Marlborough Wine Weekend

Day One

1130: Registration and Picnic Lunch at Timara Lodge. I was accompanied by Heidi Bulfin (export manager for Domaine Georges Michel), where upon arrival we were provided with a picnic lunch and encouraged to explore the beautiful grounds of Timara Lodge. Numerous wineries were on hand to offer a selection of aromatics to accompany our lunch.

1300: Coaches arrived to transfer guests to the Winegrowers of ARA facility, to take part in two master classes. The first was an ‘International Sauvignon Blanc’ tasting which was anything but predictable. Examples were sourced from Pouilly Fume, Chile, Margaret River, and of course Marlborough. The second master class looked at “The World of Pinot Noir’ drawing on examples from the Mornington Peninsula, Oregon, Cote de Nuits, Martinborough, Central Otago and Marlborough.

It was a timely reminder that for many producers in New Zealand and more specifically in Marlborough, there are some wonderful wines to be discovered including Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.

1800: The Twilight Garden Party was held back at the grounds of Timara Lodge, and was something to behold. The attention to detail was impressive, and upon arrival I felt as though I had stumbled across a magic setting that involved all of my favourite things. Scattered amongst the garden were wine barriques and small marquees laden with food and wine. Hopefully the photos in the gallery accompanying this article will give you an idea of the setting.

Day Two

9:00: Georges Michel (owner of Domaine Georges Michel) accompanied me on the Marlborough Valley Experience. Coaches ferried around 300 guests to the three sub regions of Marlborough. Our first visit was to The Awatere Valley which is the coolest and driest of the three sub regions. The Maori word Awatere means fast flowing stream and there are many river terraces and rolling hills in this region, which runs from the semi high country to the sea. Sauvignon Blanc followed by Pinot Noir are the two most widely planted varietals in this region.

A marquee was set up on the coastal edge of Yealands Estate and before the clock had struck 10am I had tasted my way through no less than 50 wines. The highlight for me was the Blind River Sauvignon Blanc 2009.

Next visit was to the Southern Valleys which is not as cool or dry as the Awatere Valley. The soil profile has higher levels of clay and has been acknowledged as being older than the other two regions. The majority of the first Marlborough plantings in 1973 were in this area. Pinot Noir is the major varietal, followed by Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. This time round I diligently worked through about 60 wines, in which I was suitably impressed with the Bouldevines Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and Pinot Noir 2008.

All guests convened in the Southern Valley at The Ned for a long lunch in a marquee. Needless to say we were very well fed and wine was plentiful.

The final stop was in the Wairau Valley sub-region which is cool and dry (considered to be the most temperate of the three sub-regions) and relatively flat with undulating areas. A range of varietals are grown here, leading with Sauvignon Blanc, then Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris. Heidi from Domaine Georges Michel was showcasing the Domaine Georges Michel Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and Legend Pinot Noir 2007 at this tasting, as the winery is located in this region. More specifically the winery is situated on the ‘Golden Mile’ which denotes the central route of the Rapaura area, renowned for the production of the best flavoured fruit of the Marlborough wine region.

Call me biased if you will, however the Legend Pinot Noir 2007 by Domaine Georges Michel was without doubt my favourite wine at this tasting. This wine is a new release for the winery, and has already had international success at the highly regarded International Wine & Spirit Competition in London. For those of you who read this with interest a tiny allocation will be making its way to Australia!

There was little time to spare as guests scurried back to their respective accommodation to prepare for the Gourmet Dinner hosted by award-winning Wellington chef Al Brown. For this event I was joined by Heidi, Swan Michel (winemaker for Domaine Georges Michel) and Huguette Michel (co-owner of Domaine Georges Michel).

All guests were thoroughly spoilt with a delectable five course degustation menu from local Marlborough ingredients matched with a unique selection of wines. The menu went something like this:

Wine: Riesling selection

Course: Seared salmon w/Kumara Wasabi Salad and Beetroot Relish

Wine: Chardonnay selection

Course: Sauteed d’Urville Abalone Steak / Tuatua Salsa Verde Butter & Celeriac

Wine: Pinot Noir selection

Course: Wild Boar Pie w/Roasted Shallots and Cherries

Wine: Dessert Wine selection

Course: Lemon Panna Cotta w/Riesling and Vanilla Poached Apricots

The final course was a magnificent cheese selection including Whitestone Blue, Pecorino style, Double Cream Brie and Vintage Cheddar. It was a shame I had little room to sample the selection. It is worth mentioning that the Gourmet Dinner was held in a marquee and as such a make-shift kitchen was required to support the event. Attention to detail was noted and service was impressive to say the least. I left wanting for nothing!

Day Three

The final day offered a Sparkling Cruise for those keen to explore the Marlborough Sounds. I opted out of this activity and settled for a day with my hosts Georges & Huguette Michel. Our first activity was kayaking along Spring Creek which runs through the private gardens surrounding the Michel family home. This was a wonderful way to start the day and a novel way to see more of the property and vineyards.

Mention must be made of Huguette’s garden, ‘Hortensia House’ which is open for inspection Thursday to Saturday in the afternoons. As a keen gardener that struggles with water restrictions and scorching Melbourne summers, I was in heaven wandering around the Monet-inspired garden filled with lush plants, colourful flowers and an abundance of Hydrangeas (no less than 150 varieties can be found in the garden). If you are curious for more do visit the website www.hortensiahouse.com.

Having met Hans & Therese Herzog at the Gourmet Dinner the previous evening and finding out they were good friends of Georges & Huguette, it seemed most appropriate to visit and stay for lunch in the garden. The boutique estate and restaurant is now widely acclaimed as one of the best in New Zealand, and I now know why. We opted for a three course degustation, which was completely indulgent but just delightful. The weather was picture perfect and the degustation was something to work through in a relaxed, measured and respectful way. I would encourage anyone visiting Marlborough to ensure they allocated time to visit Herzog Winery and the restaurant.

I left with a feeling of guilty pleasure. Did I need to indulge in a three course degustation after two full days of drinking and eating? In short no, BUT it just had to be done. Lucky for me Huguette came to my rescue with the suggestion of a hike to work off the meal. So one hour later we set off past Cloudy Bay (the actual bay) and proceeded to walk for no less than 2.5 hours. I do not tell a lie when I say I arrived back at the car totally exhausted from my endeavours!

As my trip drew to a close I managed to squeeze in a visit to the cinema before being dropped back to Blenheim airport for my return flight.

To those fellow Australians from Sydney and Canberra that I met over the weekend thank you for your company. Let me know if you are heading to Melbourne in the future so I can share a glass of Domaine Georges Michel with you!

To all those at Domaine Georges Michel thank you for inviting me to take part in the Marlborough Wine Weekend. I learnt a lot and have confirmed my thoughts that I believe Domaine Georges Michel remains one of the best producers in the Marlborough region!