Drinking wine 2020

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freitasm

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#271761 26-May-2020 10:57

At recommendation of a friend I've installed and registered with Vivino - trying to track what I have in the cellar these days.

Just last week bought a case of Wither Hills Taylor River Pinot Noir 2016 and Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2017. I have also ordered (and should be here today) a case of Sacred Hill Helmsman 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon and a case of Mount Ridge Merlot.

The two Pinot Noir I plan on cellaring for another couple of years and the Merlot will be for immediate use. The Helmsman will probably cellar for another five years but can open a bottle on special occasions.

I have also been enjoying Mount Michael Pinot Noirs - the Bessey's Block Pinot Noir 2014 and Isla Pinot Noir 2016 are particularly nice but alas the two cases I bought over the last two months are now gone and my wine budget for the month has been consumed on those latest purchases.

I still drink single malt whisky now and then and unless it's a particularly strong steak I go for wine with meals.

Any suggestions - considering I like espresso and don't drink white wines? What are you drinking?

Shindig

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#2491741 26-May-2020 12:41

The Pleasant Valley Pinot Noir 2013 - Accent on Wines Parnell is a fantastic drop in the cooler evenings. At $19.95 I reckon its great value for money.

That order, from Pak and Save at the weekend I picked up Black Cottage Pinot Noir at $15.99 a bottle, which is top value

If its white, then Pinot Gris

Squealing Pig Pinot Gris - lovely!

Pleasant Valley Pinot Gris

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#2491746 26-May-2020 12:54

I only drink champagne. I gave up drinking wine years ago other than that except once in blue moon and then it has to be something extraordinary like Penfolds Grange or Henschke's Hill of Grace.

I'd rather drink one top class bottle in a year than several dozen less good ones.

I do recall Nautilus making some very nice limited runs called Four Barriques if you can find some. It is rare and well worth the hunt to find it.

openmedia

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#2491753 26-May-2020 13:09

Personally I use Blackmarket.co.nz for a lot of day2day wines, particularly their Mystery wines.

House white is usually Pinot Gris, and we buy a bit of NZ Syrah and Pinot Noir.

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dafman

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#2491760 26-May-2020 13:28

Some years ago I entered a Penfolds competition - it was one of those neck tag entry competitions found on supermarket bottles.

I forgot about it, only to be rung by Penfolds several months later to say I was one of three nationwide winners.

Each winner got to take five people (and Penfolds paid for them to fly in from anywhere in the country) to Wellington Boomrock for a day of racing Mercedes, clay shooting etc.

But it was the five course dinner with matched Penfolds wine at the close that most I remember.

For 15 people, there were 5 bottles of wine for each of three courses, and three bottles of Port to finish.

First wine was a Riesling ($30 approx per bottle), second wine RWT at $199 and third Grange at $660 per bottle. Port from memory was around $120 per bottle, so in total Penfolds stumped up approx $4,800 of wine for the 15 guests (on top of the 5-course meal and day's activities).

And some weren't drinkers, so for those of us that were there was no shortage from the 5 bottles of Grange by the time we reached the main course.

To close the day, a chartered helicopter ferried us back to the Wellington waterfront.

Not bad for what was probably a $15 Koonunga Hill purchase in the first place.

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#2491904 26-May-2020 15:35

That is awesome!!!!

The little things make the biggest difference.

Lias

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#2491969 26-May-2020 16:54

dafman:

Each winner got to take five people (and Penfolds paid for them to fly in from anywhere in the country) to Wellington Boomrock for a day of racing Mercedes, clay shooting etc.

Just to veer off topic slightly, Boomrock has an amazing kitchen and fun activities. Highly recommend.

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#2491972 26-May-2020 16:58

Keep drinking that Wither Hills. That seems to be my go-to also.

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Fred99

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#2491988 26-May-2020 17:59

For an acceptable Pinot Noir at low price (under $20) try one from (the South of) France. There's a few locally "relabelled" French brands - "Arrogant Frog", "Cherry Bomb" and others in the supermarket. Often on special in the $12-$15 range.

Sorry - I can't drink cheap NZ Pinot Noir - it's all been ghastly. Unfortunately my SO doesn't like Aussie reds - yet loves Central Otago Pinot, hence my mission to find something acceptable to have as a table wine without condemning us to poverty.

Our go-to mid range Central Otago Pinot Noir is Devil's Staircase, usually between about $22-$27.

I don't cellar wines - not a wine snob. I know plenty of enthusiasts and am more than happy to enjoy their skill and expertise, but it's just not my thing.

For whisky over lockdown, I had a bottle of Suntory Hibiki Master's Select given to me. I knew it should be nice - and it really was - smooth, sweet, and smokey/aromatic.

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#2492272 26-May-2020 20:58

I don’t really drink alcohol anymore, but I am more of a fan of old world wines - particularly Merlot. From my own perspective, I find young merlots a bit too tannic. I prefer them full bodied, but a medium would do.

Also with wine, terroir is an important factor, so I prefer single vineyard wine. Not that my palate would be able to tell the difference now.

I think my favorite would be from Pomerol

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Geektastic

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#2492302 26-May-2020 21:34

Fred99:

For an acceptable Pinot Noir at low price (under $20) try one from (the South of) France. There's a few locally "relabelled" French brands - "Arrogant Frog", "Cherry Bomb" and others in the supermarket. Often on special in the $12-$15 range.

Sorry - I can't drink cheap NZ Pinot Noir - it's all been ghastly. Unfortunately my SO doesn't like Aussie reds - yet loves Central Otago Pinot, hence my mission to find something acceptable to have as a table wine without condemning us to poverty.

Our go-to mid range Central Otago Pinot Noir is Devil's Staircase, usually between about $22-$27.

I don't cellar wines - not a wine snob. I know plenty of enthusiasts and am more than happy to enjoy their skill and expertise, but it's just not my thing.

For whisky over lockdown, I had a bottle of Suntory Hibiki Master's Select given to me. I knew it should be nice - and it really was - smooth, sweet, and smokey/aromatic.

Meh - you cannot beat the 1 Euro per 1.5 litre rip top plastic bottles of vin rouge from Carrefour that populated many a trip to France in my youth...! 😂

Or the JP Chenet ones with fake cellar dust on the bent neck fake handmade bottles!

I totally agree about the cheaper NZ wines. I live surrounded by the makers of several and they have always been spirity, nasty tasting things at the sub $50/bottle end. Alexanders Pinot is very reasonable however and Palliser's fake champagne is quite drinkable.

I have never had Japanese whisky; I did enjoy a few of their beers when I was over there a couple of years ago though.

openmedia

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#2492516 27-May-2020 09:28

Fred99:

For an acceptable Pinot Noir at low price (under $20) try one from (the South of) France. There's a few locally "relabelled" French brands - "Arrogant Frog", "Cherry Bomb" and others in the supermarket. Often on special in the $12-$15 range.

Sorry - I can't drink cheap NZ Pinot Noir - it's all been ghastly. Unfortunately my SO doesn't like Aussie reds - yet loves Central Otago Pinot, hence my mission to find something acceptable to have as a table wine without condemning us to poverty.

I'm the other way - can't drink cheap French reds, particularly Pinot Noir.

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FineWine

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#2492676 27-May-2020 11:45

Whilst we lived in Australia we belonged to The Australian Wine Society for a good 20 years plus a small boutique cellar door vineyard in the QLD Granite Belt. I only ever had two duds from the AWS, probably due to heat stroke.

I have never really cellared any wine but when we came back home in 2014 we brought over a "Personal Cellar" of a 114 bottles. Being a "Personal Cellar" with purchase records we were exempt duty. The bugger of it was we left behind quite a few open bottles of spirits and liqueurs because the rules stated ALL alcohol bottles had to be unopened. Now all this booze was professionally packed in special travel cartons and customs did not go anywhere near them, the golf clubs and garden tools yes, but not the booze. So we could have brought over all the open spirits and liqueurs. Our dear friend in Sydney was SOOOO delighted to receive them all, including the cooking sherry.

We now belong to Laithwaite's and so far are quite happy with them, even the European and Sth American selections (including Chilean).

My current bestest favourites:

Brigando Shiraz Tinta Roriz Touriga $19.99 (not available now - they are hoping to get more in)

Quarisa Enchanted Tree South Australian $19.99

Zonte's Footstep Chocolate Factory $25 - $30 (not available now)

Just did a 29 Btl order which I am splitting with my sister-n-law who has been a member for a couple of decades and now has 28 (12 & 18 btl) cases of red under the stairs. She just keeps buying, saying it is for her retirement which occurs next year 2021. amongst all our local family it is really only her and I that drink red, so we are set.

Though the above order was for Rich Warming Reds 24 btl, the rep said there were 5 empty slots in the cartons would I like to fill them with any of my favourites for a special price (do you want fries with that). Of course I said yes and added in the above Quarisa. All up $404. this included a 20% off voucher I had.

So far have not had any real duds. Most are very drinkable just by themselves but there have been 3 or 4 that only go well with a really strong curry.

Whilst the difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a bit longer. However, miracles you will have to wait for.

MikeAqua

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#2492711 27-May-2020 12:35

I'm a big fan of Syrah. I think the Gimblett Gravel Syrahs are the best: Elephant Hill, Craggy Range, Ashridge are very good. My absolute favourite is Man O' War's Dreadnought

Everyday drinking reds include: Angus the Bull, Pepperjack's Syrah, Ngatirawa Stables' Syrah.

St Clair do a very nice reserve Merlot.

Mike