The Hot Red Roadshow rolled into Auckland today - just under 30 Hawke's Bay wineries showing their wares. A good turnout of premium producers; Trinity Hill, Vidals, Esk Valley, Craggy Range, Villa Maria, Clearview Estate amongst others, all arranged alphabetically, presumably to stop any fighting.
I should confess upfront that I never taste wines too seriously at these types of event. I go along to meet producers, gossip with those there, see if there are any stories to be had. The idea of tasting a wee drop of wine, whilst juggling a promotional booklet, listening to the winemaker speak, locating the spitoon and managing to smile yet look serious is at least three tasks too much for me. ( I joked to Rod McDonald that I couldn't taste impartially at the upcoming Hawke's Bay Wine Awards if I had already tasted some of the wines. I said this in jest but it can be true; I once tasted blind a new release Hunter Valley Semillon three times in one week; for Wine NZ, Cuisine and TizWine. I don't flatter myself to think that I could spot a wine tasted today again tomorrow, so the chances of me being able to do so two months apart is negligible as well as laughable, but even so).
And to be honest, if I am going taste properly, I want to be able to do so in relative peace and quiet. A two hour session straight after lunch is a rotten time. I can understand the logistics of the organisers; move the winemakers from city to city in the morning, have them present in the afternoon, let them relax in the evening and then start all over again the next day. But one has to wonder who the tasting is aimed at ?
When I worked in London we responded to the feedback we got from several key wine buyers and scheduled our annual major Burgundy tasting to start at 9.00am and finish at 1.00pm. Media and serious buyers could come straight to the tasting and work through the wines in peace. Those who weren't as serious normally wafted in just before lunch but whomever was there, we cleared away at 2.00pm sharp. This meant we could have a relaxing lunch, talk to the producers and then go back and refresh in time for the (paying) private customers who came 5.30pm-8.00pm.
Judging by the large numbers of tasters attending the Roadshow, no-one else seemed to be bothered by the timing. Though I did wonder how many of those tasting were actual buyers and not just there for a freebie.
Back home for a glass of 2008 Obsidian Viognier, from Waiheke, which is not the richest nor most expressive example of one of my favourite grapes but a decent drop nonetheless. Some apricot and florals on the nose, good mouthfeel yet not as powerful as the top examples. Strangely though this lack of oomph and intensity makes it an enjoyable before-dinner glass, in contrast to some of the bigger, riper wines which can be quite overwhelming without food.
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