Champagne Boizel Brut Reserve NV
Maison Vauron
Founded in 1834, five generations later the house is still run by the family. The non-vintage from Boizel is a rich, complex style that spends at least three years on lees in the cellar - when the law requires only 15 months. Boizel undoubtedly over-delivers for its price point.
Mid yellow in colour. Displays an elegant nose; fresh and youthful but with good doughy autolysis. The palate is ripe and rich, slightly mushroomy and quite full bodied with nice, elegant balance.
Reviewed by Colin Ford
This tasting note was originally published in Wine NZ Magazine.
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A Very Stylish Example of this Variety
Te Mania Nelson Pinot Gris 2010
Lace Fine Wine Merchants
Nelson's Te Mania are one of the leading wine producers in their region. Their wines are typified by purity of fruit and very good balance, making wines that are simply great to drink.
This is a style of Pinot Gris that, I believe, shows a genuine understanding of the variety by the winemaker. The aromatics are restrained, even subdued, showing a light fragrance of pear. The palate however is wonderfully textural and shows excellent balance of fruit, acidity, alcohol and phenolic components. There is a smooth, polished core of flavour with minerality and a firmness of texture that lends this wine to accompanying food. The palate has moderate length, but all in all this is a very stylish example of this variety.
A couple of glasses of Te Mania Nelson Pinot Gris proved to be a delicious, satisfying match with our rustic casserole of pork and fennel sausages with cannelli beans.
Reviewed by Colin Ford
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An Enjoyable Drink at a Very Reasonable Price
Te Mania Nelson Pinot Noir 2009
Lace Fine Wine Merchants
Nelson's Te Mania are one of the leading wine producers in their region. Their wines are typified by purity of fruit and very good balance, making wines that are simply great to drink.
A really lovely strawberry and vanilla nose; fragrant, pure and creamy. These characteristics flow through onto the palate too which is of moderate weight and intensity. There's a hint of warmth on the finish but this wine is eminently drinkable and offers extra-ordinary value for money. A thoroughly enjoyable drink at a very, very reasonable price.
Enjoy a glass while cooking dinner.... then perhaps one more while dining... just to be sure.
Reviewed by Colin Ford
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A True Non-Vintage Classic
Champagne Louis Roederer Brut Premier NV
Eurovintage
Louis Roederer is one of the largest remaining independent Champagne Houses, owned by the same family since it was founded in 1776. In 1876, Louis Roederer II who had succeeded his father created the now famous, super-luxury, Cristal cuvée for Tsar Alexander II and in 1909,Tsar Nicolas II nominated Louis Roederer as the official supplier to the Imperial Court of Russia.
This Louis Roederer Brut Premier exhibits a delicious note of nuts and yeast on the nose with some fruit development too. There’s creamy palate texture with lovely depth and complexity of flavour, perfectly contrasting brightness and richness. Some bread dough up front, then plenty of fruit and cream. Nicely persistent.
Reviewed by Colin Ford
This tasting note was originally published in Wine NZ Magazine.
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Champion Brewer Still Winning
(February 2012)
New Zealand’s Champion Brewery for 2011, 8 Wired Brewing, has had another big win in beer competitions, with its Batch 18 Imperial Stout winning the Australia and New Zealand section of the RateBeer Best 2011 Awards...
Source: foodnews.co.nz
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(February 2012)
Qantas' commitment to excellence in wine service has resulted in six top awards at the internationally prestigious Cellar in the Sky Awards, held in London last night....
Source: Voxy
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Villa Maria Supports Up and Coming Master Sommelier
(February 2012)
Showing support and belief in the importance of the Sommelier profession, Sir George Fistonich was pleased to award aspiring master sommelier Damien Detchevery as recipient of the inaugural ‘Sir George Fistonich - Villa Maria Estate - Court of Master...
Source: TizWine
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It's Just Too Good to be True
(February 2012)
When Mike and Judy Veal first attended the Marlborough Wine and Food Festival in 1990, they were so impressed they have not missed one since. Not only have they been to 22 consecutive festivals, they bought 40 acres of land on Hawkesbury Rd near Renwick...
Source: The Marlborough Express
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Bomb Squad Destroys WWII Wine Cache
(February 2012)
A cache of pre-World War II wine found in a suburban garden was destroyed by the British army bomb squad, a reader recounts in this month's issue of Decanter magazine....
Source: Decanter Magazine
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US Consumer Wine Trends: Overall Consumption Up
(February 2012)
Overall table wine consumption is up in 2011, with over 291 million cases consumed, according to the Wine Market Council’s annual consumer tracking study on the U.S. wine market. But there are signs that the Millennial generation...
Source: Wine Business
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Jackson Family Wines buys Clarendon
(February 2012)
Jackson Family Wines has acquired the Hickinbotham-owned Clarendon vineyard in the McLaren Vale – the source some of Australia’s finest Shiraz, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon....
Source: The Drinks Business
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A Fashion for Stones
(February 2012)
Stoniness may be neither new nor modish in Chablis, but there’s nothing more fashionable in other wine regions than the search for minerality, whether real or imagined. Allusions to minerality in tasting notes, too, are now common....
Source: Andrew Jefford in Decanter Magazine
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De Villaine Keeps DRC Within Collectors’ Reach
(February 2012)
Speaking to the drinks business at Corney & Barrow’s trade tasting today, Aubert de Villaine said that it was the tight control he keeps on distribution of DRC that allowed him to set prices that, while high, kept the wine within the reach of collectors....
Source: The Drinks Business
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Supermarket Defends Booze Policy
(February 2012)
A Blenheim man who has a limp because of back surgery says he was discriminated against when Countdown staff refused to sell him alcohol because they believed he was drunk. ...
Source: The Marlborough Express
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Intern Gets Taste of Industry
(February 2012)
Chilean man Carlos Rojas Stiven is the guinea pig for Forrest Estate Winery's internship programme aimed at encouraging graduates into the Marlborough viticulture industry....
Source: The Marlborough Express
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Australian Sells Out of NZ Wine Venture
(February 2012)
Wineinc, owned by Australian Bruce Clugston, has sold its 5.12 per cent share in FFW Holdings NZ to majority shareholder Foley Family Wines. Foley now wholly owns the New Zealand firm...
Source: Business Day
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