We couldn't visit Malborough without tasting their infamous "Sauv Blanc" and the idea of drinking my favourite wine all day in the sunshine was too good to miss!
Hiring a couple of bikes was certainly the best way to travel down the vine-lined roads, and the cars in the region seemed to be well practiced at avoiding the weaving wine trail cyclists towards the end of the tasting day!
We worked our way around 6 of the 142 wineries in the area, some larger than others, all with beautiful surroundings and some with spectacular views across their estates and the Malborough region.
Instead of just buying the best bottle on offer in the supermarket this really was a chance to savour each wine, taste the flavours and begin to see which tickled our taste buds the most (and almost all for free!)
With the sun starting to think about going down, the vineyards closed their cellar doors and we slowly cycled our way back...it was probably just as well as we we're both well and truly wine'd out!
Wine notes: top five wines of the trail
by Christopher Jones and Julia Horne (Wine Conoseurs 6th December 2013)
1. Cloudy Bay, Pelorus Vintage 2008 (score: 9.5/10)
'a creamy but light vintage with the subtle red apple and citrus and delicious aromas of nougat and biscotti, this sparkling wine was incredibly irresistible and extremely moreish!'
2. Nautilus, Sauvignon Blanc Malborough 2012 (score: 9/10)
'a sharp yet smooth wine, this didn't have so much of a citrus burst as other SB's but a softer more aromatic palate that lingered revealing notes of passionfruit and papaya'
3. Hunters, Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (score: 8.5/10)
'this wine is a real classic sauvignon with its mix of citrus and tropical aromas. Its crisp finish left a lovely zesty finish in the mouth'
4. No.1 Family Estate, No.1 Rose (score: 8/10)
'Not what you'd expect from a rose bubbly, this cuvee made from 100% Pinot Noir using traditional French champagne methods is fresh, light and elegant without the sweetness of a rose and the harshness of a brut - would go well with a punnet of malborough's finest strawberries'
5. Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (score 8/10)
'a deliciously zesty lime and grapefruit aroma with light but sharp citrus and lemongrass tones this wine was refreshingly light and crisp, perfect for a lazy summers afternoon'
Hiring a couple of bikes was certainly the best way to travel down the vine-lined roads, and the cars in the region seemed to be well practiced at avoiding the weaving wine trail cyclists towards the end of the tasting day!
We worked our way around 6 of the 142 wineries in the area, some larger than others, all with beautiful surroundings and some with spectacular views across their estates and the Malborough region.
Highfields Vineyard (7th November 2013)
Giesen's wine tasting and lunch platter (6th November 2013)
We tasted between 3-6 different wines at each, all of which included a Sauvingon Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, with one specialising in Cuvee (aka bubbles!). The Sauvignon Blancs are by far the best wines to come out of this region - the other whites were just too sweet, and Chris wasn't convinced by Pinot Noir over his favourite - a Malbec. That said the local cuisine we savoured in our mouth-watering platter of local delicacies for lunch was devine too!With the sun starting to think about going down, the vineyards closed their cellar doors and we slowly cycled our way back...it was probably just as well as we we're both well and truly wine'd out!
Wine notes: top five wines of the trail
by Christopher Jones and Julia Horne (Wine Conoseurs 6th December 2013)
1. Cloudy Bay, Pelorus Vintage 2008 (score: 9.5/10)
'a creamy but light vintage with the subtle red apple and citrus and delicious aromas of nougat and biscotti, this sparkling wine was incredibly irresistible and extremely moreish!'
2. Nautilus, Sauvignon Blanc Malborough 2012 (score: 9/10)
'a sharp yet smooth wine, this didn't have so much of a citrus burst as other SB's but a softer more aromatic palate that lingered revealing notes of passionfruit and papaya'
3. Hunters, Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (score: 8.5/10)
'this wine is a real classic sauvignon with its mix of citrus and tropical aromas. Its crisp finish left a lovely zesty finish in the mouth'
4. No.1 Family Estate, No.1 Rose (score: 8/10)
'Not what you'd expect from a rose bubbly, this cuvee made from 100% Pinot Noir using traditional French champagne methods is fresh, light and elegant without the sweetness of a rose and the harshness of a brut - would go well with a punnet of malborough's finest strawberries'
5. Cloudy Bay, Sauvignon Blanc 2013 (score 8/10)
'a deliciously zesty lime and grapefruit aroma with light but sharp citrus and lemongrass tones this wine was refreshingly light and crisp, perfect for a lazy summers afternoon'
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