Sauvignon Blanc | Postcards From Here and There

Hawkes Bay Wine Region Part 2

Back in February I wrote the first part of this post about the wines of Hawkes Bay but somehow never got round to publishing the second part. so without much further ado.

Alpha Domus

First plantings in 1991 in the Bridge Pa Triangle district of Hawkes Bay. The winery is located close to an airfield used for pilot training in old Tiger Moths hence the logo on the estates labels.

Alpha Domus Heroines Rose 2017

Made from 100% merlot. Pale salmon in colour. Strawberry on nose and palate. Very dry

Alpha Domus Skybolt Chardonnay 2015

This is a lovely style of chardonnay with lemon citrus and peach. Quite full with a lovely lingering finish. Good value.

The Fox Moth Merlot 2015

Medium bodied, soft plummy fruit and berries with a rich savouriness. A nice lingering finish.

Alpha Domus The Barnstormer Syrah 2016

Youthful in appearance. Characterful with dark berries and lots of peppery spice.

Alpha Domus The Navigator 2014

A Bordeaux style blend of Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. A good mature colour with soft berry fruits, plums, vanilla and spice. A full bodied wine with a nice finish.

Alpha Domus Noble Selection 2015

100% Semillon. Honey, nutty with a nice acidity to balance the sweetness. There are tropical fruit flavours with a touch of vanilla and marzipan.

Te Awa

Te Awa Sauvignon Blanc 2015

80% in stainless steel, 20% French oak. Limes, asparagus with pear drop finish. A slightly richer style of sauvignon with a delicate touch of oak on the mid palate.

Te Awa Chardonnay 2015

Pale yellow in appearance. Lemon citrus, banana and a touch of vanilla. This wine has lovely balance and weight. Good value.

Te Awa Kidnappers Cliff Chardonnay 2014

Pale yellow and vibrant in appearance. lemon citrus, toast and a very pronounced flinty/gun-smoke aroma. Palate is dry and complex. Very good.

Te Awa Left Field Malbec 2015

Youthful, red with a purple rim. Red fruits and blackcurrants. A lighter style of Malbec for easy drinking.

Te Awa Tempranillo 2014

Ripe, dark berry fruits give a richness that is very drinkable. There is a long savoury finish with a hint of tasty vanilla.

Te Awa Syrah 2016

Very youthful in appearance. Dark berries and plummy with a good dash of pepper. There is a lovely savoury/peppery finish.

The Henschke family have been making wine in Keyneton in the Eden Valley in South Australia for 150 years. Their wines include Hill of Grace and Mount Edelstone, two of the most sought after Australian Shiraz wines. In this post we concentrate on some of their other wines tasted at a recent visit.

The wines of Henschke are superb, reflecting the care and attention in both the vineyard and winery. They are well worth searching out.

You can view the Henschke website here

Julius Eden Valley Riesling 2017

Pale lime in appearance. Fresh and zingy with bags of lime citrus fruit and great minerality. A nice weight and a good finish. Excellent.

Eleanors Cottage Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Adelaide Hills/Eden Valley 2015

Aromas of gooseberry, fresh grass/nettle and stone fruit. Palate is full and fresh. Nice weight, lovely balance. Delicious.

Louis Semillon Eden Valley 2015

Aromas of pear, apple and camembert. Palate has nice weight and balance with stone fruits and lime citrus on the finish.

Archers Vineyard Chardonnay Adelaide Hills 2016

Lemon citrus with a touch of vanilla and almond, crisp and fresh. Has spent 8 months in oak and no malolactic fermentation. Very nice, very drinkable

Giles Pinot Noir Adelaide Hills 2015

Very pale but bursting with aromas of cherry, strawberry and cranberry. Palate has these red fruits with lovely touch of spice and savoury flavours. Excellent.

Henry Seven Eden Valley/Barossa Valley 2015

65% Shiraz, 20% Grenache, 10% Mataro, 7% Viognier. Aromas of red berry fruits and cherry. A medium bodied wine with lovely peppery, spicy red fruit on the palate. Easy drinking king style. A good all rounder.

Johann’s Garden Barossa Valley 2015

70% Grenache, 25% Mataro, 5% Shiraz. Ruby red in colour. Medium bodied with red fruits and spice. A lovely finish of red fruit with white pepper.

Keyneton Euphonium Barossa Valley/Eden Valley 2013

45% Shiraz, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc. Red/garnet in appearance. Full bodied with ripe, plummy fruit. There is a savoury note and chocolate along with a touch of mint. A rich wine with tannins beginning to soften. This is excellent.

Marble Angel Barossa Valley 2012.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon and is the first vintage of this wine released on to the market. Still youthful in appearance. Nose is black fruits, green pepper and eucalyptus. Palate is full and rich with tannins that are beginning to integrate.

Cyril Hanschke Cabernet Sauvignon Eden Valley 2013

88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, 5% Merlot. Youthful with hints of maturity beginning to show. N one is black fruits, plum and vanilla. Palate has depth nd is complex with nice balance and weight. Finish is dry with blackcurrant and a hint of cooling mint. A long life ahead of it before peaking. Excellent.

Tappa Pass Shiraz Eden Valley/Barossa Valley 2015

Youthful appearance. Black fruits, farms and peppery. Palate is smooth with plummy black fruits and chocolate. Tannins still firm. A complex wine that delivers a big punch and has great balance. A very good shiraz that will benefit from cellaring.

Noble Rot Semillon Eden Valley 2015

157g/l residual sugar. Pale yellow gold in appearance. Aromas of apricot and peach with orange and caramel. Palate is rich with tropical pineapple and honey and great balance. Very nice.

Greystone/Muddy Water

Greystone wines purchased Muddy Water in 2011 when the owners retired. The two sites couldn’t be any more different. Greystone is much bigger at 37 hectares and is on limestone. Muddy Water, on the other hand, is only 12 hectares and is on a clay substrate. The wine making philosophy however is very similar, both estates are certified organic and there is a philosophy of creating the best wines possible from the different terroirs.

Greystone Sauvignon Blanc 2017

Barrel fermented in old French oak. Wild fermentation. A very Loire Valley style of Sauvignon. Gentle gooseberry, nettle and delicate stone fruit. This wine is nicely balanced and has a good finish.

Muddy Water Estate Chardonnay 2015

A very nice lighter style of chardonnay which exhibits some lovely citrus fruit. Quite mineral in character.

Greystone Chardonnay 2016

A richer style of chardonnay with tropical fruit and fully integrated oak giving a nice balance to the wine. A good citrus finish.

Greystone Sand Dollar Pinot Gris 2016

Tropical and stone fruit abound in a wine which has a lovely balance of fruit and acidity. The finish is dry and lingers with subtle tropical fruit.

Greystone Sea Star Riesling 2016

A lovely bone dry style of Riesling with herby notes and apricot stone fruit. The wine has lovely texture and is well balanced. Very nice.

Greystone Riesling 2017

Off dry in style this wine is full of fresh flowers, tropical fruits and limes. There palate is rich but with crisp acidity. A very nice Riesling indeed.

Greystone Gewurtztraminer 2015

Aromas of herbs, flowers and lime make this a very appealing wine. The palate has spicy tropical fruit with a splash of Turkish delight. Another success, very drinkable indeed.

Muddy Water Estate Pinot Noir 2016

Aromas of cherry, red berry fruits and violets. The palate has cherries and red fruits with a subtle earthy element. Tannins have some grip but this is drinking well.

Greystone Pinot Noir 2016

Nose opens out to give dark cherry and vanilla. A more complex offering than the Muddy Water and perhaps with better potential to age. There are savoury notes and a nice red berry finish.

Muddy Water Estate Pinotage 2016

Aromas of black fruits, vanilla and tar. The palate has depth with soft black plummy fruit. it is smokey and savoury and nicely balanced. Very nice and a rare find in New Zealand.

Greystone Basket Star 2013 (167g/l residual sugar)

Gold in appearance. Light, fresh aromas of apricot and orange. Palate has great balance with caramelised oranges and a touch of honey. A wine of great pleasure.

Muddy Water Estate Sugar Daddy Riesling 2016 (108g/l)

Rich and complex with honey, oranges and caramel. It has great depth and richness and is well balanced, it is a wine to savour.