NZ wines with dinner

[Florida Jim]

Last night, we went to a new Thai/Asian restaurant out on the beaches. Turns out, it was in a building I used to have my office in – ‘nice surprise. The food was terrific.

I had some sushi to start and then the crispy duck breast with black bean sauce. (Emphasis on crispy.)

We also had these wines, both of which were excellent with the food:

2002 Kahurangi, Gewertztraminer (Nelson, NZ):

Unmistakably Gewertz. nose, this begins off-dry in the mouth but finishes bone dry with all sorts of beautiful spice tones. It is nicely balanced and ripe but it is the spiciness that is its strongest point. For drinking now.

$22.99, full retail.

2002 Rockburn, Pinot Gris (Central Otago, NZ):

The website compares this to Zind-Humbrecht’s Pinot Gris for concentration and size – and the choir sings “Amen.” Although lightly scented with poached pear and spice notes, the wine is immense in the mouth with flavors that follow the nose, are solidly backed with acidity and that seem to expand once the sip is swallowed. The finish is very long with all sorts of fruit, mineral and spice flavors that seem to grow for several moments.

Quite unusual and definitely not a wine in the elegant style.

$23.99, full retail.

Best, Jim

http://www.garagistewine.com/briggs.html

[helenjp]

Jim, you're bringing tears to my eyes...there was a time when gewurztraminer was "the" variety in NZ, but I haven't had so much as the smell of a gewurz. cork for years. And Kahurangi to boot...it seems I'm going to have to supplement the wine notebook which I leave in NZ for my visits with another notebook to TAKE to NZ when I go next!

The only "Downunder" wine on offer at my local this weekend was a very suspicious item under the brand-name Kangaroo Ridge.

[Florida Jim]

Jim, you're bringing tears to my eyes...

I do seem to have that effect on a number of people. ;)

Best, Jim

[Craig Camp]

Jim - did you like the pinot gris? Would you drop $23 on it again? For me the ZH style is just too much of too much.

[Craig Camp]

The gewurz sounds very tasty with the food I might add.

[Florida Jim]

Jim - did you like the pinot gris? Would you drop $23 on it again? For me the ZH style is just too much of too much.

Craig,

Z-H is not my style, in most cases (some of their Rieslings are pretty damn good) so I would say I'd pass to something more elegant (Alsatian maybe?). Still, in its place, it is or can be the right wine if one enjoys the style.

Best, Jim