6 of the best
Here is Mac Macpherson’s selection of premium wines to open when you feel the urge to liberate something special over the holiday season.
Champagne Henri Dubois NV – France
Available from $39.99
Champagne can take any occasion to a higher plane, and there are so many wonderful options available to the buying public outside of the half dozen Grande Marques that dominate the category in our local market. I am a huge fan of Henri Dubois and this well-priced label has been on high rotation in our house since we discovered it a year or two ago. This is powerful, punchy Champagne with flavours in the baked apple and citrus spectrum and layers of yeasty, brioche complexity in support. The palate is silky and seamless; a luxuriously styled wine for those who like plenty of generosity and character in their glass. I also like the fact that is a less obvious choice than the market leading Champagne brands, but my family buys Henri Dubois to enjoy at home because we prefer it. It’s as simple as that.
Champagne Charles de Cazanove Rose´ Brut NV – France Available from $48.99
Rose´ Champagne is not really understood in New Zealand. Internationally, they are revered for their elegance and understated power and usually attract a premium price to confirm their perceived higher status. Most are made by blending in a portion of still pinot noir prior to the final fermentation, bringing colour and some red fruit characters to the final wine. They can be absolutely brilliant with food. Match a glass of good rose´ Champagne with smoked salmon, a slice of freshly cut ham or a rare beef salad to see how well they can work. Charles de Cazanove is an excellent example. Founded in 1811, and hugely popular in the domestic French market, it shows subtle redcurrant flavours with tangy citrus fruits and a delectable note of freshly baked bread from extended aging on its yeast lees. If you haven’t experienced a good glass of rose´ Champagne before, this would be a very good place to start.
Saint-roch Cotes du Rousillon Rose´ 2019 – France
Available from $19.99
Rose´, and especially the dry rose´s of southern France, has taken the world by storm. Even in the centuries old French market, the rose´ category is exploding these days. In France, sales of rose´ are about to eclipse the sale of all white wines combined and we can expect to see more and more rose´ consumed in New Zealand as buyers understand the diversity and simple pleasure that a chilled glass of good rose´ provides. Hailing from Cotes du Roussillon and made in the classic Mediterranean style, Saint-roch is a perfect example of dry French Rose´. Crisp and light, it brings delicate flavours in the raspberry, strawberry and watermelon spectrum into play. Those lightly creamy fruits are balanced with a line of soft acidity that runs through the palate, finishing tangy and fresh. While this wine is dry, it is not austere and those crunchy summer fruit characters add a gentle kiss of sweetness to the conversation. As with the Champagne Charles de Cazanove detailed above, it’s a very food-friendly wine. Match a glass of Saint-roch with a deli platter on a warm summer afternoon and watch the world become a better place.
Bodega Piqueras Gran Marius Reserva Seleccion 2013 – Spain
Available from $27.99
This blend also comes from the 2013 vintage, but any similarities with the Gimblett Gravels label described above, end there. Hailing from Almansa in Spain, ‘Gran Marius’ is a blend of 25% Tempranillo, 25% Monastrell, 25% Garnacha Tintorera and 25% Syrah. By decree, Reserva wines are held back before release by their Spanish producers, and the results of that extended bottle age can be seen in full effect here. This is dark, broody, sultry wine and the multi-varietal blend leaves no stone unturned in its search to fill your mouth with flavour. It floods the palate with black fruits, soft oak influence and some lightly herbal highlights. Those ripe flavours are wonderfully opulent and rich, while supple tannins and lingering spices complete what is best described as a very lavish glass of wine. Match with good friends and intelligent conversation as Christmas celebrations roll into the night. I hope that is what I will be doing.
Squawking Magpie SQM Syrah 2013 – Hawke’s Bay Available from $39.99
It’s not often that perfectly bottle-aged, premium New Zealand wines are available – especially from the much vaunted 2013 ‘vintage of a lifetime’ – and if you are looking for some good Hawke’s Bay Syrah to open on Christmas day, this is a very attractive option. Full-bodied and opulently styled, this is weighty Gimblett Gravels Syrah with flavours in the dark plum spectrum and plenty of pepper / spice complexity on the palate. Bottle-aging has integrated those flavours with the oak component, and some secondary characters have entered proceedings as this wine has developed over time. Silky and plush, it is a wonderful glass of premium syrah to be enjoyed by itself, but match it with grilled meats or vegetables to see it at its best.
Tony Bish Heartwood Chardonnay 2019 - Hawke’s Bay Available from $32.99
Tony Bish’s prowess with the chardonnay grape needs no introduction. His work, particularly with barrel fermented Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, sits at the very top table and the current releases under his eponymous label continue to evolve a house style where power and elegance walk hand in hand. Named in honour of the French oak barriques that Tony works with, Heartwood 2019 fulfills the promise of a near-perfect growing season and a veteran winemaker at the top of his game. This is robustly framed, dry-farmed wine with a bouquet that could only be barre- fermented Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay. A textured palate shows creamy layers of baked stone fruits, some tropical notes and wood spice. The finish is fresh and vibrant. This is complex, alluring chardonnay - and while it deserves some time in the cellar to unveil its true destiny, it is a treat to enjoy in its youth.