A Mission to the Judean Hills

Another weekend of foraging in the cellar and finding some Alice in Wonderland-style bottles that had 'Drink Me' written (invisibly of course) all over them.

I last tasted the Mission Vineyards Reserve Syrah 2002 from the Gimblett Gravels in Hawkes Bayin autumn 2005. Then, I said 'drink up to 2009' - I was wrong. It has mellowed and is showing some leathery edges, but it's still wonderfully bright and peppery with vibrant dark fruit flavours and a spicy finish. Still at least another five years ahead of it, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it going on for another five years.

By contrast, I'd thought that the 2001 Domaine Castel Chardonnay from the Judean Hills would still be going strong at age 10. But on the strength of the bottle opened this evening, I'd overestimated its longevity.


It wasn't dead, but while there was still the minerally, almost briny undercurrent that you'll also find in the excellent red, the fruit was fading, and a slightly cheesy/oxidised edge didn't add to the pleasure. No worse than some of the prematurely oxidised Burgundies of similar age. but a slight disappointment. Tonight I'm on a terrific Valpolicella - will post on that tomorrow...

Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot 2006

I've tended not to like cheap New Zealand Bordeaux-inspired reds - scrawny and charmless and with overenthusiastic oak-ageing. A bit like cheap Bordeaux, really, although perhaps not the oak thing. The good news is that the Kiwis seem to have realised that such wines aren't their forte, and have virtually abandoned the sub-£7 bracket. At higher prices, there's a chance to give the grapes a little more TLC, and as both the vines and the winemakers mature, the results are increasingly convincing. Just cracked open the Villa Maria Private Bin Merlot 2006 from Hawkes Bay (£9.99 Waitrose, www.nzhouseofwine.co.uk), and I'm enjoying it more than I anticipated. It has a peppery character reminiscent of Hawkes Bay Syrah, but there's also a plump plush wad of blackberry flesh, along with some earthy tannins. It's not the classiest of wines, but I like it's honest, smiling nature, and its rich but dry finish.

PS While debate is strong - OK, perhaps not THAT strong - as to whether it is Hawkes Bay or Hawke's Bay, what does seem beyond doubt is that there is a small hill in the south of the region with longest place name in New Zealand - Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamatea-turipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, which according to Wikipedia translates roughly as The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one. If you want to know what it sounds like, listen to this...