I have been absent for a while - did you miss me?
No - I thought not !
Have just returned to NZ having sailed to Tahiti and return.
Out of the blue a couple months ago, a friend phoned and asked if I was
available to help deliver a brand new 50 footer to Tahiti, and bring another
yacht back to NZ - via Bora Bora and the Cook Islands.
Well, this olde seadog jumped at the opportunity to visit warmer climes (for
those climatically challenged, it is now winter downunder - so the thought
of a couple weeks in warmer waters, and air temperatures in the mid-high 20s
was just too appealing to resist.)
Although we were only in Papeete for a few days, I was glad we were residing
on board - accommodation in resort styled hotels was a little expensive for
this poverty stricken kiwi (food and wine prices in hotel restaurants was a
little steep to say the least.
I did "try" to see what French wines were available in that French colony -
the answer - well nothing that I recognised!
Oh yes, plenty of supermarket styled Bordeaux at Carrefour (at prices which
were not too bad, considering the relative high GST/VAT) but I did purchase
a few bottles, which all disappeared on the return journey.
Believe me, there is no experience like sitting on a yacht (read sail boat!)
in the lagoon off Bora Bora, just before sundown, sipping red wine out of a
tumbler accompanying a pasta dish cooked in a tiny galley .
So, ignoring two wines (a burgundy and a Rhone!) which were underwhelmingly
forgetful, from some soggy notes (we hit a storm off NZ, which was
exhilarating, but cold and wet when we got pooped a couple of times!) I did
make note of - please excuse spelling...
Ch. Du Cedre le Prestige Cahors - big, robust, sweet ripe fruit, very much a
food wine but probably the best of the bunch (wish I had more of this)
Montirius Vacqueyras - pronounced Grenache character - very attractive, all
berries and spice - very fragrant.
Ch. Nardou Cotes des Francs Bordeaux - I was most pleasantly surprised -
classic Bordeaux blackcurrant, firm but ripe tannins - if served blind I
would have picked a classified growth.
From memory - all in that $US20-25 range - but worth a look if they are to
be seen in your little corner of the world.
Now I am in a fit of depression - I hate winter!
Cheers
st.helier

On Jul 1, 1:59*am, "st.helier" > wrote:
> I have been absent for a while - did you miss me?
> No - I thought not !
> Have just returned to NZ having sailed to Tahiti and return.
> Out of the blue a couple months ago, a friend phoned and asked if I was
> available to help deliver a brand new 50 footer to Tahiti, and bring another
> yacht back to NZ - via Bora Bora and the Cook Islands.
> Well, this olde seadog jumped at the opportunity to visit warmer climes (for
> those climatically challenged, it is now winter downunder - so the thought
> of a couple weeks in warmer waters, and air temperatures in the mid-high 20s
> was just too appealing to resist.)
> Although we were only in Papeete for a few days, I was glad we were residing
> on board - accommodation in resort styled hotels was a little expensive for
> this poverty stricken kiwi (food and wine prices in hotel restaurants was a
> little steep to say the least.
> I did "try" to see what French wines were available in that French colony *-
> the answer - well nothing that I recognised!
> Oh yes, plenty of supermarket styled Bordeaux at Carrefour (at prices which
> were not too bad, considering the relative high GST/VAT) *but I did purchase
> a few bottles, which all disappeared on the return journey.
> Believe me, there is no experience like sitting on a yacht (read sail boat!)
> in the lagoon off Bora Bora, just before sundown, sipping red wine out of a
> tumbler accompanying a pasta dish cooked in a tiny galley .
> So, ignoring two wines (a burgundy and a Rhone!) which were underwhelmingly
> forgetful, from some soggy notes (we hit a storm off NZ, which was
> exhilarating, but cold and wet when we got pooped a couple of times!) I did
> make note of - please excuse spelling...
> Ch. Du Cedre le Prestige Cahors - big, robust, sweet ripe fruit, very much a
> food wine but probably the best of the bunch (wish I had more of this)
> Montirius Vacqueyras - pronounced Grenache character - *very attractive, all
> berries and spice - very fragrant.
> Ch. Nardou Cotes des Francs Bordeaux - I was most pleasantly surprised -
> classic Bordeaux blackcurrant, firm but ripe tannins - if served blind I
> would have picked a classified growth.
> From memory - all in that $US20-25 range - but worth a look if they are to
> be seen in your little corner of the world.
> Now I am in a fit of depression - I hate winter!
> Cheers
> st.helier

Sounds like quite an adventure!

On Jul 1, 12:59*am, "st.helier" > wrote:
> I have been absent for a while - did you miss me?
> No - I thought not !
> Have just returned to NZ having sailed to Tahiti and return.
> Out of the blue a couple months ago, a friend phoned and asked if I was
> available to help deliver a brand new 50 footer to Tahiti, and bring another
> yacht back to NZ - via Bora Bora and the Cook Islands.
> Well, this olde seadog jumped at the opportunity to visit warmer climes (for
> those climatically challenged, it is now winter downunder - so the thought
> of a couple weeks in warmer waters, and air temperatures in the mid-high 20s
> was just too appealing to resist.)
> Although we were only in Papeete for a few days, I was glad we were residing
> on board - accommodation in resort styled hotels was a little expensive for
> this poverty stricken kiwi (food and wine prices in hotel restaurants was a
> little steep to say the least.
> I did "try" to see what French wines were available in that French colony *-
> the answer - well nothing that I recognised!
> Oh yes, plenty of supermarket styled Bordeaux at Carrefour (at prices which
> were not too bad, considering the relative high GST/VAT) *but I did purchase
> a few bottles, which all disappeared on the return journey.
> Believe me, there is no experience like sitting on a yacht (read sail boat!)
> in the lagoon off Bora Bora, just before sundown, sipping red wine out of a
> tumbler accompanying a pasta dish cooked in a tiny galley .
> So, ignoring two wines (a burgundy and a Rhone!) which were underwhelmingly
> forgetful, from some soggy notes (we hit a storm off NZ, which was
> exhilarating, but cold and wet when we got pooped a couple of times!) I did
> make note of - please excuse spelling...
> Ch. Du Cedre le Prestige Cahors - big, robust, sweet ripe fruit, very much a
> food wine but probably the best of the bunch (wish I had more of this)
> Montirius Vacqueyras - pronounced Grenache character - *very attractive, all
> berries and spice - very fragrant.
> Ch. Nardou Cotes des Francs Bordeaux - I was most pleasantly surprised -
> classic Bordeaux blackcurrant, firm but ripe tannins - if served blind I
> would have picked a classified growth.
> From memory - all in that $US20-25 range - but worth a look if they are to
> be seen in your little corner of the world.
> Now I am in a fit of depression - I hate winter!

I have not heard of wine made in Tahati, but then I had not heard of
wine from Hawaii until fairly recently. At any rate, if Tahati makes
wine, it does not seem to be well known to the international market.
However Ava Tahiti makes some liqueur in Tahati. This company is a
subsidary of Gilbert Milco's distillary in France which makes many
classic eau de vie as well as some rather strange ones such as garlic.
Ava Tahiti's Moorea Coco (coconut) and Liqueur d'Ananas (pineapple)
are well made and decent to sip as well as mixing in cocktails.
Perhaps these would warm up your New Zealand winter. These liqueurs
from Tahati are unlikely to be at your corner liquor store, but they
sometimes are available in GB and the US as well as France.

cwdjrxyz wrote on Thu, 1 Jul 2010 20:34:38 -0700 (PDT):

>
> I have not heard of wine made in Tahati, but then I had not
> heard of wine from Hawaii until fairly recently.

There is winery on Maui that makes quite palatable off-dry wine from
pineapple juice. It's no grand cru but worth trying if you are there.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On 07/01/2010 07:59 AM, st.helier wrote:
> Ch. Du Cedre le Prestige Cahors - big, robust, sweet ripe fruit, very
> much a food wine but probably the best of the bunch (wish I had more of
> this)
> Montirius Vacqueyras - pronounced Grenache character - very attractive,
> all berries and spice - very fragrant.
> Ch. Nardou Cotes des Francs Bordeaux - I was most pleasantly surprised -
> classic Bordeaux blackcurrant, firm but ripe tannins - if served blind I
> would have picked a classified growth.
> From memory - all in that $US20-25 range - but worth a look if they are
> to be seen in your little corner of the world.

I must say your story awakens my wanderlust in a major way!

The prices seem very high for these wines, but there is a well known
issue with distribution to the DomTom. Witness semi-recent strikes...

Funny thing is, Carrefour has exactly the same wines in Normandie!

I think Ch. du Cedre makes quite good wines, I'm a bit surprised you
haven't tried this domain while visiting our Forgeian Fellow, as they
have a good reputation.

I did try Montirius once, I think it was around 8-9 EU here, and came
off to me as a very average big production CdR, nothing very typical of
Vacqueyras that I recall but well enough made in a modern style. I
didn't think well enough of it to buy again at that price even.

I know I've tried the Nardou but frankly can't recall it; will have to
return to the Carrefour Market and check on the price anyway for
comparison purposes.


Thanks for the account!

-E