A slightly rushed event - they were holding a tasting in Christchurch that evening - it was nevertheless an opportunity to catch up with some familiar winemakers and to try the wines of some new ones, even though it was impossible to get round all the tables.
• Stephen Henschke, fifth-generation winemaker at Henschke in Eden Valley above the Barossa in Australia, was showing some of his meticulous but delicious wines including the Littlehampton Innes Pinot Gris 2008 (about $45) - so savoury, dry and beautifully balanced compared with New Zealand ones - and the rich, velvety but well-structured reds with silky tannins such as the Keyneton Estate Euphonium blend '06 ($70) and the classic Mount Edelstone Shiraz '06 ($120). Like many of the best wineries, they were moving to biodynamics as it produced flavours earlier and better balanced, more robust grapes, he said.
• Another vineyard moving towards biodynamics is Huia of Marlborough where Claire and Michael Allan produce precise but delicious wines including a stylish, nutty and dry 2005 blanc de blancs ($30) and a wonderfully pungent, rich and complex sauvignon blanc 2010 ($22).
• Scottish couple Angus and Davina Thomson came from a background in whisky and farming to Gladstone in the Wairarapa and established a vineyard on organic and biodynamic principles in 2004. With winemaker Guy McMaster they are already producing poised and stylish wines that show great promise. Look out for the '09 pinot gris ($28) and the textural '09 pinot noir($36).
• From Central Otago were Andy and Misha Wilkinson, who are from a marketing background. They lived in Singapore for many years before moving back to their vineyard on the shores of Lake Dunstan. Their wine, now in its fourth vintage, is made by Olly Masters, formerly of Ata Rangi in Martinborough. The pinots, The High Note 2008 ($45) and Verismo 2008 ($60), are more restrained in fruit than many others from the region, although they are beautifully savoury with a hint of mineral. Because they export much of their produce to Asia, their three clean, bright whites, Dress Circle Pinot Gris, Limelight Riesling and Gallery Gewurztraminer 2010 ($25), have a little residual sugar to accompany Asian food.
• Unique in New Zealand is Vinoptima, a winery that specialises only in gewurztraminer.
Established in Gisborne a decade ago by Nick Nobilo, formerly of Nobilos, it produces a precise, silky gewurztraminer, fragrant and floral with hints of lychees, but certainly not overblown or blowsy. The current release, 2006 ($95), is textured and beautifully balanced with a very long finish. There's also a Noble 2007 ($250 for 350ml) which oozes rich muscat aromas with tropical overtones and toasty undertones but such purity of fruit and a balanced, harmonious finish, it's almost perfect.
Nobilo apparently has rain covers for his grapes, so fixated is he about producing one of the world's best gewurztraminers.
