Waiheke on a whim - April 2009

Although Waiheke Island is practically on my front door step, it isn’t a region I have visited with any regularity. Not only does it take a good few dollars to catch the ferry and transport a car to the island but everything there seems a bit more expensive especially on a public holiday where the going surcharge reaches 20%. On top of this the wineries themselves have been frustrating. Some wineries, when actually open, taste for an often hefty fee. Opening hours were so slender that it was hardly possible to visit more than two or three in a day. It was unusual for any of the truly famous wines to be available to taste while the average and overpriced wines on offer did not excite or create the feeling that the hassle and expense was worthwhile.

This time round things had changed just a little. Although the usual brilliant weather evaded us dulling the scenic experience a little, there was some encouraging signs emanating from Waiheke wineries. Yes, it is still and expensive experience and you must be prepared to sink a few dollars into the local economy, but the return on this seems a lot richer than it used to. The wineries seem more approachable and friendly and have available to taste a full range of wines. Even given a taste of Stonyridge Larose costs the same as a good bottle of vino from the supermarket, at least this iconic wine is made available for pilgrims to try in a fine atmosphere. At Goldwater their iconic labels Esslin, Goldie and Zell were all available to try. Te Whau offered two vintages of thir flagship wine “The Point” as well. The famous Reserve Syrah was on show at Passage Rock.

We tried a number of wines at Waiheke. Some were nothing to write home about, a couple were disappointing and I felt cheekily priced. Others were good but cheekily priced which is a lesser sin. Goldwater had actually dropped the price of its Esslin Merlot and Goldie to more realistic levels. A central theme coming from the wineries is the excitement over the quality of the 2008 vintage. Everyone had a gleam in their eye when that topic of conversation was broached.

We toured Passage Rock, Stonyridge, Cable Bay, Goldwater and Te Whau also taking advantage of the overnight plan to extend touring to the Stony Batter gun emplacements and tunnels and kicking around Oneroa. Notes below are from my favourite wines from the trip.

2007 Passage Rock Reserve Syrah. This was a must taste as winner of our “Wine of the Year” last year. In many respects this wine could be seen as a lesser vintage, and on paper it is. It isn’t as rich as the 2005 and 2006. It isn’t as robust and it isn’t as ripe. In a tasting I can see how it could be swamped by a bold Hawkes Bay Syrah next to it. This is a drinking Syrah not a tasting Syrah. Slowly sipped over lunch I can see why we were such attracted to it. The nose is very varietal with white pepper and brambly fruit. It is mouth filling yet subtle. It is long, lingering and spicy on the palate, carefully crafted and well balanced. There is smokiness and a savouriness lingering as a base note leading into a definite finishing explosion of sweet raspberries. This is not a wine of instant gratification, but one to sit and mull over which builds and draws you in with subtle complexity and interest. A carefully constructed wine. Excellent. 96/109

2007 Stonyridge Larose Cabernets. This is the second time I have tried this vintage of Waiheke's most iconic wine. $18 a taste on Anzac day! This time I was far more impressed (not with the price, I mean the wine). Those stupid inert gas tasting machines have a lot to answer for. I don’t really think they keep wine as fresh for as long as people think. Anyway, this time a very expensive sample was poured for us from a pristine bottle into a lovely big glass. Sometime atmosphere is everything. The nose is fruit driven with dark plum and blackberry fruit among deep scented black liquorice and tobacco. The palate is hauntingly pure and delicate. Its power is almost hidden away smothered by the grace and charm on show. Flavours revolve around dark plum and blackberry type fruit. There is a beautiful freshness and poise to the fruit. All wrapped in almost invisible slippery tannins. The finish is long, soft and elegant. It is a gorgeous wine. The cellar door price of $220 is a joke especially when it can be had retail on the mainland at half that. Even top older vintages such as the 1999 are on the menu at the posh Waiheke Te Whau restaurant for the comparative bargain of $135. However score it as due we must. Outstanding at 98/109

2007 Cable Bay Pinot Noir. The whites didn’t really ring my bells at Cable Bay but the Pinot is pretty good. It is very Marlborough in style and not really the serious structured wines sought by true Pinot freaks but this is sure to keep dinner party guests happy with its creamy texture and generous red cheer and red plum flavour profile. Soft and inviting, no doubt helped by a pretty high alcohol reading of 14 or 14.5% $33 91/109

2006 Cable Bay Five Hills Merlot Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon. Unfortunately Cable Bay was one place that didn’t offer tastings of their reserve wines although I did note the reserve cabernet Merlot was available by the glass at the very picturesque bar next to the tasting room. It was only 10:30am, too early in the day for that! Anyway this second tier red wasn’t too bad in a more traditional old time Waiheke style, similar in a way to how I remember Mudbrick reds. It is structured and earthy with plenty of complexity and brawn. It finishes with creamy tannins and a long finish of dusty tannins. $30 91/109

2007 Goldwater Zell Chardonnay. The best white wine we tried on the island made from local fruit. Many whites on the island seem made from grapes from other regions. Packed full of fresh nectarine flavours this is a big mouth filling wine that gobbles the oak up in waves of fruit. Rich and textured, it is quite a statement wine which advertises chardonnay in bold. $33 94+/109

2004 Goldwater Esslin Merlot. Esslin merlot is a very delicate wine, far from the opulence of the top Hawkes bay wines. It isn’t obvious and it isn’t Shiraz by a different name. It is very fine and juicy with detailed tannins, fresh plum fruit. It is meticulous in its approach. It is another wine that could be swamped in a line up if in the tasting arena. A wine made to be drunk and enjoyed. Even though I could see the class in this wine, and see where it was aimed it just missed a bit of x factor and excitement to warrant a higher score. Priced more reasonably now at $42. 94/109

2004 Goldwater Goldie. After drinking a bottle of the almost immortal 1994 a fortnight ago, this was an interesting follow up. It is comparably soft and detailed with delicate plumy fruit and fine grainy tannins. The class is as obvious as the evolution. While the 1994 if stored well could even reach 30 years of age, I am more inclined to think the 2004 is a 10-15 year proposition. It is more modern and approachable, perhaps better for it as I enjoy detail in my reds. But I couldn’t help but think that I missed the stature and immortal feel offered in the great 1994 vintage. A very good vintage of Goldwater but perhaps not a great one. It is however cheaper today than it was a decade ago. In the perspective of Waiheke flagship reds, that is amazing. $49 95/109

2007 Te Whau “The Point”. Good to see this tasted at the winery for a reasonable fee of $3. I have never been a huge Te Whau fan. I have never “got” the style and have been underwhelmed on the occasions I have tried it before this. However this is one wine that drips class and elegance will still retaining a modern feel with some sumptuous and rich fruit. It is a brilliant ruby red colour with a nose giving up aromas of tobacco, black tea, anise and dark plumy fruit. The first thing you note about the palate is the seamlessness of it. It seems to have no edges, no place where a flavour starts or ends, everything in harmony. It has both a classical feel to it but also a modern texture. Flavours of mixed berries, ripe blackcurrant, and baking spice touches. There is a plumpness to the fruit and silkiness to the reclusive tannins. On paper 2007 may be a lesser Waiheke vintage. If that is the case I need to be quick when the 2008’s come out as the 2007 is super stuff. $60ish 97/109

2006 Te Whau “The Point”. In most respects pretty similar to the 2007, though slightly more grainy in texture, acids slightly more pronounced. It is still creamy and elegant however offering up plenty of class. A long soft lingering finish caps thing off. Not quite as textural as the 2007, or is that just a bit of puppy fat which it will soon lose?? At this stage the 2007 is more immediately attractive. $60ish 96/109