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Jo Burzynska is a fellow wine writer known by many for her columns in The Press, New Zealand Herald's Viva magazine and The New Zealand WineGrower.
Her new book, Wine Class: All you need to know about wine in New Zealand was launched on July 3.
Wine Class is exactly as those two words suggest: a basic course in understanding and appreciating wine. It covers what wine should taste like, how to approach it, how to be more adventurous in your purchasing and how to serve it all the essentials. It also looks at where wine comes from, and includes information on climate, soil, old vines and that really curly one, terroir.
Wine Class is an attractive book, designed to be dipped into. Open it at any page and you'll fine bright and breezy writing in small bites. We particularly enjoyed some of the quotes from various winemakers and grape growers, such as this gem from Mike Weersing at Canterbury's Pyramid Valley: "The wonder of wine is that it has the ability to speak of where it comes from, to tell the story of an entire season, in a special, specific place."
Jo's book provides a really warm, friendly and knowledgeable starting point. She gets readers going on all the basics. If you love wine and you want to become more informed this book is the first step.
Mike Just of Clayridge is also quoted: "Not only can wine really embody a sense of place; it can also bring to life the fruits of summers long gone. It's a slice of history."
A statement like that had us diving into the cellar to find something suitably "historical". We came up with Grove Mill's 04 Riesling and yes, it's a taste of summer long past warming, honeyed and gaining in richness with every passing month ... but we digress.
Our pick of the chapters is probably Perfect Pairings. A good wine and food pairing takes dining from special to sublime, and Jo does a great job of demystifying the reasons why some pairings really are a match made in heaven. Our only quibble spicy Asian foods go best with a light beer. Eating a curry? Then buy a Tiger, there's really no comparison.
The verdict: a great handbook for people starting out and keen to become more informed about wine. All the most important questions are answered. Wine Class is an easy read and should inspire confidence in its readers. Priced at $39.99 it's a lovely looking book with an informative and sometimes amusing style that hints at the obvious wine is all about the sheer joy of living.
We'll drink to that. Good one Jo!
Cloudy Bay 07 Pinot Noir Aroma: An attractive crimson wine with good depth of colour.
The aroma is lovely, all dusty plums, Marmite savouriness, figs, forest floor, tobacco smoke and oak.
Taste: A rich, concentrated wine with grainy tannins, firm acids and appealing spiciness. The old barrel flavours add some interest (open top fermenters probably have something to do with the acquisition of some of these).
A big, beautiful wine by pinot noir standards; brimming with ripe, rich plum and prune flavour yet displaying a silky smooth texture and some delightful nuances the jot of almost floral sweetness in the aftertaste. Magic.
Price: $51
Matakana Estate Marlborough 08 Sauvignon Blanc Aroma: Grass and gooseberries, flint and some savoury stink have integrated well in this aroma. Herbal, vibrant and highly appealing.
Taste: A reasonably rich, full-bodied and smooth wine with some delightful mid-palate flavour.
Tropical fruitiness adds richness to the more aggressive grassy flavours and a lovely flinty line develops towards the finish where a taste of lemon rounds things out. A very crisp and refreshing wine.
Price: $22
Sileni Cellar Selection 08 Hawke's Bay Pinot GrisAroma: Spice and wheat aromas that don't lift until the glass is given a really good shake-up. Some lychees, pear and perfumed notes eventually shine through.
Taste: A weighty wine with light tingly acids; these become steely towards the back of the palate. The flavours are subdued floral, tinned fruit salad and lychees out to the typical pear skin finish.
A slightly unctuous wine with some appealing bitter-sweetness in the lingering aftertaste.
Price: $19.50
Barossa Valley Estate (BVE) 05 E Bass Shiraz
Colour: A wine that coats the glass and gets the heart going with its deep, dark garnet colour gorgeous.
Aroma: A powerfully fruity, musky wine that combines some spice and plum aromas with a dash of old barrel, some cocoa, meat and smoke. Fabulous.
Taste: Firm acidity and grainy tannins support the rich, powerful flavour of ripe plums, Ghana chocolate and warming spice. Some rich dark berry fruit flavour and a jot of creaminess towards the finish provide a good foil for the taut, drying, herbal aftertaste.
The winemaker's notes suggest this wine will improve for up to five years but it tastes like it's reaching its peak so don't delay. Another absolute stunner made for the red wine enthusiast.
Price: $28.99 and worth every cent.
