Wednesday 5 March 2025

Today was a day to taste the wines of the Marlborough region. A good deal of research was done by Lady P and we even consulted with the Chinese sommelier from yesterday. So, four wineries were chosen. Clos Henri, Forrest, Hanz Herzog and, of course, Cloudy Bay.

Cloudy Bay was the last but it should have been the first winery, as it is the benchmark for NZ Sauvignon Blanc, possibly Chardonnay and their Pinot Noir is absolutely the NZ wine to be what is the typical PN. Well, I hear you say, what bullshit! But bear with me here. If you wanted to taste what all the world thinks NZ produces, you could start at Cloudy Bay. Like Australia is Penfolds. Anyway, their Pelouris sparkling, SV and Chardonnay and PN were clean, crisp, and very well made and so, well, Cloudy Bay -pretty good as expected.

Now here where it gets better. We went to Cols Henri. French expats bringing different techniques to wine making along the La Loire and Sancerre traditions. Their Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir were exceptional. Oh, yes I hear you! Perhaps the Australian PN’s are absolute crap? Well, these wines were nowhere near a typical NZ SV or PN. They were 9 out of 10 and quite different to what you’d expect from those two grapes. Magnificent wines.

By now Flashy was a bit confused, as he expected crap wines because, well SV and PN are to be spit as spoken! It just goes to show that terrior and technique can change previously held views.

This was enhanced when we went to the Swiss expat family of Hans Herzog. Their wines were exceptional. Flashy , now completely confused, was amazed at the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Nior. He even purchased a bottle (PN). I think you will have to stay tuned to see what else he does!

Dinner was snapper and salad with garlic spuds, cooked in the park  kitchen where we are staying and washed down with the Clos Henri SV, Happy campers.

Killer Fly Swat
Cloudy Bay













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