Wine stewards spoilt for choice

BY PETER MORICE AND DEBORAH WALTON

I've often thought being a wine judge would be the pinnacle of wine tasting, but after this experience, the judging looked to be very hard work and the stewarding was so much fun ...

Life as a wine steward: "Oops!"

"Who broke those glasses?"

"Ah, it was me ..."

Three glasses hit the deck, but overall, things ran pretty smoothly, as Peter experienced firsthand what it was like to be a wine steward at the Liquorland Top 100 International Wine Competition, held in Marlborough for the first time this year.

The first day was probably the most daunting.

The team arrived to find an empty room, 10 pallets of wine, two pallets of glasses and a pile of trestle tables.

Wine shows have to be orderly and all the wines are set out in pre-determined positions within their classification (chardonnay, riesling etc), so the business of getting all the wines to where they are supposed to be is a major logistical operation, requiring concentration and patience.

Once everything is unpacked, those charged with distributing the wines collect the entries and put them in the correct position within their classification as determined by competition administrators.

The administrators keep an eye on proceedings to ensure the panel members taste the wines in the correct sequence.

"Bottles and stewards were flying about the room to get this job done," says Peter.

"And, I'd like to add, we did it in record time!"

There was a 7.30am start on the second day, and the team of 30 was back again, setting up the first flight of wines while the judges were eating breakfast.

The wine-tasting flights are sent to the judges bearing numbered plastic tags; this is the only form of identification to ensure unbiased judging.

"The four days resembled being on army manoeuvres.

"With bursts of activity and then some long waits. We were either flat out or doing very little and we had some breaks for life's necessities like morning tea," Peter says.

"The real excitement for the stewards came when the judges released a wine flight for us to taste. You've never seen people move so quickly to their favourite bottles."

The ensuing conversation among the stewards, some of whom were the winemakers of bottles being sampled, was generally unprintable as the winemakers were given a real wind-up by everyone else.

Winemakers were among those from the wine industry offering their services as stewards for the event.

The camaraderie flourished with the wine tastings.

Belinda Jackson, the competition director, said she was keen to foster team spirit, and, judging by what happened over the four days, she has the necessary tools at her fingertips to achieve this.

The next big rush for the team came when each person could select six bottles for their day's effort.

"If I thought people moved fast at tasting time, I was mistaken," Peter says.

"The enthusiasm shown at this stage of the proceedings was astounding." He came home with a lovely selection of red wines from New Zealand and around the world, an acknowledgement of the effort he put into contributing to one of New Zealand's most prestigious wine events.

"I've often thought being a wine judge would be the pinnacle of wine tasting, but after this experience, the judging looked to be very hard work and the stewarding was so much fun. I think my aspirations have gone down the sink."

The Liquorland Top 100 will probably be held in Blenheim again next year and Peter has already put his name forward.

Lindauer Sauvignon Sparkling Sauvignon blanc

Colour: Very pale straw with flashes of green and a busy bead.

Aroma: Crisp, clean and fresh like alpine air. A brisk gooseberry aroma is complemented by sweeter passionfruit and pineapple notes and some gentle grassiness.

Taste: The bubbles suit this wine's vibrant, crisp flavours. Thanks to the inclusion of chardonnay and pinot noir in the blend, there's good palate weight and a creamy texture. The fruity flavour is ripe yet refreshing, very citrusy with some richer tropical notes mid-palate.

The finish is dry and moreish, clean and crisp.

This exciting new wine (a clever way to use up some Marlborough sauvignon) will do well as a summer refresher.

Price: $14.99 "It's a recession buster whether it's busted or not." Thanks for that, Peter.

Harwood Hall 08 Central Otago Pinot Noir

Colour: Deep, clear cherry red.

Aroma: Ripe and smoky, some spicy oak, marmite and that delightful blend of violets, berry fruit and the funky whiff of old red wine barrels.

Taste: A lovely "drink now" pinot noir, warming, with a huge wack of flavour; the blend of plums and cherries is port-like in intensity.

Some savoury, gamy flavours assert themselves towards the finish and the lingering aftertaste is all plums and subtle oak.

Here's an interesting pinot noir that shows off its charms with enthusiasm.

Price: Good value at $24.95.

- The Marlborough Express