Fireworks

It was 'out of the blue' that we got invited by the finance wizard and his wife to view the fireworks. Their house has the most amazing, blue-chip view of the harbour, and there would not have been a better vantage point to see how the city council spent $100,000 in pyrotechnics. The show was spectacular, and an estimated 150,000 people enjoyed it. I call it good value.

A number of good wines could be expected to be served, and the night lived up to this expectation. Firstly, a round of quizzing. A rare Domaine Epis Chardonnay, 2000 vintage I think, came first. SWMBO went Australian, probably Semillon. I went old-world Chardonnay. We were both right and wrong. This Macedon Ranges, Victorian Chardonnay is made with white burgundy in mind, and is not your typical Aussie fruity number. The wizard fired this Catherine Wheel, we were not quite fizzing. Then a gorgeous Dry River Gewurztraminer 1999. Fully mature, golden, lush an honeyed. Decadent, off dry, harmonious and oily, flowing with flavour. Like a lava flow from a Mt Vesuvius! The wizard has experienced bottle variation with this label.

Then our neighbour's wine. The Pet Pals had visited Central Otago recently and brought along a cracker in their Bannock Brae Barrel Selection Pinot Noir 2007. Two gold medals for a wine from a great vintage. Deep, supple, beautifully ripened fruit, yet tight with structure. Classic Bannockburn stuff with the thyme herb complexities. If you got it wrong in Bannockburn in 2007, then shame on you! And then the 'Big Bang'. A Penfolds Grange 1999. A vintage gaining in repute all the time. Black as. Huge extraction and huge richness. Beautifully ripe and packed with goodies. A touch of VA, adding to the lift. Massive. 10 years old and it needs another 20. Power packed stuff to finish an evening of fireworks.