st.helier wrote:
Yesterday, at the end of their 3 months sabbatical in Christchurch. shooters are a new form of drink that teen use to get high faster.
the onset of autumn in Godzone, Profs. Lipton, Chmielewski with Prof.Jnr
Andrew in tow, fled NZ bound for the familiarity of thunderstorm
stricken Lafayette, IN.
Despite protestations by the esteemed Professor that delays at O'Hare,
Chicago (en route to Indianapolis) were weather related, Lord St.Helier
has learned that, in fact, a larger aircraft was needed to carry the
excess baggage accumulated by these intrepid travellers (I mean, how can
three persons, weighing-in at a total of 160kg check-in with 500kg of
baggage? Did your card require a special authorisation? :-)
Indeed, we ended up with 9 checked pieces of luggage after our carry-on
luggage was deemed too bulky to be accomodated on-board the plane in SFO
and was checked planeside. More surprisingly, we paid not a red cent
for 9 pieces of checked luggage, an unexpected windfall that left Jean
and myself giggling like schoolchildren on holiday.
The NZ constabulary are investigating the removal of a kitchen sink from
Hot Water Beach, Coromandel, while Martinborough Vineyards are mystified
at the disappearance of the contents of an entire barrique of their 2011
Pinot Noir.
Ah, if only... We did come home to find a traffic warrant from some
town in NSW that apparently booked me for speeding in a rental car. All
done with cameras, I suppose, as I was never pulled over.
Nonetheless, His Lordship can announce that the visiting party spent
their last night in NZ mulling over the question "Is NZ the new Alsace?"
- with not a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir to be found.
With a menu comprising totally of seafood (kokoda/ceviche/poisson cru
followed by grilled spiced salmon with spinach ravioli and a dessert of
brown trout and jellyfish) - His Lordship dispensed with formalities and
"plonked" three bagged bottles of white on the table for evaluation.
'08 Lawsons Dry Hills Riesling - off-dry; very appealing "petrol" nose
Yes, clear petrol (or kerosene) scents atop some lime-y fruit. Quite
dry, too.
'10 Johanneshof Gewurztraminer - very subdued to start but improved with
time.
Very subdued in the nose, but on the palate were clear-on Gewurz flavors
with a rosewater finish. Moderately sweet, but retaining good acidity.
'11 Main Divide Pinot Gris - second label of Pegasus Bay, on the medium
side of off-dry - but this was gorgeous.
My son Andrew was a participant in the blind tasting, and loudly
proclaimed this wine a "Gevurtztraminer" (with a long i) after tasting
it. I was convinced of this too, from the spicy nose, but when
presented with the real deal (the Johanneshof) it was clear that this
grape was different. Very spicy, tropical fruit, dryish, medium bodied
with good acids, this wine was terrific with the salmon.
Decided to open a pink
'11 Martinborough Vineyard Rosé (500ml) - 100% Pinot Noir - bone dry,
great pinot flavours.
We had this wine at the winery, and it was good there, too, though a
trifle hot from the 12.5% ABV. Classic strawberry and minerals.
With dessert
"08 Trinity Hill Noble Viognier - wow - botrytis with a capital B -
lush, ripe apricot and lychee - scarce as rocking-horse s**t but worth
the effort to find if you can.
Mark Lipton