WTN: Melness, Wild Rock, Guenoc and other miscellany

[Jenise]

2005 Mellness Riesling, Canterbury, New Zealand
Predominantly white grapefruit and fresh basil, with hints of mint and candied giner and a quinine-like bitterness on the dry finish. Both good and interesting, but lacks the faceted citrus flavors I'm used to in German rieslings. 11.5% abv.

2006 Wild Rock "Cupids Arrow" Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
Cherries and thyme. Pleasant, but easily the simplest, least interesting Central Otago pinot I've had yet. Better on second day. Cost, in the 20's, reflects quality. Eh. 13.9% abv.

2006 Dry Creek Vineyard Fume Blanc, Sonoma, California
Tasty enough but it's like drinking chardonnay and I've had Dry Creek SB's in the past with more attitude. Eh. 13.9%.

2005 Cooper Mountain "Five Elements" OV Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Like this bottle less than a bottle about six months ago because of its more pronounced sherry-like flavor. I realize this component often comes with OV chardonnays, and it can add a nice almond-like complexity, but in this very dry wine, this time out, it seemed obtrusive. 13.5% abv.

2006 Waterbrook Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia Valley, WA
Waterbrook wines rarely impress, but they are also reliable and consistently what they are: soft, engaging wines at a good price. On this one, though, at cellar temperature, the 14.2% alcohol really shows--in fact, we had to refrigerate it and move it to smaller glasses to stop-down the heat on the finish.

2006 Guenoc Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, California
Ah, this is more like it!!! Fresh and crisp, probably stainless and zero malo, loaded with green pepper flavors and lots of grass. I love it when California sauvignon blanc tastes like this--gonna buy me a case for summer.

2006 Guenoc Sauvignon Blanc, Lake County, California
Ah, this is more like it!!! Fresh and crisp, probably stainless and zero malo, with green pepper flavors and a lot of grass. I love it when sauvignon blanc tastes like this--gonna buy me a case for summer.

I use to drink a lot of Guenoc and then for no real reason stopped buying it. Thanks for the note and the reminder of one winery that for no real reason fell off my radar.

" move it to smaller glasses to stop-down the heat on the finish."

Jenise, I never would have thought of this, but it might explain why I like a wine at the store tasting and not so much when I open it at home. Time to experiment.

[Jenise]

use to drink a lot of Guenoc and then for no real reason stopped buying it. Thanks for the note and the reminder of one winery that for no real reason fell off my radar.

Brian, we're on the same page. The thought that spurred me to buy that bottle went, "Hmmm...forgot all about Guenoc!"

And Doug--glass size/shape makes a big difference, both playing up and playing down various characteristics in a wine that can change dramatically. My husband served a guest a white wine a few weeks ago who complained to me that she found the wine a bit too acidic, did I have another wine? I went and put the same wine in a bigger bowl, then returned it to her with a How's this? "Oh, that's nice, much better."

use to drink a lot of Guenoc and then for no real reason stopped buying it. Thanks for the note and the reminder of one winery that for no real reason fell off my radar.

Brian, we're on the same page. The thought that spurred me to buy that bottle went, "Hmmm...forgot all about Guenoc!"

A different sort of nostalgia from me ...
In the days before emails (how did we exist?) one early evening in a London wine book publisher's office (by that time nearly empty - just me and one other left) at the end of a long and stressful day, I phoned Guenoc (first thing in the morning there) to discuss exactly where their vineyards were to place them in the exact right place for Oz Clarke's wine atlas. I think I spoke to the owner and we had a long-winded conversation so that I would get it all just right ... finally, I was attempting to finish the call so I could go home and to say thanks and bye-bye and just before I put the phone down, he said:
"And remember now, hickory, dickory, dock, the best wines come from Guenoc" ... At least it gave me a smile over the last job of the day!

[Jenise]

I was attempting to finish the call so I could go home and to say thanks and bye-bye and just before I put the phone down, he said: "And remember now, hickory, dickory, dock, the best wines come from Guenoc" ... At least it gave me a smile over the last job of the day!

Cute story. Are their wines imported to the UK? I'm remembering a white they used to make (perhaps still do) with one of your country's infamous women on the label, Lilly Langtry, that would generate a certain interest.

2005 Mellness Riesling, Canterbury, New Zealand
Predominantly white grapefruit and fresh basil, with hints of mint and candied giner and a quinine-like bitterness on the dry finish. Both good and interesting, but lacks the faceted citrus flavors I'm used to in German rieslings. 11.5% abv.

Interesting note, Jenise. It was one of our favourites last year, but all sold out here now. A changing wine whenever I taste it, sometimes its seems on the edge of gewurztraminer with its floral and musky scents, but it has been the crisp citrus acidity that that has pulled me away from that thought. I last made a note for it in April 2007 but know I've had it since then, but on social occasions. Because of its sweetness, it's a good summer wine for drinking straight from the fridge.

[Jenise]

Sue, I can see where the ginger I spoke of would give your gewurz-y impression. In fact, thinking back on it, in a blind tasting gewurz would probably have been a good first guess.