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This was a superb evening featuring worldwide bubbles.
The special food matched some of the wines and was well thought out and tasty. It is always interesting to see what change the food makes to the wine you drink.
This has left everyone with some thoughtfully selected wines to source for Christmas celebrations.
As a reminder of what to put on your shopping list, the wines we tasted were:
De Bortolli Family Selection Sparkling Brut NV – Australia
Graham Norton Prosecco D.O.C. – Italy
Perelada Brut Reserva Spanish Cava – Spain
Pongracz Sparkling Brut – South Africa
Hunter MiruMiru Marlborough Methode Traditionelle Brut – New Zealand
Aimery Grande Cuvee 1531 Cremant De Limouix Rose NV – France
The Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV – Australia
Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling 2007 AND 2017 – New Zealand
It was an interesting and fun evening for everyone, thanks to Wayne, Murray, Terry Gayl, and everyone else who helped with the food on the evening.
Detergent is the enemy of effervescence, so always rinse your sparkling glasses in warm water to remove any residue. Photo / Getty Images
From weekend brunches to housewarming parties to casual happy hours at home, popping a bottle of bubbles generally promises a good time. This tasting has been put together with assistance from our friends at Eurovintage and presents many affordable wines from around the world that may well surprise you with their wide range of styles and tastes.
And if you then go out and seek one or more of these wines after the tasting, we will be well pleased. Wines to be tasted will include:
De Bortolli Family Selection Sparkling Brut NV – Australia – Our welcome wine
Graham Norton Prosecco D.O.C – Italy
Perelada Brut Reserva Spanish Cava NV – Spain
Pongracz Sparkling Brut – South Africa
Hunter MiruMiru Marlborough Method Traditionalle Brut – New Zealand
Aimery Grande Cuvee 1531 Cremant De Limouix Rose NV – France
The Black Chook Sparkling Shiraz NV – Australia
Pegasus Bay Encore Noble Riesling – New Zealand
The club will supply you with a flute to taste the wines, but bring your flutes or tasting glasses if you prefer.
As there are eight wines for the evening, members are encouraged to have a good meal before attending the evening.
There will be extra small food supplied for some of the above wines to enhance the experience and make the evening extra special.
MERMAIDMARY lauds the delights of lesser-known white wine variety chenin blanc.
Like many of the grape varieties we know and love, chenin blanc originates in France, hailing from the Loire Valley. And like other European wine varieties, chenin has found its spiritual home in the New World wine regions – South Africa produces one-fifth of the world’s chenin, twice as much as in its native France. Here in New Zealand, just a few passionate producers are devoted to this lesser-known white wine.
You can describe most New Zealand wines in a few words that refers to their signature style. For example, sauvignon blanc is zesty and vibrant, chardonnay is buttery and oaky and so on. Chenin blanc, however, is hard to narrow down due to its remarkable versatility.
On the vine the chenin grape is akin to chardonnay with high acid and a neutral palate. As a result of this neutrality the grape is influenced by the terroir in which it is grown as well as winemaking decisions. In the glass, chenin comes in a range of guises, from the perfect base wine for crisp dry sparkling wines to lusciously sweet dessert wines – and everything in between. There truly is a chenin blanc for every wine lover.
Chenin is best served chilled, but not cold, so as to preserve its complex aromatics and rich flavours – about half an hour in the fridge will suffice. Chenin is also a fantastic food wine, complementing a range of different cuisines. Off-dry examples with a hint of sweetness are particularly sublime with Southeast Asian cuisine.
Although delicious young, chenin has an incredible ability to age. A dry chenin could hold its own in the bottle for 10 years, with sweeter examples cellaring beautifully for decades.
Essentially, you can drink chenin in any style, at any age with any food, so there’s no excuse not to try one.
Our Del Mundo tasting in April was a premium European tasting with Lucas. The wines we indulged in were:
Terra Serena Prosecco DOC Treviso Brut – Italian
Tonon Prosecco Conegliano Vablobbiadene Extra Dry DOCG – Italian
2017 Great Five Pinotage Reserve – South African – first released in 1945
2010 Camilo de Lellis Biferno Montepulciano/Aglianico Trebbiaio DOCG – Italian
2016 Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG – Italian
2012 Estola Gran reserve Tempranillo Cabernet – Spanish
2008 Faustino First Tempranillo – Spanish
Del Mundo Wines – April 2021
Lucas’s presentation was lively and informative, and many attendees were surprised to learn that in Italy and Spain there are strict rules around what can be labelled reserve. Requirements vary on a regional basis, though essentially, they have to have an extended period in both the barrel and the bottle before being released.
Typically, wines at the higher end of the spectrum are aged for many years. While Chianti has to be aged for a minimum of two years, Amarone, which we tasted on the night, can only be released after four years. A grand reserve has even more stringent requirements. For a Spanish wine to be labelled as a Gran Reserva, the law requires that it be aged for a minimum of five years, with two of those years in an oak cask or barrel.
Other tidbits we picked up during the evening:
Del Mondo means ‘of the world’
Prosecco means ‘path through the woods’
In 2009, Italy Prosecco was recognised as a geographical indication (GI) by Italian law (in the same vein as Champagne in France) and the Prosecco grape variety was renamed Glera
Tempranillo was first planted in the year 800, given Royal assent in 1100
Tempranillo is also the world’s third-largest crop
The Great Five Pinotage Reserve was first released in 1945
The opportunity to try labels we were unfamiliar with made for an interesting time and the Faustino, which normally retails for $105, was a special treat.
Note from Editor
A big thanks to all Club members for mucking in and helping set up the tables & chairs, etc for our last tasting. The JCC has explained that the Fijian group present when we arrived had got their dates mixed up for their bookings and they (JCC) have given us a rent-free evening for our troubles.
A glass of good red can actually be beneficial as long as it’s really just one glass. Image: Pixabay
South Africans love their wine, and rightly so, as we have some of the best wines in the world.
And now we may have even more reason to love our favourite drink – studies have shown a compound found in red wine could be linked to boosting the immune system.
Researchers at the University of Florida in the US have found that, unlike many other alcoholic beverages, red wine does not suppress the immune system. In fact, it may help to boost it.
Many studies have shown that red wine in moderation may have some health benefits, including helping with longevity, lower blood pressure, and preventing coronary heart disease and some cancers.
Could red wine actually be healthy? Thankfully, yes, and enjoying a glass of wine can be part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, moderation is key and it is also important to realise that not all red wine is the same. Different reds have different levels of antioxidants.
How red wines can boost the immune system
Red wine contains naturally occurring compounds called polyphenols, which are found in the skins of berries, specifically grape skins. There are different kinds of polyphenols, including antioxidants like procyanidins and resveratrol, each of which has its own health benefits.
Resveratrol enhances the body’s ability to create anti-inflammatory molecules, which may lead to an improvement in the immune system. This antioxidant helps healthy gut bacteria to flourish by stimulating T-cell production and enhancing the body’s immune response.
Best wines to boost your immunity
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo grapes from the Langhe wine region in Piemonte, Italy. Image: Adobe Stock
The best wines for boosting the immune system are wines high in resveratrol and procyanidins, and low in residual sugar – the natural sugars left behind from the fermentation process.
Dry red wines with high levels of tannins and antioxidants should be your go-to varietals during cold and flu season. Some wines with high tannin levels may have an astringent or slightly bitter taste, so if you get headaches from the tannins, go for a low-tannin red with high levels of resveratrol like Pinot Noir.
Merlot
Merlot is the most planted of all grapes in France and the fourth most planted grape after Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Shiraz. It’s plummy, cassis-like flavours make it one of the more popular drinking wines with a softer, more seductive flavour than Cabernet.
And it’s good for you as it has high levels of the antioxidant procyanidin. Studies have shown that Merlot has demonstrated positive effects on the immune system.
Malbec
Malbec is a full-bodied red grape that grows mostly in Argentina. It is renowned for its plump, dark fruit flavours and smoky finish. The thick-skinned wine grape produces a bold red wine with rich notes of plum and cocoa, and is packed with resveratrol, making it a good choice to boost your immune system.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape with particularly high levels of resveratrol. This fruity, light-bodied, easy-drinking red has been linked to heart health and may help boost your immune system.
Cabernet Sauvignon
Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the world’s most widely recognised red wine grape varieties. This highly adaptable grape produces a full-bodied red wine with high tannins, and notes of dark fruit and baking spices.
It is packed with high levels of antioxidants that enhance immunity and help to protect cells against free radicals.
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is an Italian red wine from the Piedmont region that contains high levels of polyphenols like procyanidin. This varietal also contains melatonin, which helps to set the body’s circadian rhythm and may help with relaxation.
Petite Syrah
Also known as Durif, Petite Syrah is a full-bodied wine with rich flavours of blueberry, chocolate, plums, and black pepper, and notably high tannins. Due to its high levels of antioxidants like resveratrol, this varietal has demonstrated cardiovascular and metabolic benefits.
Despite its popularity, Petite Syrah is a relatively rare grape grown mainly in California.
Tannat
Tannat is a red wine grape historically grown in south-west France. It is a full-bodied, tannin-rich wine jam-packed with antioxidants, making it one of the healthiest red wines out there. It is also one of the most prominent grapes in Uruguay, where it is considered the national grape.
May the committee of the Cellar Club Inc take this opportunity to thank you for your support during 2012 and wish you a merry Christmas and all the best for the festive season and 2013.
December Dinner
Please note the start time for the Dinner. We have arranged it so that those who stay in town, or otherwise have things to do, do not have to hang around unnecessarily.
Thanks for all your responses; it seems clear that we have sufficient numbers to have the venue to ourselves. What a great effort.
What a great year in reflection. As ever started with a most enjoyable BBQ at Derek Thompson’s house. February saw the St Clair Family Estate, followed in March by Stonecroft from Hawkes Bay. April was a real treat with the iconic Australian winery Brown Brothers presenting.
An interesting collection of really good, and some more basic, varieties that Brown Brothers enjoy experimenting with. After the AGM in May, June saw a Peter Yealands representative presenting. July was the mid-year dinner at Bistro 107 in Petone, a different sort of night but enjoyable none the less. August gave us the second iconic Australian winery with Luke Skeers from Wynn’s Coonawarra, a top class tasting with some excellent wines.
Our old friend Richard Gooch presented some South African wines in September, interesting to say the least, followed in October by Bannock Brae from Central Otago.
November has lived up to all its expectations with John (Mac) Macpherson from Advintage in Havelock North excelling himself.
South African Wines – has there been a change since Nelson got out? – Richard Gooch
An exceedingly entertaining presentation as expected from Richard although the quality of the wines was variable. A number had reached, or even passed, their cellaring potential. This was compounded by what was thought of as quite high pricing. Richard mentioned that this is partly because there is a large South African population in New Zealand nowadays, and they are prepared to pay a premium for wines from their homeland with which they were familiar. Limited suppliers in New Zealand and unfortunately Richard had only returned from overseas a few days before the tasting and had not had the best opportunity to test the wines.
Despite these negatives there were one or two quite delightful wines with the Pinotage being very popular. The presentation was both humorous and informative.
For those members who might be interested in purchasing any of the wines tasted they are available through On Trays Ltd, 38 Fitzherbert Street, Petone.
We don’t get much opportunity to sample SA wines but Richard Gooch is threatening to talk in Afrikaans about Cecil Rhodes as he provides an update on 7 South African Wines, including a bubbly. It will be entertaining and informative in Richard’s usual happy style.
Richard is extremely knowledgeable about SA wines so it seems a waste not to hear what he has to say about some of the wines from this region. We hope you agree. Unfortunately this may be a tasting where there is not much opportunity to purchase some of the wines as Richard is going to pick up some of the wines in his travels, he returns from the UK on the 4th September.
