DIVERSITY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

30 March 2009

Diurnal variation

I have been reveling in this superb extended summer - surely the best in the past 10 years! The nights are becoming quite cool while the daytime temperatures still reach 25C or more. My friend B and I headed out to the Clevedon Farmers’ Market on Sunday. This Indian Summer of ours had brought out the masses and we quickly escaped after sipping our compulsory flat white and purchasing green greens organic apple juice and tasty meats. We just could not face tasting wine in the glaring heat.

In the warm mid-day sun, mad Englishmen or not, a well-chilled glass of our standard-bearer, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, can do the trick. Try the Bladen Sauvignon Blanc 2008, crafted by the King of New Zealand Savvy himself, Simon Waghorn. Over the past few years, rosé wines have come back into fashion and our wineries have come to the party by producing delectable, off dry or even dry examples. One of my favourites is the Amisfield Rosé from Central Otago.

Our journey back to Auckland wound its way along the coast towards Maraetai, where we stopped for lunch at Bach’n - the artist previously know as The Bach. My delicious and ample portion of Fish ‘n Chips was accompanied by a glass of Cloudy Bay Chardonnay. This is a big enough wine with sufficient texture, mouthfeel and acidity to balance this rich dish. B plumped for a G & T; the tonic and hint of gin complementing her goats cheese salad well.

Our nighttime temperatures are dropping quite rapidly, which is a good excuse to delve into my cellar to pull out bottles of wines with a little more fortitude, both in terms of flavour and alcohol. Favourites of mine are the enigmatic Barolo wines of Piemonte, shiraz from the Barossa, cabernet blends from Stellenbosch, South Africa and our own pinot noirs from Central Otago and Martinborough.

Matching wines (and wine temperature) to ambient temperature is a skill that is worth attaining. As a rule of thumb (not much science involved here), the higher the ambient, the cooler the wine – red or white.

Martin Cahnbley has been in the wine game for over 20 years and travels the world hunting for the wines you (and he) desire. His discoveries are also available at www.planetwine.co.nz

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