Blue Poles Margaret River Viognier 2009

"Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but until they speak to the imagination, not yet beautiful" Ralph Walso Emmerson.

Viognier. It was a contender not that long ago until Marlborough Savvy B entered the fray. Yes, Viognier five odd years ago had such a bright future. Thing is though, no-one really harnessed Viogniers true potential; enter stage right Blue Poles Margaret River Viognier 2009.

The first thing that I noticed from tasting this wine is that there wasn't that great big smack in the face of apricot that you generally associate with this variety, instead you get lovely honeysuckle and floral notes on the nose with a more subtle burst of apricot in the form of those little apricot and coconut slices you find at school fetes; I did anyway. Another plus for this wine is that it does not come with a massive whack of alcohol with 13.7%v/v for less than the norm of about 14.5%v/v you may find from producers in SA.

Overall, a lovely pretty thing that definately deserves your attention.

Drink with chilli prawns
Drink till 2012
90
Screwcap 13.7%v/v $20 at Decanters by the bay, Port Melbourne

Ostler Waitaki Valley Audrey’s Pinot Gris 2008

This is a true expression of what real terroir wine is all about. Located in North Otago, just over the ranges that enclose Central Otago on the South Island of New Zealand, the Ostler Waitaki Valley Audrey’s Pinot Gris 2008 is absolutely gorgeous.

Full of oyster shell on the nose with a real hint of ocean spray, even though the vineyard is about 50km from the South Pacific Ocean; this whack of fresh ocean salt comes from the cracked limestone that is effectively the soil profile, a soil profile that was once the ocean floor some 38 million years ago. The mouth brings a new flavour spectrum of white flowers up front followed by a juicy hit of Fuji apple and gorgeous ripe figs with enough residual sugar to balance out the minerality on the nose.

An absolute joy to drink, and easily the best exponent of Pinot Gris outside of Alsace!

Drink with blue swimmer crab with angel hair pasta
Drink till 2015
98
Screwcap 14.2%v/v about $33 from Decanters by the Bay, Port Melbourne