WINO 101

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the time that it is, that time being the Time For the Newsletter of the Week Announcing the Tasting of the Week for Carpe Vinum! This week we’re heading down to New Zealand. Way way down to New Zealand. At least that’s what I’ve heard about the trip down there. Anyone who has been there says it’s some obscenely long flight, like 22 hours. That’s just way too long to be in a confined space breathing other peoples’ breathing air. I suppose it’s not too bad if you consider how long it would take in a submarine. No thanks on the submarine ride. But that has nothing to do with why we’re here right now. We’re here for New Zealand wine!

In the “Upcoming Tastings” section of the Carpe Vinum website, I made a crack that I like the New Zealand much better than the old Zealand. Of course, I didn’t really think of “old” Zealand being a place. I just thought maybe New Zealand was founded by some folks with a lot of zeal. Or zealots. But, knowing any place in the New World that has the prefix of “New” usually has a corresponding “original-that” place. Including Zealand. So I had found out that there is a Zealand in Denmark; an island that has part of Denmark’s capital city of Copenhagen on it. However, in finding out information about that, I found that the “New” Zealand is actually named after Seeland in the Netherlands, a name that is Anglicized into “Zealand”. Also, there is a Zealand, (or another New Zealand) in Canada’s New Brunswick (which, then in turn, of course indicates that there is an “old” Brunswick. Sigh.) So I meant no disrespect to the Danes, the Netherlanders, or the Brunswickers when I said I prefer the New Zealand over the Old. But really, until they can muster up some wine of their own, they are all just a geographical footnote for this purpose.

Now, I like doing New Zealand wines this time of year because I can adjust the tasting to fit the weather when it’s cooperating. At the moment, it doesn’t seem to be doing anything. And of the things the weather isn’t currently doing, cooperating is one of them. At any rate, New Zealand is thought by many critics and, more importantly, wine lovers worldwide, to have the finest Sauvignon Blanc in the world. I can agree with this assessment and I would be likely to recommend a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc over any others. Pinot Noir is also a strong category for the country, often being compared with our own Oregonian Pinot Noirs. In fact, there is a close relationship between the winemakers here and there, often trading time on each others’ harvests. It makes sense since our seasons are opposite and can allow a winemaker to work two harvests a year.

So since the weather isn’t really cooperating for much white wine, I thought some more robust reds were in order. New Zealand doesn’t produce a very large volume of the Cabernets, Merlots or Syrahs, and considering most of what they do produce is apparently consumed by the New Zealanders themselves, they’re a bit harder to track them down. But that’s the kind of thing I like to do. So I scoured the wine scene and found some high-powered reds to add some power to the lineup. This is just a spectacular selection and cross-section of New Zealand wine styles. We’re running the full spectrum of a couple dazzling Sauvignon Blancs, a Rose made from Merlot, a critically-acclaimed Pinot Noir, and 3 heartier red blends.

So what’s missing form the lineup? New Zealand Riesling. Overall, they’re just weird. You’d probably thank me if you knew the wines. Although, it’s better to be thanked for doing something right than to be thanked for not doing something wrong, right? Well, in that case you can thank me for these!

So Friday, June 8th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

New Zealand!!!
Omaka Springs 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
Catalina Sounds 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
Sacred Hill 2004 Whitecliff Rose, Hawke’s Bay
Seven Terraces 2005 Pinot Noir, Marlborough
Mills Reef 2004 Merlot-Malbec, Hawke’s Bay

Better than Old Zealand!!!
Craggy Range 2004 Te Kahu Blend (Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Malbec, Cab Franc), Hawke’s Bay
Hatton Estate 2003 Carson’s Cabernet-Merlot, Hawke’s Bay

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Spain’s Galicia!

M