpalate.com

Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Riesling 2018

Bouquet opens with striking purity of lemon curd and concentrated lime within a lace of comb honey. Equally, freshly-squeezed zesty lime powers the juicy palate with a cut of crisp apple and energizing racy acidity. With a bit of air, the fragrance builds to reveal notes of straw, dried flowers and chrysanthemum tea, becoming more floral with orange citrus and hints of tropical fruits. Ones initial impressions of a crisp, bone dry racy riesling changes as the wine builds in power and waxy texture with a mouth-watering mandarin and orange juicy-fleshy mid-palate with baked apple tarte tatin and honied marmalade richness, but then oscillating to hints of lavender, green olive, blanched almonds and spicy fresh ginger tailing and chalky phenolic underlining the long lime-tangy dry finish. Ron Laughton comments, “Possibly the best riesling we have ever made!” Given they have been producing riesling since 1984 that’s saying something and substantiates the cool-climate of Georgia’s Paddock and how successful this variety has been uniquely planted alongside shiraz.

Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Shiraz 2017

A lavish aroma of black and red berries, black currant, dark plums and tamarillo greets the senses, building to a hedonistic melange of dried figs, quince paste, violets, blood rose and rosehip tea. Opens up to a pronounced spicy fragrance of black pepper, clove, fennel seed, and cinnamon quill with a smoky hot wok and charred wood background, earthy warm terracotta nuances among dried herbs, rosemary, lavender and a little hint of aniseed mint. Equally voluminous palate entry with a rush of saturating berry fruits and zingy ripe raspberry, these juicy mouth-filling textured layers of silky yet firm tannins emboldened by racy steely acidity chasing the tannins all the way to a long lingering spiciness and warm glow with a subtle lick of liquorice and dark bitter cocoa. Amongst all this opulence of fruit and exotic spiciness is a barky, brambly dusty earthiness on a hot summers day under the gum trees and the powerful intense red fruits channelled to a crunchy racy core. Textbook Georgia’s Paddock in its elegance and approachability, although relative to recent vintages, a little more supple and whilst enjoyable now will cellar well for many years.

Jasper Hill “Emily’s Paddock” Shiraz Cabernet Franc 2017

Dense concentrated aroma of blackberry, blueberry and dark plum compote, dried raisin and Christmas cake breathing out to reveal juniper berry, blood rose, hints of mint and dark chocolate, subtle liquorice notes along with dark brooding spices, more in the Indian cuisine vein with cardamom seed, paprika, smoky tandoor smells. Gorgeously plush and velvety palate entry, by comparison to Georgia’s Paddock, a softer yet denser, creamier seamless texture augmented with toasty oak mocha, intense sweet and savoury black fruits dancing with an infused minerally earthiness and chalky fine-grained tannins, this powerful tannin profile keeping tempo right across the palate caressing and balancing the opulence and sheer density of wine leading to a long sweet and sour tailing and warm glow with lurking black pepper spiciness and gamey meatiness. As always with Emily’s Paddock, the sheer elegance of this wine defies it muscular framework and it can be deceptively drinkable but has decades ahead of it.

Jasper Hill “Georgia’s Paddock” Nebbiolo 2017

Delicate aroma of red rose petal, dried flowers, pomegranate, red currant, strawberry, juniper berry notes. Opens up after an hour or more of breathing with herbal nuances of clove, juniper berry, lavender and sage among dried woods, hot earthy-clay terracotta, gravelly, dusty minerals. Sprightly, energized mouthfeel with juicy, racy vibrant red fruits chased by fine, chalky mouth-puckering tannins and long dried herbal tailing. A brooding wine at this stage that needs decanting and breathing for a good 2 hours and fleshes out with a bit more fruit generosity, equally most enjoyable paired with a charcoal-grilled rib of Angus Beef (as I did).  If one thinks of Nebbiolo from its native Piedmont, and how the best wines from Barolo and Barbaresco are supremely elegant yet have a muscular core of tannin that ideally requires a decade of cellaring, Jasper Hill Nebbiolo seems to have found its home down-under in the pre-cambrian soils and elevated cool-climate of Georgia’s Paddock. Respected wine expert, Andrew Caillard MW opines, “Is this the best nebbiolo in Australia?” Given vine age and 20 vintages experience with this wine, I would say yes.

Lo Stresso Fiano 2018

With its origins to ancient Roman winemakers, Fiano is a white grape grown mostly in the Campania region of southern Italy and on the island of Sicily, more recently has found favour with a number of Australian winemakers. The fruit for Lo Stresso is half grown in Georgia’s Paddock along with commercial Heathcote fruit and made at Jasper Hill by Emily Laughton and her winemaker friend Georgia Roberts. Aromas of cooked yellow (Mirabelle) plum and kumquat, ripe pears, oscillating to savoury notes fennel, tarragon, bitter nuts like almond and walnut skin ‘Amaro’(Italian for bitter) and a subtle waxy honied nuance. Fleshy succulence of yellow plum and juicy blood orange with zingy citrus acidity is softened by the oily texture and some toasty nougat nuttiness from fermentation in French oak barriques. Finishes with marmalade sweet and sour tanginess and a thirst-quenching savoury chalky, minerally saline tailing. I’m thinking how excellent this wine would be with sashimi.

Occam’s Razor Shiraz 2017

The Franciscan friar , William of Ockham, who studied logic in the 14^th century coined the principal lex parsimoniae, “the law of briefness”, or as we know it, ‘Occam’s Razor’ — ‘More things should not be used than are necessary’. This wine has been personal project of Ron Laughton’s winemaker daughter, Emily McNally since 2001 and as the name intimates, as little intervention in the winemaking process; fermented in concrete, naturally fermented with no additions. The organic grapes are grown by the Conforti family, within the Heathcote region at Mia Mia on granite-based soil which gives a fascinating juxtaposition to Georgia’s and Emily’s Paddock Shiraz which are grown on pre-cambrian soils. A Powerful and earthy minerally bouquet with wet bluestone and gravelly notes is sweetened by black fruits, blackberries, black cherries. With some air and coaxing glass swirling, secondary nuances of dark chocolate and mocha, fresh black peppermill grinds, hints of aniseed and liquorice, black olives and dried meats make for a savoury and most alluring aroma. With a core of saturating black fruits, there is a crunchy purity to the fruit and energized by chewy tannins, balancing the richness of deep-fruited layers of silky texture with black olive tapenade and dark chocolate on the farewell. Supremely elegant yet powerful and distinctly minerally, I liken this to the wines of St Joseph in the Northern Rhone Valley as an Heathcote-Australian expression of shiraz grown on granite soils.

First Published on robertparker.com Wine Journal Aug 16 2016

For most of the world, New Zealand is very remote and evokes iconographic thoughts of pristine shores and some of the most breathtaking landscapes on earth. Needless to say, tourism is booming, but if you can, set aside the boundless spectacular countryside, the vast mountain ranges and glaciers, the wilderness of unspoiled temperate and sub-tropical native forests, the ruggedly beautiful coastlines and impossibly stunning beaches. Many are discovering the best kept secret of New Zealand and that’s the wealth of enjoyment in wine and culinary tourism.

They say the best way to get to know a country is to eat food with the locals. Putting that in relative perspective, you won’t find Michelin-garnered restaurants or pilgrimages and temples of gastronomy or alters to extravagant wines in New Zealand. But you will find exceptional, wholesome and fresh produce, honest wines that over-deliver in price-quality rapport and an abundance of genuine, down-to-earth hospitality—often in far-flung locations with a spectacular backdrop, yet immersed in simplicity, which is the essence of the 100% Pure New Zealand lifestyle.

Diversity is the key. A remarkably unique diurnal at every level, in as much as the intrepid, adventure-seeking explorer can be trekking in the mountains, and yet within a few hours be lying on a golden-sand beach; so too can the pleasure-seeker be ensconced in some of the most exclusive and luxurious lodges in extraordinarily secluded locations, and yet never be too far from cosmopolitan sanctuary and cafe society. As the eponymous vigneron, Nigel Greening at Felton Road winery in Central Otago puts it, “The mean travel distance in New Zealand to a good cafe latte is very strategic.”

Getting around New Zealand can be equally dynamic, if not exhilarating, and comes in many shapes and forms at every level—both altitude and attitude. Some like to get around by helicopter, others prefer getting off-road on a mountain bike, or both. Many like to walk or trek and have done the length, breadth and peaks of the country, conquering the nine great walks.

Others see much more merit in the scenic window of a motorhome and fly-drive is orthodox, if not logical with Air New Zealand’s extensive domestic network and 22 destinations; or there’s always the Gandalf option and the Middle Earth great eagles of Manwë. You can also go by rail, taking you through an extraordinary range of scenery, and that doesn’t necessarily always involve a train. The New Zealand Rail Trail experience is awesome, as is the Alp2Ocean cycle trail, 301 kilometers from the Southern Alps to the Pacific Ocean!

You can hitchhike, as backpackers and surfies do, and the buses work fine. Or maybe you’re more at home on the sea; with 15,000 kilometers of stunning coastline, sheltered sounds and island-dotted harbors, a sailing holiday is the ultimate New Zealand adventure. Experienced yachties can charter a vessel, or you can opt for a skipper and crew for sailing tours with everything from fully-fledged, ocean-going, maxi yachts and boats that rage in character and speed from restored, historic, square-riggers to the highest technology of New Zealand’s Americas Cup winners.

Whatever your mode or pace, always remember that basic and luxury go hand-in-hand here; sophisticated and unsophisticated coexist with a wonderful symbiotic relationship between the juxtaposition of raw nature and wilderness with the hedonist sybaritic.

Apart from Australia trans-Tasman routes, most international visitors will fly into Auckland, but please, don’t just head straight to Queenstown—even if it is the world’s ultimate adventure capital. There’s no hurry. Stay a few days or even a week, as there’s a plenty to do in the “city of sails” (there are 135,000 yachts and launches registered in Auckland with about one in three households owning a boat!); explore its environs, the Hauraki Gulf, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Islands and far north.

First stop and strategic priority, one of New Zealand’s best winery restaurants is a five-minute drive from Auckland airport. As you navigate through the Mangere industrial area, you could easily think you are lost—until you drive through the gates at 18 Montgomerie Road and the oasis of Villa Maria headquarters. The cellar door complex unfolds, the home of Sir George Fistonich, the indefatigable pioneering legend and doyen of the New Zealand wine industry— “From a one-man band to a global brand in just 50 years.”

The vineyard cafe has a perfectly framed view overlooking the Ihumatao Vineyard and a thoroughly idyllic, if not therapeutic disposition to while away the afternoon. While “cafe” serves to underline the informality open daily from 9 a.m., lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a menu that brilliantly showcases the excellent local produce. Moreover, make sure you take advantage of the extensive wine list. Indeed, there is no better place to try Villa Maria and Vidal single vineyard and reserve wines, limited releases of cellared wines and experimental cuvees and varietals, many available by the glass. Make sure you try the Albariño— invigorating! It’s a popular place, so it’s vital you book in advance.

Still in Mangere and only a 10-minute drive from Villa Maria, it is well worth taking in the Mangere Arts Centre – Ngā Tohu o Uenuku. Indeed, this is a real hidden gem and a “must-do” if you want to explore and embrace local arts, crafts and cultural activities, particularly Māori and Pacifica visual/performing arts. The galleries are well-known for their cutting-edge visual exhibitions of regional and national importance, while the theatre is a multi-purpose space used for a wide range of performances and events. You can find out more about live performances and exhibitions on their Facebook page; the Our Auckland website is also an excellent resource for events.

For travel resources, including information on lodging, helicopter rides, mountain biking, hiking, sailing and getting around with public transportation in New Zealand, visit the 100% New Pure New Zealand website.

First Published on Robert Parker Wine Journal Dec 6 2016

There’s something about venison that brings out the hunger for the wild in me, thanks to my hunter-gatherer stepfather, I shot my first deer at 11-years-old in the Mamaku Ranges, a subtropical forest in New Zealand’s north island. Learning how to field dress and walk out with it on your shoulders, the deer (dead) nearly killed me when I tripped and rolled down a hill entangled with it—nearly breaking my neck!

So, the dopamine levels spiked and the ‘hedonic hotspot’ was triggered when I received an email from Central Otago vigneron, Tim Kerruish, expounding the prowess of his hunting skills and that he had bagged a fine specimen, “The beast was a big bodied 8 pointer in really good nick, 270 to the shoulder at 180m. We hung it in a chiller for 16 days and when we had some post butchering, it was extremely good!” He went on to say that the backstrap was “spectacularly tasty,” and that he could courier me some, should I care to try it. My answer was an emphatic yes!

And what is back strap? It’s the part of the deer that runs along the whole spine on the outside of the ribcage from the neck to the hips until the back side of the rib cage (the tenderloin are in the same spot on the inside of the ribcage) and almost entirely devoid of sinew and fat. If you were looking for the equivalent cut in beef, it would be known as the Strip Loin or a New York Strip.

Basically, it is the leanest prime cut of venison and not only tastes seriously good, as far as red meat goes, it is seriously good for you—being an excellent source of essential fatty acids (EFAs); alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic (an omega-6 fatty acid), which are fundamental to our biological processes and good health. More importantly the ratios in grass-fed meats are much better than grain-fed, lot-feeding “the n−6 to n−3 ratio of grass-fed beef is about 2:1, making it a more useful source of n−3 than grain-fed beef, which can have ratios that exceed 20:1.”

A wild New Zealand Red deer’s diet consists of grasses, leafy plants, flowers, fruit and bark, so it’s logical that it is considered one of the most nutritionally beneficial red meats one can eat and completely steroid and hormone free. And while its flavor is reminiscent of beef, it is richer and tends to have a finer texture and distinct deep reddish-purple color.

Many people immediately associate venison with a somewhat acquired taste of gamey nuances, a flavor profile which is often misinterpreted as wild (feral) and smelly, or akin to rotting meat. However, the gaminess in venison is quite subtle and has more of an earthiness in its aroma. And as it is best seared rare-to-medium, there is a certain sanguine flavor along with a strong acid, metallic-iron-like nuance that can be directly attributed to its grass/plant diet.

These flavors and nuances go particularly well with generously proportioned, more muscular and concentrated Pinot Noir that has a good backbone of tannin, powerful acidity and a pronounced mineral-earthiness. Yes, you could reach for the Le Chambertin, but as it happens, this is the very style of Pinot Noir one finds in Bendigo, the warmest sun-exposed subregion of Central Otago with its glacial derived soils from schist rock high in silica, mica and quartz (and veins of gold!). Known for its savory, minerally-earthy style with the requisite structural tensions from dark fruit tannins and an intriguing tincture of dried Provencal herbs from the rampant wild thyme growing in and around the vineyards. The Folding Hill Pinot Noir will be an excellent fit.

Having just returned from a week in Central Otago, I had brought back some of this wild thyme gathered from Two Paddocks Earnscleugh vineyard in Alexandra. Legend has it the thyme was introduced by the goldminers back in the 1850s to add some acceptable flavor to the pot in what one can imagine was very austere pickings in this isolated, rugged and harsh mountain country—surviving on a diet of flour and tea, save for the odd rabbit, which are now more rampantly out of control than the thyme!

How to cook your back strap? Very simply, indeed the less you do the better, as there is no value in adulterating such wonderful produce and natural flavors. As a seasoning and to pick up on the Central Otago Provencal herbs nuance in the Folding Hill Pinot Noir, I plucked the tiny wild thyme leaves and gently crushed them with a mortar and pestle to release their fragrant oils, adding some roughly ground black pepper and extra virgin olive oil.

Remove any visible silver skin (the white sinewy tissue, as it does not break down when cooked) and cut the backstrap into manageable size lengths (it’s similar in size to a full eye fillet of beef). Rub the seasoning into the meat and wrap tightly in cling-wrap, but only an hour or so before cooking, so it is just a subtle marinade. And there is no need to put the meat in the fridge, you want it to be at room temperature.

You will need a skillet or decent heavy pan with a metal handle so it can go in the oven. This is strategic, as the best way to get an even cooking heat is in your convection oven, pre-heated to a moderately hot 200 degrees Celsius (400 Fahrenheit) or Gas No. 6. On your gas hob or induction cooktop, bring your pan up to smoking hot and sear the backstrap for a couple of minutes on each side ensuring it is suitably browned/sealed, then into the oven for about eight minutes turning it over four minutes in.

Remove from the pan to a dish and rest the meat for a good ten minutes so the juices redistribute throughout the meat, and it will be perfectly juicy and tender. Carve into thin slices (say 5mm) and layer on a serving dish, baste with remaining juices and sprinkle wild thyme leaves—and the odd sprig for garnish.

Being a wintery Wellington night, I opted for more hearty accompaniments, potato Dauphinoise, roasted beetroot tossed in seriously old balsamic vinegar and kale sautéed in butter. You could go the extra yard and make an Au Jus from the juices of the meat and if you wanted to add fruit sweetness to a sauce, cherries as a relish or compote are a good accompaniment for venison, even better if they are Central Otago cherries!

I did put Dijon mustard out on the table, but everyone agreed it didn’t need it, the backstrap tasted so good, no enhancement was required—except for a good mouthful of Folding Hill Orchard Block Pinot Noir 2013, which went particularly well with the smoky, earthy, subtle muskiness of the venison along with a whiff of wild thyme. It was in complete simpatico with the bouquet. Suitably muscular with generous layers of black fruits and a spicy, savory-minerally finish, the palate was also up to the task. But it was the lively acidity that carried throughout the wine and persisted to a long, tangy farewell that most complemented the pronounced acid flavors in the meat, not only harmonious, but refreshing the palate.

I certainly agree with Tim’s appraisal, the backstrap was indeed spectacularly tasty, and for me there is the added enjoyment of the locavore element, with the produce and wine coming from the same area. Of course, it’s not every day that one is lucky enough to share in the spoils of a hunt, however you could do just as well using the more attainable whole venison tenderloin, which has an even finer texture, cooked exactly the same way.

New Zealand exports grass-fed farmed venison to many parts of the world and is becoming increasing popular in the USA, where wild venison is difficult to source in many states because of strict (convoluted) abattoir regulations and you might see it on restaurant menus as Cervena—the name combines two Latin words Cervidae meaning ‘deer’ and venison ‘hunting,’ a New Zealand marketing initiative to distinguish premium quality, free-range, grass-fed deer completely steroid and hormone free.

If you happen to be in New York City, Chef Matt Lambert at the One Star Michelin restaurant, The Musket Room, regularly has New Zealand red deer on his menu; and Chef Brad Farmerie at Public restaurant has had Cervena on his menu from day one with perennial favorites—rare roast Cervena loin with licorice-pickled onions or tea-smoked Cervena with truffled baby white asparagus, capers and chive blossoms.

Should you be ‘On the New Zealand Wine and Culinary Route’ and in Queenstown, you will find venison on the menu at Chef Josh Emett’s brilliant Rata dinning, also a staple at the Botswana Butchery restaurant. And for the culinary obsessed herb lover, there is a brilliant article in the New Zealand Geographic on wild thyme.

Tasting through the new release 2017 Pinot Noirs from Bass Phillip has been both fascinating and immensely gratifying. Having known Phillip Jones for some 30 plus years, he was instrumental in my formative years as a Sommelier in Melbourne, exposing me to so many great wines and training my palate in the intricacies of Burgundy and the Rhone Valley, our obsession at the time (and still is). When I think back to those days of Thomas, Thomas & Wilden and cohorts, all the vertical tastings and wine dinners with Table 8 at Maria Walter’s and Paysan, when Henri Jayer and Armand Rousseau Burgundies were relatively affordable, Jones would always say, “Great pinot noir is all about texture…”. This is indelible in my mind and so evident in the precision texture of the 2017 Bass Phillip Pinot Noirs. There is no question Jones is making ‘great’ pinot noir, moreover could teach the Burgundians a thing or two.

It has been 40 years since planting his first vines and it would be fair to say that evolution and accumulative knowledge over these past four decades, Jones has mastered and finessed every facet and detail of viticulture and winemaking at Bass Phillip. We know he is an individualist and perfectionist, but these wines transcend perfection to the sublime.  

My tasting notes hardly do justice to the intricacies and extraordinary balance of these wines, rather a snapshot of my impressions in their youth and reference point as they develop over the years. Of the many attributes there is a consistency of vibrant and concentrated red fruits suggesting that 2017 was an excellent vintage, but vine age and seriously low yields clearly a contributing factor. There is also a thread dark earthiness and an infused minerality, the terroir articulated in both bouquet and palate. All the wines have such incredible power and tension the belies the elegance of silky-smooth textures, indeed the “Premium” an iron fist in a velvet glove.

Bass Phillip “Crown Prince” Pinot Noir 2017

Ambrosial bouquet of bright red cherry, Kirsch-like fragrance, raspberry and pomegranate with hints of clove and cinnamon spiciness, subtle dried herbs amongst a background of cold granite mineral earthiness. Medium-bodied, nicely textured and gentle with a measured plushness and vibrancy of crunchy intense red berry fruits lifted by crisp acidity all engulfing the palate with a wonderful energy as it races across the palate, excellent line and length with persistent fruit and lingering tanginess, dark silky tannins with hints of oolong tea and bark, quite steely and on the farewell with an indelible long finish, a real mouthful of pinot, dangerously drinkable now but will continue to evolve for 5 years or more.

Bass Phillip “Estate” Pinot Noir 2017

Concentrated intense raspberry, red cherry, red currant, rose petal, breaths out to show deeper red berry and blueberry compote notes, builds in complexity with dried herbs, dry grass-summer field nuances, background of spiciness and warmth to the bouquet. Lashings of red cherry coat the mouth, velvety soft layered and creamy palate with an exuberance of red berry fruits glides across the palate, beautifully balanced, harmonious, energized by crisp, tangy acidity and ripe fine-grained tannins, framed with a dark earthiness and granite-like minerality lingers amongst tangy red fruits. Concentrated, dense and full-bodied, picking up more weight and texture as it breaths out, invigorating mouth-staining vibrant acidity and spiciness on the farewell with hints of dark chocolate, great length. With all its charm, balance and youthful energy, a most gratifying drink now but really deserves time in the cellar, at least 5 years if you can keep your hands off it.

Bass Phillip “Premium” Pinot Noir 2017

Penetrating nose packed with red cherry and raspberry, builds to reveal a deeper rich sweet mix of darker red and black berry fruits, background notes of violets, juniper berry, lavender and aniseed youthfulness. There’s a subtle meaty gaminess and earthy forest floor, the bouquet becoming denser and concentrated as the wine breaths with hints of five spice, ground clove and wet bluestone minerality, one can already sense the coiled power in the wine. Fruit laden palate entry, voluminous, layered texture with incredible concentration and purity of saturating sweet red and black berry fruits oscillating between tangy, steely acidity and warming spiciness. Hint of green olive and herbal complexity, subtle charred woods and earthy, fine grained tannins firming up the farewell with a lingering savouriness and mineral earthiness. One can see the synergies with the ‘Estate’ pinot noir, but there’s an extra level of weight and texture in the ‘Premium’, seriously structured core with incredible concentration and yet wonderfully balanced with tension and poise. After 3 hours of breathing, evolving to a monumental wine, indeed the most profound and concentrated Australian pinot noir I have had in memory. Whilst it really needs a few years in bottle, I would try one now for sheer pleasure and a reference point, but make sure you put some in the cellar for 5 to 10 years.  

Bass Phillip “Reserve” Pinot Noir 2017

Opulent essence-like perfume of dark cherry and poached red plums, violet florals, sweeter notes of red fruits and blueberry compote amongst a hedonistic melange of dried herbs, sage, lavender, dried mushroom, Autumn forest floor, iron-basalt and dark-earthy minerality with hints of dark chocolate from toasty oak. Mouth-filling rich, creamy layers of red berry fruits, viscous, slippery plush texture, beautifully elegant with silky tannins, this caressing plushness kept in check by underlying brooding power and tension with a brace of fresh acidity and warming spiciness, the purity of the succulent sweet fruit lingering long amongst a beguiling minerally earthiness. Tried alongside as the ‘Premium’ as impressive as it is with its coiled energy, structure and complexity, the ‘Reserve’ has yet another dimension of weight and lavish texture, oozing class and so harmonious with its precision balance, purity and supreme elegance. This is greatpinot noir, unparalleled in Australia and would hold its own amongst the highest echelons of Burgundy. The ultimate expression of a very special vineyard and the genius and perfectionism of winemaker Phillip Jones. This is very seductive now but should really be put in the cellar for as long as you can, it will last decades.

Bass Phillip “Backyard BIN 17K” Pinot Noir 2017

Inviting raspberry and red cherry perfume amongst savoury notes of air-dried meats, subtle herbal scents of rosemary and aniseed, breathing out there’s deep-seated smoky Indian spices and pronounced, flinty-iron fillings minerality, and a whiff of coffee grinds and chocolate suggest toasty oak. Bursting with intense raspberry on the front palate, building in energy and weight with plush red berry fruits oscillating sweet and sour to an intense tanginess and super-concentrated juicy, crunchy raspberry, cool steely acidity and red currant crispness to the farewell amongst a dark earthy minerality. This is seriously concentrated with fine yet assertive tannins, I sense a much tighter structure with a deep core of tension, complexity, savouriness and infused minerality. This was the last of five pinots tasted and after the “Reserve’, to which I realized it would have been more in sync to try after the “Crown Prince”, the fruit from the ‘Backyard being from very closely planted vines. It was good though to see a different profile to Estate Vineyard wines, these densely planted vines showing impressive energy, concentration and purity. Given it is much more tightly bound, I would give this 2 years or more before broaching and should evolve over 5 to 10 years.   

I have been coming to the town of Ipoh for almost 20 years now and yet it still remains an enigma to me, and I suspect many who visit. Like the many thousands on this annual migration, we are here for Chinese New Year to visit relatives, my wife’s relatives who are here in great numbers. Read More >

Reflecting on the brilliant and bountiful Wellington on a Plate festival held recently, I had the opportunity of frequenting the pop-up Match Wine Bar, a collaboration of 20 wineries from Martinborough, Gladstone and Masterton offering 40 wines by the glass and a pairing menu of 20 small plates created by legendary Chef, Ruth Pretty. Read More >

Nice way to spend a summers day and have a good yarn with a mate. Hoorah!

The Wandering Palate was in San Francisco recently for a Robert Parker gig and had a wonderful LONG lunch for my birthday with legendary New Zealand winemaker, Marcel Giesen of Bell Hill and Giesen winery, pictured here at Zuni Cafe and immersing ourselves in freshly shucked local oysters and a bottle of Marcel’s single vineyard “The Fuder” Sauvignon Blanc – awesome pairing!

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Just Duck  The Farm | The Chefs | The Cookbook

by Jodi and Greg Clarke (Great Ocean Ducks) Photography: Andy Zakeli

www.greatoceanducks.com

greatoceanducks@bigpond.com

Notwithstanding my complete and utter fascination with all things ‘Duck’, here is the PEREFCT Christmas gift–for anyone– and for those who love cooking, especially ducks! Read More >