A QUICK DIP BELOW THE EQUATOR

SWS/Crown rep and former DEP’s alum Ray came by with some great stuff from Graffigna and Brancott. We were supposed to meet with the Louis Latour rep but I guess a case of illness got in the way so here we go:

Brancott Pinot Grigio North Island 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Nice body, not the lemon water style you typically get with Pinot Grigio. Notes of lemon zest, mineral and white flower. Pretty nice quaff.

Graffigna Pinot Grigio Reserva 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Again, not the lemon water thing going on here, just a clean, vibrant, well-balanced white with lively citrus and mineral notes.

Brancott Chardonnay Gisborne 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Crisp, clean version of Chardonnay, completely unoaked. Bright notes of nectarine, pineapple, lemon and green apple. Good value.

Brancott Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Textbook grapefruit, cat pee and gooseberry notes. Reminds me of the rows of tomato plants coming in my grandparents’ garden when I was a kid. Really good.

Graffigna Cabernet Sauvignon Centenario 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Tastes like there isn’t a great deal of oak here, which is a nice change of pace. Bright black currant and blackberry notes with splashes of cinnamon, black cherry, espresso bean and mineral. Would make for a great BBQ wine.