All Lined Up

It was party mode! The A-Prentices were plenty practiced at entertaining and they had a fabulous evening lined up. All the guests needed to do was contribute in food, wine, entertainment and good company. And so it was. There is a little tradition where all the bottles tasted and consumed are lined up, and often it is an impressive if not awesome sight. Of course, no-one went over the top. We all had little tastes, and over the length of an afternoon and evening, with hearty and substantial food, it was a very civilised affair.
The sparklings served were wide ranging in style. A 2010 Saint Clair 'Vicars Choice' Marlborough Sauv Blanc Bubbles was a delight. Very typical of what this company specialises in, but toned down in flavour, but still overt and refreshing. Much more serious was a 2006 Deutz Marlborough Cuvee Blanc de Blanc. Impressive autolysis now, and finesse with it. This has gotten better and better. Followed by the real thing, a couple of bottles of NV Taittinger 'Brut Reserve', elegant too, but with a textural quality allied to complete palate proportion. Some landed time on cork has always helped 'Tatts'.
Aperitif drinking went with a super selection of cheeses. A pair of trophy winning 2010 Sauv Blancs set the scene. Both from Saint Clair in Marlborough, their 'Pioneer Block' range. The 'Block 3 - 43 Degrees' was punchy, up-front and powerful with steel and pungency, the 'Block 21 - Bell Block' more restrained but with an impressive sumptuous richness and mouthfeel. I voted for the latter, but most voted for the former. I didn't get to try the 2009 Boulders Martinborough 'Prosecco Style' Riesling at 9% alc, but I have seen it before, and it was very pleasing at the time, quite gentle, attractively sweetish and true to vine. Two rose wines came out too. The 2009 Instinct Hawke's Bay Merlot Rose was firm, slightly tight and austere, but very workable. I found the 2010 Framingham 'F-Series' Montepulciano Rosata more serious with real red-berry fruitiness, and a substance for added richness. Good stuff indeed.
There's always some Chardonnay, and a 2009 The Pumphouse Martinborough was ripe with clear grapefruity-oaky aromas and flavours that made it a hit. A big flop was the 2002 Sileni 'Estates' Hawke's Bay Chardonnay in a 1.5 Litre magnum. Oxidation on nose and palate, whilst still fresh and acidic. This didn't make half-way down!
The other whites served during food were mixed up too. A true to style 2010 Heart of Gold Gisborne Gruner Veltliner, peppery and gooseberryish, all so gentle and drinkable. The 2009 Coopers Creek 'SV - Pointer' Marlb. Pinot Gris was off dry, softly sweet and rich, and clean as all Marlborough wines should be. A bit of a star was the 2008 Ostler 'Audrey's' Waitaki Valley Pinot Gris, steely, minerally, yet rich and delish with hints of spice and all things nice. Not so pleasing was a 2008 Grey Sands Tasmanian Pinot Gris. Hot, hard, minerals and earth, without the appealing softness the N.Z. wines had At 14.5%, it was pushing it.
A little line-up of Forrest 'Gibson Creek' Marlborough Cabernet/Franc/Merlot was great fun. The 1991 was light, smooth, mellow and imbued with cedar galore. What a top drop. The 1992 was softer still, and lighter, but it too had a mature beauty. Hints of cool fruit didn't bother any of us. The 1993 was definitely showing the effects of Mt Pinatubo. Lighter weight, a bit skinny and cool/sappy. We thought 1994 might be better, and it was riper and more structured, but not a beauty, more a sister not quite grown into herself. Maybe it never will. There was no 1995, and we assumed that the rainy weather precluded its production? 1996 could have been special, but it was spoiled by microbiology for sure. Yet it was very vigorous. The other N.Z. red was a 1997 Redmetal 'Basket Press' Merlot/Franc. Also a bit herby on nose, but what a lovely silky palate, which filled the mouth with lusciousness. It too came in a 1.5 Litre magnum.
Just to keep us honest came a series of international reds. The 2008 Santa Cantabria 'Seleccion' Rioja was full, bright, ripe and fruity, modern and good for it. A bit flat was the 2005 Frsscobaldi 'Nipozzano' Chianti Riserva. All the right things, such as bitter cherries, tannin and acid, but rather non-expressive. A poor bottle?
The Aussie contingent was sensational. Two vintages of Wynns 'Michael' Coonawarra Shiraz, both great years. They were true to vintage on release and now, two decades later, still the same. The 1990 was bold, round, ripe and full in itself. It shouted its presence. The 1991 was subtle, and sneaked up on you, and beguiled with its layers of nuance. Mint and eucalypt in the nicest way. The night ended on a 2006 Seppelt 'Original' Sparkling Shiraz. Not the gem it used to be, those old vines now long gone, but still exactly what it should be, in a straight forward way. Fresh, but plummy, spicy Shiraz with good effervescence to give cut and zest. But satisfying all the time. What a line up.