First vineyard visited - Peregrine. My B&B host at Dunedin told me this is a must not miss vineyard. I took opportunity of a delayed flight to Milford sound and headed to this beautiful vineyard. Nice cellar door and a little pond in front of the car park. The host at the counter was very friendly. He asked for the style of wine I liked and started pouring the wine into the glass. I started with the Rieslings - Charcoal Creek Late Harvest Y'09 and Ratasburn Riesling Y'06. These are not the dry style type but more of the German Mosel area - demi-sweet type. I like their freshness. Bought 3 of each. Next onto the Pinot Noir. Started with the Y'07. Hmm... taste of oak, cherries, plum and very heavy tannin. Very young, not for drinking now. Ok, how about the Y'08. Very different, it tastes "green". Personally, I like the more complex and "ripe" taste of Y'07, so the choice is clear - x6 bottles. The host was very kind to help me bubble wrap each bottle and packed them into a carton box. For the price of S$38, this Pinot Noir is a steal.
Just a forewarning to those who wants to ship wine back to Singapore - it is about NZ$170 per case, and NZ$135 per case if you ship > 3 cases. Note that this is not including the liquor tax about S$7 + 7% GST. So be prepared to pay S$20 extra on top of the price you paid to have the wine shipped right to your door step.
Next stop, Gibbston Valley Wine. I visited this vineyard almost 10 years back. Here I am back again. Wah, everything cost $$, from tasting to cellar visit. Not to worry if you are buying wine, it will be free for purchase above certain amount. Now, I bought a Y2000 Pinot Noir 10 years back and opened it in Y2006. That layered taste of cherries, plum still lingers in my mind. Naturally I opt for the library tasting of the Pinot Noir. 4 Pinot Noirs were served in a set of 4 glasses with label and tasting notes for each one of them. The first is the 2007 Pinot Noir. Still to be polished, pretty complex taste and good aroma. Next, Le Maitre 2008, it is more elegant, but closed. I can't really taste the fruits. The 3rd one, Le Mineur d'Orient Pinot Noir Y'08. The host just opened this bottle so it is fresh. Floral aroma, tast of cherries and plum and has a bit of earthy and plum aftertaste. Elegant, reminds me of a mix of Volnay and Pommard wine in Burgundy. The last one is the Reserve Y'08. Elegant in style compared to the Non-reserve. If the Non-reserve is an unpolished diamond, the reserved would be the Perfect cut. I went through the 4 wines again. And I drawn a conclusion that the #3 is for me. Guess what, the host and his colleague told me good choice. It was their favorite too. For NZ$55, comparing that to the Y'08 at NZ$50 and reserve at NZ$100, I find the Le Mineur d'Orient a better buy. Okay, one case. Any discount? No. But I was given a similar bottle to drink along the way. Worried about clogging up the car, I requested for delivery back to Singapore. GV wine actually subsidised NZ$20 and charged me NZ$150. Though the cellar door is highly commercialised, I would say that I enjoy this short 20 mins tasting session with the very friendly host.
In the evening after the visit to Milford Sound, I popped by Chard Farm. Located on the left hand side of the road to Queenstown after Gibbston Valley, you have to drive along the edge of the hill on the narrow gravel road. Here, I tried the Riesling - demi-sweet style similar to that of German Mosel valley. Perhaps the Riesling overpowered the taste of Pinot Noir. I find the Pinot Noir - the Tiger, Viper etc elegant but "light". So my choice is clear - cart in 6 bottles of Riesling'08.
The next day, guess what, after our horse ridding, I went back to Gibbston Valley Wine again and make a purchase of another 6 bottles of Le Mineur d'Orient Pinot Noir Y'08 and 6 bottles Le Fou Riesling Y'08. I missed the taste of Le Mineur d'Orient and in many definitions of a wine lover - Good wine. Good wine is one that make an individual desire to pull the cork off the same label again and again until you run out of stock. Incidentally, the young host behind the counter told me that Le Mineur and Le Fou Riesling are the 2 wines that he personally preferred.
