Breeze – Beastly or Beautiful

Kiwis who leave their nest are often struck by how stable and predictable the weather is elsewhere.  In Italy you can plan a midsummer outdoor concert and be certain it won’t rain; not so in New Zealand where there is a fair chance of a wash-out.  Part of this results from the relative lack of breeze over continents, which tend to slow wind.  By comparison, New Zealand has few calm days as it is 2 narrow islands in the world’s biggest ocean.  In addition, New Zealand lies in what sailors call the roaring forties (within the latitudes of 40º S), where the earth’s rotation causes the wind to be especially fierce.

As any Kiwi beach-goer on a summer’s day will tell you this breeze can be very annoying.  To the grape grower it can mean damaged shoots, poor pollination leading to reduced crops, bent vine trunks and needing a bigger, sturdier supporting vine trellis, with the resultant increase in costs.  Our travelling viticulturists are amazed by the skimpy little trellises found elsewhere, which look as if they would be blown to kingdom come on the average New Zealand summer’s day.

But New Zealand’s wind and variable climate does have advantages.  Yes, we can get cold south winds with rain in midsummer, but it doesn’t usually last more than 2 or 3 days, whereas in many overseas grape growing regions rain will persist for weeks.  In addition, the invariably ensuing breeze dries out the grapes quickly, particularly if it comes from the west.  On the South Island’s east coast westerly wind, which is the predominant air flow of the roaring 40s, gives us hot, dry days due to the high mountains of the Main Divide.  All these breezes mean we have less chance of our grapes becoming affected by diseases, particularly fungal ones, which thrive in calm, humid conditions.  We thus don’t depend on frequent spraying, which is so common in less windy areas. 

It makes our vineyard more sustainable.  Pegasus Bay Vineyard is a registered Sustainable Vineyard and has been so for many years.  Breeze has helped us achieve this – not just hot air!

Doffing our Chefs’ Hats to a Hat Trick  

What is a hat trick?  Any cricket fan could tell you it is bowling 3 players out with 3 successive balls.  Well, chefs’ hats aplenty have been thrown in the air by Pegasus Bay’s Restaurant hat trick.  That’s right, for the 3rd time Cuisine, New Zealand’s top culinary magazine, has recognised the excellence of the flying horse’s restaurant.  Firstly, it was named the Best Casual Dining Restaurant in NZ.  With a subsequent category change it came under the vineyard restaurant umbrella where for the last 2 years it has taken out top honours.  “This is a stunning achievement”, said Belinda Donaldson, who oversees the restaurant, “and endorses Pegasus Bay’s policy of striving for the very best in food and wine with what Mother Nature gives us”.

Wine is a food and, like other types of food stuffs, its quality depends on the season’s growing conditions.  Our menus feature fresh local produce and, as such, they also change with the seasons.  A new menu starts in early December and runs throughout the summer.  Cuisine magazine is hosting a special lunch in March to celebrate Pegasus Bay’s remarkable achievements and we would love you to come to this.   Do not, however, wait until then!  With the exception of 25,26 December and 1,2 January we are open every day.  If you are coming to eat it is best to reserve to be sure of a place by telephoning 03 3146869 ext 1, but you can pop into the tasting room at any time between 10am-5pm.  You have no doubt heard the saying that 3rd time’s lucky.  Well, trust us, getting this recognition is not due to luck.  It is the result of a lot of hard work and doing the best you can.  Come and see us and we will show you what we mean.

Great Gardens

First it was wine, then it was restaurant and now it is garden.  That’s right, the flying horse is gaining recognition for all her efforts.  Pegasus Bay’s extensive gardens have been carefully planned and developed by “CEO of Gardening” Chris Donaldson and her trusty gardeners, Paula Kelly and Anne Gibbs.  Things have not been put in higgledy piggledy, but have been planted to create areas and dells with distinct themes and appearances.   Pegasus Bay was thrilled to be selected as a garden to be viewed next year at the Ellerslie Flower Show, New Zealand’s largest and most prestigious gardening event.  Make sure you book for that guided tour, but you don’t have to wait. Just pick up a map at the tasting room and see it by yourself before then.  Great explorations!

The Post-Parkerisation of Pegasus

In a newsletter a year ago we told you about the Parkerisation of Pegasus when Pegasus Bay was named as one of only 5 outstanding wine producers in New Zealand in Parker’s Wine Buyers’ Guide.  Robert Parker is regarded as North America’s and, arguably the worlds, most influential wine person, so we felt very humbled to be so selected.  As a follow-up, his wine magazine The Wine Advocate  has just awarded all of the 5 Pegasus Bay wines that it reviewed a score of 90/100 or higher.  Given that this is generally taken to represent gold medal standard, we felt quite overwhelmed.  In commenting on the result, wine writer Neal Martin said “The leading lights of Canterbury, winemakers, Matthew Donaldson and Lynnette Hudson continue to produce exquisite, Burgundy inspired white and red wines that are full of soul”.

From the Prescription Pad

When I studied philosophy at university I came across the ponderings of British philosopher Berkeley, who argued that things could only exist if a mind experienced them. As a corollary, if a tree crashed over and there was nobody there it shouldn’t make a noise, as sounds really only exist in your brain.  Yes, the tree might cause the air molecules to vibrate, which is what causes sound, but without someone to hear it the fall would be silent.  I am left wondering if the same thing occurs when someone dies alone in a dreadful accident.  A dear friend, Professor Don Beaven, was recently killed while fighting a fire alone in his holiday house on Banks Peninsula near Christchurch.  In a way, Don’s sad death was characteristic, as he was a great fighter.  He had boundless energy and fought tirelessly for what he thought was just, particularly the rights of the underdog and his patients.  Don specialised in endocrine disorders at an early stage of his medical career and later concentrated on helping people with diabetes.  He was forever championing their cause and hassling medical administrators and politicians for more resources and better services to fight the growing epidemic of diabetes.

I first met Sir Don when I was a medical student and he was a consultant physician in charge of the Medical Unit in Christchurch.  He showed striking empathy with his patients and great concern for their well being and problems.  In my early years after graduation, when I decided to train in neurology, Don was very encouraging and supportive.  He introduced me to people in Britain whom he felt could help with my further education.  He visited me in London and helped persuade me to come back as a neurologist to Christchurch instead of Auckland.

What I didn’t know then was that we shared another interest, or should I say a passion, which would eventually make us close friends, namely wine.  In the mid to late 60’s Don and several friends formed the Physicians Wine Society, a small group of “winos”, whom I later joined.  They regularly got together to enjoy top international wines with haute cuisine.  I returned to Christchurch with reluctance in 1975, as I had nurtured a student dream of having a vineyard and in those days all New Zealand wine was produced from Hawkes Bay northwards.  Two years earlier, Montana had put the first vines into a little patch in Marlborough but no wine had been made.  Skeptics felt this would fail as the South Island was generally regarded as too cold to grow grapes.  Don, however, visionary that he was, had seen the light. Soon after my return he recruited me into a group of 6 like-minded nutters, which he organized to plant the first vineyard of modern times in Canterbury.  It was just a hobby and no-one was stupid enough to give up their day job in pursuit of a dream.  Because of amateur winemaking experience I was appointed winemaker.  The little vineyard was in the Christchurch suburb of Halswell on a sunny but windy slope, which lead to us nick-naming it “Pleurisy Point”.  I tacked a little laboratory and winery onto my garage in Christchurch and that is where we made the wine.  It was indeed pioneering stuff, and given that 75% of New Zealand’s wine now comes from the South Island, Don’s vision was absolutely correct.

But Don was a “do-er” and not one to rest on his laurels.  Although we spent many happy hours toiling in my garage he spread his vinous net more widely.  Lincoln University had established a small vineyard and experimental wine making department, attempting to find out what grapes could be made into decent wine under South Island conditions.  We were part of Lincoln’s wine tasting panel and had many mouth puckering sessions together, trying to sort out what would work and what would definitely not make fine wine.  Lincoln subsequently started a grape growing and winemaking course and we were both involved in lecturing there and also at Christchurch Polytech classes.  Don became a national wine judge and wine columnist and I joined him in both these pursuits.  For over 20 years he wrote regular wine columns for newspapers, as well as writing a number of books on wine. 

Don was a classics scholar and believed history clearly showed that appreciation of good wine and food was a civilizing influence.  He loathed the boozing mentality and frequently quoted the modern scientific evidence showing that beer and spirits are the beverages of most problem drinkers and alcohol abusers.  He always promoted only moderate drinking with food.  He was on the board of the Alcohol Liquor Advisory Council (ALAC) and even managed to introduce its members to a friendly glass of wine at their after-meeting functions, rather than sitting around in sober silence. 

We had a traditional “longch” (long lunch) every New Year’s Day at his holiday house on Banks Peninsula, where a small group of friends enjoyed a grand repast, consisting of numerous courses served with matching blind wines.  It would start about noon and finish about 7pm, invariably broken by walks in his olive grove and the surrounding countryside.  He played a major part in fashioning civilized attitudes to wine and drinking in New Zealand and the general public, as well as the wine industry, owe a lot to him. 

There a many, including myself, who have had our lives changed by Don.  I honed my winemaking skills and learnt what grapes would successfully grow here while working at “Pleurisy Point”, but by the early 1980’s I decided I needed to flex my wings and build a different nest.  Hence my family and I started Pegasus Bay.  I don’t think it would have happened if it hadn’t been for Don’s early inspiration.

But to return to the question posed by our philosopher friend.  I feel the question of noise and catastrophic events is really a bit academic.  I only know that a mighty kauri tree has fallen in the forest and it has left a great gap.  It will be a long time before saplings can grow up and start to fill some of the space left in the canopy of New Zealand’s ascending wine world.  In the meantime I think I will do what Sir Don would have encouraged and continue to enjoy the odd glass of fine wine with delicious food.

Cheers,

Wine Gifts in the UK.

Don’t forget, you are now able to have friends or relatives in the UK receive Pegasus Bay and Main Divide wines without any effort on your part.  Simply contact  service@mustwines.co.uk and up to 6 bottles will be delivered.  What a great idea for Christmas, the New Year and beyond.

The Magnum Series                       

Do you know why the standard wine bottle contains 750mls?  Did I hear you say it is because that is the amount that can be comfortably drunk by 2 consenting adults at one sitting?  If so, then how many people would be required for a magnum, Jéraboam, Methuselah or Nebuchadnezzar?  As the totals of standard bottles held by these big Mammas are 2, 4, 8 and 20 respectively, one’s mind  boggles at the numbers needed for such group behaviour.  Well, it turns out that your answer to the question was wrong, not just because you specified the sitting position, but your whole concept was erroneous.  The real reason for the standard wine bottle size is, like many things vinous, bound up in tradition.  Wine bottles were originally hand, or rather mouth, blown and that is the amount the average craftsman could puff into the molten glass with a single breath.  The standard volume thus turns out to be an arbitrary physiological measurement, rather than what is best for the wine or even what is optimum for your needs.

For most purposes 750mls seems about right.  It is admittedly too much for one, but then you shouldn’t be drinking alone as wine is best if shared with friends.  So, why have people produced these other bottle sizes, as they are also traditional?  Two reasons.  Firstly, they allow more people to be served from one container and hence avoid any bottle to bottle variation, as well as looking mighty impressive.  They are thus perfect for special occasions.  Secondly, wine matures more slowly in larger volumes and hence these big beauties are particularly good for cellaring.

Now, Pegasus Bay wines are built to last.  They can all be cellared, which will bring out additional complexities and flavours.  As such, we make a small amount of wine in larger bottles especially to enable you to mature them for that special anniversary or event.  We have sold individual magnums in the past but with this newsletter we are releasing for the first time our Magnum Series, which contains not only several old favourites but some varieties we have never offered in magnums before.  While they are all ready to drink now, the whole range will benefit from further cellaring.

Rumour got out that Agent 007 was seen reaching for his magnum, but relax, even although he would kill for his favourite vintage of Pegasus Bay, there is enough to go round and we are also offering 005, 006 and 008!  These all come in individual wooden boxes.

Recent Seasons

January 2004 was outrageously hot with a succession of days over 40ºC in the shade.  Fortunately, February was cooler, slowing premature ripening and bringing the season back into balance.  The 2005 vintage was marked by cool, damp weather over flowering, which produced a yield well below average but resulted in wines of excellent concentration.  The weather in 2006 was very even throughout the growing season, resulting in balanced wines from good, but not excessive, crops.  Blustery winds in spring impaired pollination and lead to a small 2007 crop, giving extra richness and flavour to the well ripened fruit.  Drought conditions were staved off by a mid-summer downpour in 2008.  There followed beautiful weather.  A period of rain in the latter part of autumn encouraged the growth of noble botrytis in riesling.