A brilliant start to 2010

2010 may only be a few days old but already a couple of things have happened that have convinced me that this new year is full of potential.

 

It would be fair to say I have reached the ripe old age of xx without managing to spend a night under canvas. But under pressure from the rest of the family, I agreed to buy a tent and spend a few nights camping en route to Gisborne. Despite initial misgivings, I am hooked. The East Cape was magnificent; remote, unspoiled and breathtakingly beautiful.  The weather was perfect, (dare I say a little too hot - 35C at Tokomaru Bay) and the combination of blue seas, endless skies and pristine beaches amazing.

 

I quickly discovered the most fantastic thing about life in a tent is (in our case at least) the total freedom from domestic routine.  The people in the next tent had a dustbuster and meticulously hoovered out the tent each day but I abandoned any pretence of housework at the first hurdle. Our meals were cooked on a small two ring burner which meant nothing complicated; sausages were fried, the kettle boiled and books read. Perfection.  

 

Feeling though that I should make some effort on New Year's Eve, I opened a tin of corned beef, one of peas and carrots and reconstituted a packet of instant mashed potatoes.  Ferreting around in the car I unearthed a bottle of Mt Beautiful Pinot Noir 2007 which I had been given at a lunch hosted by owners David and Leigh Teece in Auckland just before Christmas.  

 

Sam Weaver, winemaker for Mt B, is a thoughtful man, keen to retain a sense of place in the wines he produces and to let the character of each vintage find expression. Taking a 'hands off' approach to winemaking, his wines are the polar opposite of the bigger, bolder medal winning styles. And whilst I enjoyed the Mt Beautiful degustation lunch, I couldn't help feeling that the overly fussy food was in direct contrast to the simplicity of the wines. 

 

But the bottle of Pinot Noir, drunk under the stars (admittedly out of Riedel - there were only some things I was prepared to sacrifice for a life under canvas) the 07 Pinot couldn't have tasted better. An unforced, uncomplicated wine, relatively light in body and deliciously savoury. There was oak in there somewhere but it was subtle. Absolutely at its peak and presumably not intended for ageing, it gives hope that not all NZ pinot producers are intent on making dark eyed monsters.

 

And when we arrived into Gisborne another treat. The owners of the house we are renting had been out diving before dawn and left us a couple of crayfish. Freshly boiled and with a glass of sauvignon blanc (2009 Villa Maria Private Bin since you ask) it was the perfect start to 2010.