The dig-out challenge has gone down to the wire with the 2 teams level however we had a clear individual winner – Tom who broke all records doing it in 3.47 minutes or 362kg/minute (the nearest competitor 280kg/minute). Tom is now going to take on Beauden Barrett of the Hurricanes in a dig-out challenge next Thursday10th May @ 3.30pm. Palliser is sponsoring Beauden this season & he is being a great sport for coming up to get involved in the real winery action. For those of you who were wondering, a “dig-out” is when the Pinot noir tank has finished fermenting, the wine has been drained off & the remaining skins are “dug-out” & pressed to get the remaining good bits out. It’s a dirty & hard job but someone has to do it & hence the competition to make it fun.

Yesterday Richard put on his vintage lunch special for the whole team – an impressive feast of white-bait fritters, crayfish & paua, plus a few extras from his sous-chef Jo! The 2012 vintage will be remembered fondly as one with a great team, great food & weather that came right when needed & saved us! Hopefully this time next week all our fruit will be off the vines & happily doing its thing in the winery.

Chef Josh Evans produced a gorgeous menu that complimented a collection of Gonzalez Byass wines we had for tasting and demonstrated Josh’s innovativeness in the kitchen.  House-made Milk Curd, Fennel & Prosciutto di Parma paired with Tio Pepe.  Lovely subtle salt flavours from the curd and parma immediately opened up the Tio Pepe and showed the gorgeous fruit purity with subtle heat.  Dukkah Crumbed Veal Sweetbreads with Black Pudding and Date Jam paired with Vinas del Vero ‘La Miranda de Secastilla’ Garnacha Blanca ’10.  The fruit from this wine is sourced from de Secastilla vineyard, Somontano region at the foothills of the Pyrenees this specific vineyard is 100 yrs old. This wine is fermented in Stainless Steel and finished in French Oak for the last 4mths of its journey.  Its colour has the lightest hue of green with rich aromas and fresh crisp fruit flavours.

It just isn’t Spain unless you’re having Tempranillo.  Tempranillo is considered Spain’s national grape.   Braised Lamb Belly, Puy Lentil, Haloumi and an Almond psicha paired with Finca Constanica ‘Parcela 23’ Tempranillo ’09.  Great dish worked so well.

We went on to enjoy two Riojas – the Beronia Crianza ‘08 & Beronia Reserva ’07, with Pork Belly and candied Eggplant, grilled artichoke.  Then the gorgeous Anada 1982 Palo Cortado sherry – beautiful amber/ gold in colour and glistened in the glass, had wonderful mushroom characters then unfolded into citrus orange peel paired with Macadamia psicha, fresh fig and a maturo vintage cheddar.  The finale was the Oloroso VORS ‘Matusalem’ served with a Hazelnut Praline & Blackberry Gliko, just perfect, say no more!

Thank you Clive for the invitation and many thanks to the people of Ambeli, service top notch. 

After my lunch with friends on a gorgeous Wellington sunny day… I left Ambeli satisfied and feeling the Spanish love and before I knew it I was in Shozies purchasing a gorgeous pair of brushed leather boots, made in Spain.

The Pencarrow Pinot Noir has upstaged its more prestigious sibling over the last few years. Its success on the wine show circuit has no doubt been a result of the wine’s bold fruity style and reasonable accessibility, the latter attribute a result of less intensive tannin management and the selection of barrels that have the balance for earlier drinking than the ‘Estate’ wine. Winning gold medals and trophies has astounded some critics, but this second label’s consistent performance cannot be denied. Either the criteria for wine show competitions must be changed, or all of the judges sacked!

Teasing aside, the other reasons for the Pencarrow Pinot Noir accomplishments are increasing fruit quality from improving viticulture and the greater availability of high grade fruit. Consumers are not going to question the quality and value pricing, which should be celebrated.

Pencarrow Martinborough Pinot Noir 2011
Clones 114, 115, 667, 777, Abel and 10/5, all Martinborough, predominantly from company vineyards, the fruit given a cold soak and mostly indigenous yeast fermented to 14.0% alc., the wine spending 17 days on skins and aged 10 months in French oak. Dark, deep, black-hued red colour, lighter on rim. This has a tightly bound, but intense and penetrating nose of ripe black fruits with dark herb and spice notes as well as violet-like florals. Medium-full bodied, the flavours promise to unfold and reveal more with time. There are flavours of black fruits and florals, concentrated and densely packed, and supported by fine-grained, but firm tannins. The oaking is sensitive and the youthful acidity carries the flavours on a long, lingering finish featuring spicy black fruits and hints of liquorice. This is a tightly concentrated, brooding and firmly textured Pinot Noir that needs another year to become accessible. It will then develop for another 4-5+ years. Serve with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean styled red meat dishes

Our team for the harvest joining Allan & Pip in the cellar is – Jane (Kiwi lady who is returning for her 2^nd vintage with us), Alex (German), Pippa (Scottish) & Tom who is another Kiwi & who has worked previously at Villa Maria. We have a great team on board & I am sure a lot of fun will be had in between making some great wines & hard work.

For the reviews of the four wines he tasted refer http://www.raymondchanwinereviews.co.nz/features/palliser-estate-skill-managing-diversity