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Wine
The exceptional combination of oysters and sauvignon blanc was first drawn to our attention back in 2003 when Hunter's 02 Sauvignon Blanc won gold in the Old Ebbitt Grill International Wine for Oysters competition.
The Old Ebbitt Grill is an historic oyster bar in Washington, DC and the win was prestigious, providing further proof that Marlborough was producing some exciting wines that matched equally exciting foods.
At the start of this month we were invited to the launch of a new Marlborough sauvignon blanc, Torea Oystercatcher 2009, produced by Stuart and Julie Smith and Ken and Jill Small. Torea proved a perfect match for Tio Point oysters of which there were plenty. The evening had a slightly surreal feel due to the abundance of oysters, wine and equally good company.
There's an interesting tale behind the Torea brand.
Quite a few years ago an American chap approached Ken with a view to buying some cleanskin wine to market in the United States. Ken came up with the name Torea Oystercatcher and the American returned home to market his new wine.
Unfortunately the work involved in packaging and marketing the wine in the US proved to be more work than fun, so the project faltered. Stuart thought it might be a good idea to buy the name back but the US$14,000 price tag for the trademarked name was out of reach. In the end the men struck a deal based on the value of the dry goods (corks and capsules) left from packaging the product and Torea returned to its rightful home.
The name sat for a while but when the famous Wolfgang Puck restaurant in Las Vegas wanted to buy a fruity Marlborough Sauvignon blanc it could sell by the glass, Torea Oystercatcher had its feathers fluffed up and a brand was established.
Traditionally the oysters we would eat with our sauvignon blanc came from places like Bluff or Clevedon. Now we have a local producer, Tio Point oysters, and the quality is impressive. A really good raw oyster shouldn't be mushy; it is firm to the bite and has fresh full flavour.
The Tio Point oysters we enjoyed had excellent texture and flavour the flavour enhanced by the fact they also had a salty seawater taste, which is something to do with the way they are stored from harvest and in transit to restaurants.
Tio Point Oysters, the same species as the oysters dredged in Foveaux Strait, are farmed by Bruce Hearn and supplied to restaurants in Wellington and Auckland. Hotel d'Urville also has them on the menu for those who want to try these local culinary beauties.
This oyster farming venture is still very new and we hope to see more Tio Point oysters available in the future.
Torea Oystercatcher 09 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
Colour: Pale lemon straw
Aroma: Lemon, grass and herbal aromas combine with exotic tropical notes to produce a rich yet zesty nose that is very appealing.
Taste: There's some lovely front-of-palate tingle and the taste of sweet lemon, passionfruit and some grassy herbal flavours combine to deliver quite a complex and well-balanced wine. The slightly creamy texture is balanced with crisp acidity while the finish and aftertaste are lively and citrusy.
Price: $18.95.
Twin Islands Marlborough Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut NV
This wine has been given a packaging revamp and it looks good. Katy Prescott, marketing manager for Twin Islands, says the new look for Twin Islands Brut is quietly confident, modern and very classy. This smart looking bottle of bubbles has been around since 1993 and over the years the wine has moved away from a pinot noir dominant style to a chardonnay dominant one, meeting changing marketing trends and tastes. The wine is made using traditional Champagne methods and is matured for at least 12 months on its lees before being disgorged.
Colour: Peachy pale gold.
Aroma: Leesy, yeasty with plenty of fresh peach and some sweeter perfumed notes. Clean, fresh and appealing.
Taste: A fruity sparkling wine with a lovely mousse and some charming vanilla and marshmallow flavours that complement the lovely taste of stone fruit. The yeasty, leesy characteristics on the aroma re-assert themselves on the palate, adding complexity to this smoothly textured wine. The finish and aftertaste are yeasty and fruity; this is an inviting, refreshing wine that delivers a generous smack of elegance and style. Perfect for making any occasion a celebration.
Price: $24.99.
- The Marlborough Express
