Wine for Christmas

Lesley Reidy, owner of online wine retailer Wine Fairy has an article on New Zealand news site stuff.co.nz with helpful hints for those buying wine as a Christmas present.

If you want to follow all 3 pieces of Lesley's advice and buy a special gift of something different and in limited availability from a small, boutique producer as well as make a sustainable choice, we'd be happy to help. Email us or use our online order form or call us (+64 3 572 9408) for personal assistance with your order.

2006 Marama

Seresin Winemaker Clive Dougall introduces the 2006 Marama, a barrel fermented and barrel aged Sauvignon Blanc. This is the 10th vintage of this wine for Seresin and Seresin's very first certified organic wine.

Sweet Memento

Charmian Smith had the following to say about the 2007 Seresin Memento Riesling in today's Otago Daily Times:
"Seresin Memento Marlborough Riesling 2007 (about $27) is medium-sweet, zesty and fragrant with floral overtones, suggestions of tropical and citrus fruit, rich and full in the mouth with a velvety texture and a crisp, limey finish. A smart wine that is delicious now but will develop."(4.5/5)

Lovely Leah

The November-December issue of Ontario's Vines Magazine carries a review of Seresin's 2005 'Leah' Pinot Noir by John Szabo. Awarding the wine 4.5 stars, Szabo writes:

“Seresin Estate practices organic viticulture. This wine is a blend of Pinot from three single vineyards all located in the Marlborough district of New Zealand’s South Island. The nose explodes out of the gates with rich, ripe red berry fruit, fresh butter, plum and well integrated wood-aging notes of vanilla, smoke and sweet baking spice. The palate is generous and concentrated, with a creamy texture framed by firm acidity, gentle tannic grip and a long spicy red berry finish. A classic new world style Pinot that will dance with anything from a fillet of grilled wild-caught or organically farmed salmon to duck breast in a pomegranate reduction.”

Here is an introduction to the 2006 vintage of this wine from Seresin Estate Winemaker Clive Dougall.

(Au)Thor's View

There are a number of wine blogs we like to browse regularly - oenoLog is definitely one of them.

It's worth a daily visit, even if only for a chuckle at the latest clever title for his posts (some of our favourites: Chiquet Magnet, It's a Cru, Cru Summer, Riesling Star, Angelo of Mercy, Too young or Thuaud?). More importantly, there's a lot of interest and value in the enormous range of wines covered.

Blog author Thor Iverson recently reviewed the 2005 Seresin Estate Sauvignon Blanc calling it "one of the most polished and professional Marlborough sauvignons on the market". He comments: "Bitter melon, lemongrass, intense lime and grapefruit, pomegranate, and acidity so vivid it’s palate-drying form the heart of this wine, but what’s striking is the confident, almost swaggering sophistication in the face of all that boisterous sauvignon-ness. Very, very good."

Oh, and 'Original Seresin' is a pretty catchy post title too - wish we'd thought of it first !

New Release Dinner

On Saturday evening, in perfect weather, 40 people gathered at Michael Seresin's private dining room at Waterfall Bay in the Marlborough Sounds to celebrate Seresin's new release wines.

A special 5 course dinner was prepared by Guest Chef Jason Dell, with each course designed to complement a selected new release Seresin wine. Seven wines featured during the evening:

1. After boarding at Picton, guests enjoyed the 2007 Memento Riesling on board the launch Legacy for the quick trip across Queen Charlotte Sound to Waterfall Bay.


2. On arrival at Waterfall Bay, a glass of 2007 Sauvignon Blanc complemented a range of canapés including a selection of featuring assorted California sushi roll; parmesan tacos with crayfish; and dukkah lamb croutons.


3. The Glazed Duck with asian slaw and citrus miso went beautifully with 2007 Gewurztraminer.


4. A sneak preview of the yet-to-be-released 2007 'Reserve' Sauvignon Blanc was matched with Risotto, fine herbs, goats cheese, asparagus and lemon oil (oil also from Seresin, of course).


5. Wood-roasted Marlborough Sounds King Salmon, pearl couscous, chermoula, fennel, and grapefruit was a perfect match for 2006 Chardonnay Reserve.


6. Juniper-crusted Elk venison, sweet potato, blackcurrants and a blackcurrant-pinot noir jus was served with another sneak-preview wine, the new 2006 Pinot Noir (to be released February 2008).


7. Riesling poached pears, toasted macadamia and sticky toffee was accompanied by Seresin's 2004 Noble Riesling.

Jason is Executive Chef at Blanket Bay, which, earlier this year received accolades from Conde Nast Traveller magazine; awarded the ‘Best Hotel for Food in the Australasia and South Pacific Region’. Jason’s has just released a solo cookbook, ‘SAVVY’ featuring recipes for some of the dishes mentioned above.

If you want to know more about Waterfall Bay Dinners planned for 2008, please email Jan Whillans or phone +643 572 9408.

Photographs from Bill Floyd used with thanks.

Jason Dell serving dukkah lamb croutons to Seresin's Assistant Winemaker Carlos Ortega-Orgiles, pictured here with his parents Orgi and Maria-Louisa, visiting Marlborough for the first time from Spain.

Guests visiting from Christchurch for the New Release Dinner (from left) Dr Nigel and Wendy Gilchrist, Shelley and Brian McCauley. Service (with a smile) from Clare Burton and Kara Guilford.

2007 Vintage Overview

Seresin Estate Winemaker Clive Dougall gives an overview of the 2007 growing season and vintage.

Sip of the Week

Along with slapping on 5 stars, Yvonne-Marie Lorkin had the following to say about Seresin's 2007 Memento Reisling in the Hawke's Bay's 48 Hours magazine (3 Nov).

"If this is what organics does to riesling, then bring it on! Lifted apple, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus and a hint of toffee too. On the palate it is lush, chompy and fresh, with mouthfilling, gum-tingling acidity. Love it!"

2007 Sauvignon Blanc

As promised earlier, we've taken some footage of our winemaker Clive Dougall talking about our current release wines. Here is Clive introducing our 2007 Sauvignon Blanc.

From Crystal to Cow-Horn

We've been continuing with the creation of our Biodynamic Preparations this week. It's time for some 501. Preparation 501 works on strengthening the above-ground activity in plants. It helps with photosynthesis and strengthens a plant's structure and cells to resist infection. Made from finely ground, treated silica quartz, it fosters silica activity in plants and helps plants to resist fungal attack.

The image below illustrates the process we used to start the creation of our very first estate-made batch of Preparation 501. Starting from the bottom left with the first small bowl and working clockwise, you can see the silica quartz crystals we started with. These were roughly crushed (bowl 2) using a mortar and pestle-type arrangement until we had a course sand (bowl 3). This was ground by hand (see Colin Ross literally at the grindstone!) between two sheets of glass ( the bowls are sitting on one) until we had a fine, almost talcum powder-like powder (bowl 4). This was mixed with water to create a paste (bowl 5) which was spooned into hollow cow horns and allowed to set (middle bowl).

Once set, the cow horns containing the quartz 'plaster' were buried (on a descending moon) where they will remain for the summer. We'll see what it looks like in 6 month's time and let you know what we do with it then.

Preparation 502

In practising biodynamics, we use a range of 8 different preparations to help balance and enrich our soils, plants and composts.

Preparations 502 - 507 are used in combination to enhance the availability of soil minerals to plants and this week we continued to prepare some 502. Comprising yarrow flowers and a stag's bladder, 502 enhances the activities of sulphur, nitrogen, potassium and trace elements. Pictured here, dried after hanging in the open for about 2 weeks, the stag's bladder is stuffed with yarrow flowers and left to hang in a tree over the summer and then buried in a clay pipe over winter. The remaining material is then incorporated into our cow-pat-pits, composts and seaweed teas.

Why a stag's bladder? Practically, the dried stag's bladder makes an excellent container and is fully natural and biodegradable - an example of traditional, self-sufficient agriculture using the full resources of the farm. It is also interesting to see the structure of the yarrow flower strongly resembles a stag's antlers.