Exercise is bad for yo= u…

At least it is when you take a sideways dive off= a bridge on a bicycle. Apologies for going off air. The pain of a broken pelvis is receding slowly, helped by the anaesthetizing effect of the odd glass or two of wine= . I can now confirm that French hospitals do NOT serve you a glass of wine with your meal, but that they do give you a four course meal twice a day – no me= al being complete without cheese, of course.

Our wineries of the month will stretch across the end of October and through November. We’re going Kiwi this time, but a litt= le off piste, in two prime regions not particularly renowned for their Sauvign= on Blanc.

WINERIES OF THE MONTH: QUARTZ REEF & BILANC= IA

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE….

These two wineries are at opposite ends of NZ’s premium winegrowing areas, but share a very focused approach to making a iimited range of excel= lent and very personally styled hand-crafted wines. Both grow their grapes on North facing sloping vineyards – relatively unusual in NZ’s mostly flat viticultural landscape.

Quartz Reef is in Cetnral Otago. Visitors to the region will know that there are huge variations in growing conditions, but Bendigo (Quartz Reef) and Bannockburn (Felton Road) represent two of the mo= st consistently successful subclimates, with the warmest growing conditions. Quartz Reef is planted on gentle North-facing slopes of amazing soils of ar= id clay, fine gravel and quartz. You can literally pick up huge chunks of white sparkling quartz off the hillside.

Rudi was a pioneer in the region. I recall visit= ing in the late nineties, when Central was suddenly winning scores of medals for its Pinots (remember Felton’s first vintage was 1997!) and almost all award= ed wines in the region were made by Mr. Bauer. At Quartz Reef he has chosen to focus on just three wines – Pinot No= ir, Pinot Gris, and a Methode Traditionelle. The application of traditional old world practices tempered by years of experience in Central make for a wonde= rful combination. Our current vintage is 2007. The wine received 95/100 in Groumet Traveller Wine magazine, 90/100 f= rom Stephen Tanzer, and 5 stars in Cuisine Magazine. Lush black cherry and viol= et flavours in a totally dry (I like) style that eschews the lolly flavours of many a lesser Kiwi pinot. Pinot for grown-ups.

The same sophisticated approach is applied to th= e Pinot Gris, which is full-bodied and rich, and unabashedly dry. This makes it an exceptionally good mat= ch for food. A complex wine which combines flavours of white peaches, grapefruit, pears and lychee with ginger and cream. Lovely weight and mouthfeel, with crispness and minerality to balance out the fruit.

Quartz Reef set up its methode traditionelle production under the watchful eye of another old-world Central Otage stalwa= rt, Clothilde Chauvet – who hails from a family with many generations of champa= gne making in Epernay. The wine is three quarters Pinot Noir and the rest Chardonnay. Neal Martin in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate commented “I doubt that you will find a better non-vintage New Zealand sparkler”. A great way to ease your way into the F= estive Season.

Here are the offers –

2008 Quartz Reef Pinot Noir – ~~Usual Price $56/bottle~~

Nov Price $49/bottle BUY 11 GET ONE FREE!

2008 Quartz Reef Pinot Gris – ~~Usual Price $43/bottle~~

Nov Price $38/bottle BUY 11 GET ONE FREE! =

Quartz Reef Methode Traditionelle Non-Vintage – = ~~Usual Price $43/bottle~~

Nov Price $38/bottle BUY 11 GET ONE FREE! =

Bilancia is in the Hawke’s Bay – a small winery with just 6 hectares on Roy’s Hill. Like Quartz Reef, Bilancia work with a limited number of varietals – Pinot Gris, Viognier and Syrah. They have an amazing super-top wine La Collina which is a blend of Syrah and Viognier, g= rown on the best North-facing slopes of the Hill. The winemaking team are a couple – Warren Gibson (who also makes the wines at Trinity Hill!) and his wife Lorraine Leheny.

Earlier this month NZ winewriter Warren Barton writing about Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio commented “Bilancia…produces arguably= the best pinot-whatever-you-want-to-call-it” and defined their 09 vintage as having “the subtlety of an Alsace Pi= not Gris with the freshness and dryness of an Italian Pinot Grigio. A gentle and elegant combination of the two.” This would be a lighter style than Rudi’s = but shares with it that lovely rich mouthfeel and texture which exemplifies good Gris. I tend to drink the Bilancia as an aperitif, and the Quartz Reef with= a meal.

Singapore doesn’t – yet – seem to have taken to Viognier. A pity - it is one of my favourite white varietals – with good examples combining the weight and com= plexity of a serious Chardonnay with the charm and vivacity of an aromatic wine. I’ll keep on campaigning on its behalf = and we will have more examples on our list in the coming weeks. =

The winemakers at Bilancia described 07 as a brilliant vintage. This wine combines flavours of stonefruit (apricot and peach) with spice, lifted by good acidity and floral overtones. No malolact= ic fermentation – so the wine has a liveliness which complements the rich fat texture beautifully.

And on to Syrah. It is becoming clearer and cle= arer that this is the red varietal that really works well in the Hawke’s Bay, wi= th NZ taking the world by surprise in a number of Syrah/Shiraz taste-offs agai= nst Australia and South Africa. 07’s long dry summer has allowed for the perfect development of ripe blackberry flavours with black pepper. 3% Viognier adds lovely violet floral characters. The wine is just beginning to come into its own. Try it!

And finally – we have just a few bottles left of Bilancia’s 06 La Collina Syrah. Scored by Bob Campbell at 94/100 and unquestionably one of the best Syrahs in New Zealand. I plan to open a bott= le at Christmas time. Hurry, they won= ’t last long.

2009 Bilancia Pinot Gris – Usual Price ~~$39.50/bottle~~

Special Price $35/bottle – BUY 11 GET ONE FREE!

2007 Bilancia Viognier – Usual Price $41.50

Special Price $36/bottle – BUY 11 GET ONE= FREE!

2007 / 2008 Bilancia Syrah – Usual Price $47<= /b>

Special Price $40/bottle - BUY 11 GET ONE FREE!

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These prices strictly while stocks last.

Free delivery for all orders of one case or mor= e

=

HOW TO ORDER

call 6464 9909 and ask for Audrey or Este= e

drop by our Deli & Wine Café in VivoCity (T= el 6463 5296)=

email us on orders@thecellardoor.com.sg

visit our website www.thecellardoor.com.sg

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COMING SOON

We are introducing a new expanded menu, with all-day breakfast offerings, delicious hot lunches and a new set dinner. Ch= ef Paul is happily ensconced in our Central Kitchen, well supported by Wilgin = in charge of food preparation in the Deli. We can provide take-away meals, a delivery service, and can cater your events – call us if you’d like to disc= uss your requirements or email me - jbarb@thecellardoor.com.sg

Christmas Goodies – Cakes, Puddings, Mince Pies, Mincemeat, Brandy/Rum Butter, Cranberry Sauce, Homemade Gravy, Hams & C= old Turkeys will all be available for the festive season. Whole Kikorangi are perfect for blue ch= eese lovers, but of course we also have excellent English Stilton. Next month we= ’ll feature some special celebration wines. We can provide gift baskets and ham= pers to your specification, and will be publishing Christmas Gift suggestions shortly.

DATE FOR THE DIARY

Pinot Lovers’ tasting on Wednesday 17^{th
and Thursday 18^th November at The Cellar Door @ Vivo. Details in=
our
next newsletter.}

Don’t forget – it’s Happy Hour 5 – 7.30 Monday – Thursday. Perfect before a movie a= t Vivo - and do pop back after for supper!

Bon Weekend & hope to see you soon! Jenny (aka Pegleg)