June 2010 Wine Club Selections

Wines on the Barbie Every June, I like to venture to Australia and New Zealand for the Wine Club selections simply because it's finally barbecue season. But this year the timing was particularly appropriate, as three of us from the wine team just returned from a trip down under. Rich, Brian and I have always been behind New Zealand wines; they crank out some Pinot Noirs that rival the world's best, and our customers just can't get enough of their citrusy Sauvignon Blancs. But by spending a few days in the Hawkes Bay, Marlborough, and Waiheke regions, we gained a new appreciation for those zippy, zingy, zesty Kiwi wines. For more colorful commentary on the trip, check out our blog at garyswinemagazine.blogspot.com. June isn't just about NZ though; the reds from South Australia, in all their sun-baked glory, pack a jammy extracted punch that you seldom find elsewhere in the world... and that stand up to barbecue like nothing else. So fire up that grill; throw on some shrimp and some steaks and some corn on the cob. Soak up every bit of that sun while it's here, because before you know it, summer will be almost over... and those bottles of Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc will be long gone.

2009 Ketu Bay Sauvignon Blanc Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Marlborough, New Zealand Food pairing: Sea scallops with citrus oil and sea beans The long coastline of New Zealand's South Island is home to a smorgasbord of shellfish and seafood, from oysters and mussels to the more exotic sounding tuatua, pipi, and toheroa. But it's within the protected sounds of Marlborough and more specifically the tiny inlet called Ketu Bay that the scallop thrives most successfully. And so it seems almost providential that this region should also produce world-renowned Sauvignon Blanc, the perfect match to sea scallops. Whether sautéing gently in butter or grilling on kebabs, nothing invokes summer like a perfectly cooked sea scallop, drizzled with a little citrus-infused olive oil, and laid atop a bed of lightly sautéed and briny sea beans. Paired with a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that carries notes of grapefruit and fresh cut grass like this one, summer is officially on. More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/new_zealand/10049.html 2008 Sherwood Estate Pinot Noir Grape variety: Pinot Noir Region: Marlborough, New Zealand Food pairing: Grilled wild mushroom pizzas While Dayne and Jill Sherwood have rooted their family winery in the picturesque Waipara region of South Australia, they knew that if they were going to make a great everyday Pinot Noir they'd have to source from some vineyards in Marlborough. And that's just what they did, accessing grapes from their own Sandy Creek, Stoney Range, and Rowley Crescent vineyards. Displaying ripe, sweet plum notes and a little tangy cranberry, we think this is one of the best values in under $15 New Zealand Pinot Noirs. Mr. Parker seems to agree with us, noting "The palate is very well crafted with fine tannins, well judged acidity allowing the joyous fruit to really express themselves: raspberry, a touch of blueberry and dark cherry. Given the price, this is exceptional value and comes highly recommended. Bravo!" More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/new_zealand/13686.html

2008 Hesketh Scissor Hands Riesling Grape variety: Riesling Region: Clare Valley, Australia Food pairing: Pesto-marinated shrimp on the barbie I'm not sure where the name came from and whether or not it has anything to do with the 1990 Tim Burton movie (thought the topiaries on the label seem to confirm a connection). But Hesketh's Scissor Hands Riesling hails from a family who definitively prefers to do things differently, even referencing a line from poet Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken" on their website. Indeed, an Australian Riesling is off the beaten path for most: what many of us working in the wine retail business would call a "hand-sell", or something one might not automatically come in looking for and would only discover by word of mouth. But Hesketh is one of our favorite little finds in Australia, and their Riesling carries clean, dry acidity and hints of lime, green apple and orange blossom that make it a perfect summer quaff. More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/10952.html 2006 Dead Letter Office Shiraz Grape Variety: Shiraz Region: South Australia, Australia Food pairing: Kansas City ribs You know the song, "Return to sender... address unknown..." But did you know that there actually is such a thing as the Dead Letter Office: a branch of the postal service wherein postal clerks are authorized to open undeliverable mail and read ONLY the info necessary to find the proper recipient of the communication? It's this unique branch of service that Henry's Drive proprietor Kim Longbottom sought to honor with her latest label of Shiraz. Just in its third vintage, the grapes for this bottling are sourced from the Henry's Drive vineyards in both Pathadaway and McLaren Vale. After ageing in mostly American (and some French) oak, the 2006 gained notes of berries, plum, chocolate and roasted coffee, with layers of fleshy and pepper-spiced tannins that lend a lengthy finish. More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/07346.html

2007 Seresin Pinot Noir Leah Vineyard Grape Variety: Pinot Noir Region: Marlborough, New Zealand Food pairing: Grilled duck breasts with blueberry-sage sauce When native Kiwi Michael Serexin isn't directing the camera work on Harry Potter films, he's at home in New Zealand tending to his other passion: overseeing his 45 hectare wine estate in Marlborough. Several biodynamically and organically farmed "micro" vineyards make up the terroir of the estate, but it's the Leah bottling that combines grapes from his clay-rich hillside Raupo Creek vineyard with his alluvial Tatou vineyard and Home vineyard to create a very serious and tightly-focused Pinot Noir. Critic for the Wine Advocate Neal Martin noted that this particular Pinot Noir is atypical for Marlborough as it seems to embrace a certain "broodiness" (think dark plum and cherry fruit and a little smokiness). Whether or not that dark smoky quality invokes crankiness to you or not, this is certainly a wine to uplift your mood, particularly when served alongside some equally smoky and fruit-smothered grilled duck or other poultry. More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/new_zealand/13239.html 2007 Boarding Pass First Class Shiraz Grape variety: Shiraz Region: McLaren Vale, Australia Food pairing: Grilled kebabs of smoked bacon-wrapped scallops and figs Sigh. How I love First Class. Not the airline variety, of course; my wallet and I are blissfully unaware of what we're missing beyond that curtain...but luckily a Boarding Pass First Class Shiraz from winemaker/importer extraordinaire Chris Ringland (the Grateful Palate) is considerably more attainable.Obviously, this is a step up from the regular Boarding Pass Shiraz, sourced from 10-15 year-old vines and aged in 100% American oak, showing notes of spiced peaches, chocolate, vanilla, blackberry and fruitcake. Don't let the playful packaging fool you; what's inside the bottle is so vibrant, rich in texture, and lengthy on the finish, you would swear you were about to fully recline while being served a hot hand towel and a complementary sundae. (I bet they do get sundaes up there, don't they?) More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/10334.html

2005 Craggy Range Sophia Bordeaux Blend Grape variety: Merlot / Cabernet Franc Region: Hawkes Bay, New Zealand Food pairing: Grilled dry-aged rib-eye steak As it stands today, the Hawkes Bay wine region of New Zealand is known primarily for its Sauvignon Blanc, and to a lesser extent for its Viognier. And Craggy Range makes the former. But they, along with a few other ambitious neighboring producers, are confidently waging an uphill battle to make the Gimblett Gravels sub-appellation world-famous for Bordeaux blends. Now I say it's an uphill battle not because the wine they're making isn't stellar, but because it's rather difficult to shift public perception. However, they've determined that the terroir in this particular 800 hectare strip of land is unique for its gravelly soils, which were exposed after a massive flood in 1860 altered the course of the old Ngaruroro River. Gravelly soils have long been recognized as a key factor in producing great Bordeaux, particularly in the Merlot-dominated Right Bank, so it wasn't such a stretch for winemaker and Master of Wine Steve Smith to concentrate his efforts here. A blend of 62% Merlot, 24% Cabernet Franc, and just a 4% touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine is hand-picked, de-stemmed, and aged for 19 months in French oak before achieving what Neal Martin of the Wine Advocate called "scents of red cherries, wild strawberry and (of course) gravel, and a full bodied palate ripe with layers of thick black fruits." The finish is still rather tight and backward in its youth; we'd suggest giving it a little time in the cellar if you can manage. 93 Points Wine Advocate. More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/new_zealand/13236.html 2005 Greenock Creek Shiraz Apricot Block Grape Variety: Shiraz Region: Barossa Valley, Australia Food pairing: Wood-smoked pork butt Owned by Michael and Annabelle Waugh, this winery, as Jay Miller of the Wine Advocate puts it, "remains one of South Australia's most iconic wineries. Start with great terroir, add in old vine material and meticulous winemaking, and end with extraordinary results." Certainly sounds like a recipe for success. The 2005 Shiraz that they lovingly named "Apricot Block" spent 28 months in seasoned American oak hogsheads rather than the more typically favored French Oak barriques, lending a spicier, scorched earth and pepper character to the already meaty old-vine grapes. Layers of blueberry, bacon, cedar and violets make this wine layered and intensely flavored, and not surprisingly, earned it 95 points from the Wine Advocate. A mere 15% alcohol makes it darn-near restrained for an Aussie Shiraz, and the well-balanced nature of the wine makes it one for the long haul, probably at its best now through 2020. A heady wine with gobs of fruit and hints of wood spice like this one goes impeccably well with dry-rubbed and slowly wood-smoked pork butt. Yes, it takes a few hours of dedication, but what else would you rather do on a lazy summer Sunday... mow the lawn? More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/13648.html