A Bicyclist and an OB GYN save the day!

What happens when a bicyclist and an Ob Gyn get married?

They make beautiful, delicious babies!

 

What in the world is she talking about?
Has the Tiny Wine Girl lost her mind?

Well, it may seem that way but of course not!
Keep reading....

 

A few months ago, I took a wine trip to New Zealand!

Ok, maybe not a real trip but a virtual one via my happy place.

 

Vineyards in New Zealand benefit from the moderating effect of the maritime climate with long sunshine hours and nights cooled by sea breezes.
No vineyard is more than 80 miles from the ocean!



As a result of New Zealand's cool temperatures, the grapes are fortunate to have a long ripening period which allows the flavor to develop while retaining the fresh acidity. 
 New Zealand wines are known for this wondrous balance!

Before I go any further, this review should be taken with a grain of salt.
No pun intended.
 Unfortunately, this trip was scheduled when my wine buds were still non-existent and all wines tasted like salt water.
 I'd love to try these wines again and see how they really tasted!
Well, some of them.....

 

Lake Chalice

"Cracklin' Savie"

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough

 

The Cracklin' Savie has a great name and that's about it.

 

It is a sparkling Sauv Blanc - meaning bubbly grapefruit.

I am quite vocal about how I do not like these two varietals on their own and after tasting this wine, I don't like them when they are joined either! This wine was good for someone who has lost their taste buds because even though I didn't care for it, it tasted exactly as I expected it would. Bleh.

 

Next up on the list were two Sauv Blancs and while I was not excited about them I was just hoping that I could taste them.

 

Forrest

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough

 



 

It smelled like a typical Sauv Blanc to me with a hint of lemongrass.

"I can taste it," I exclaimed, "but I don't want to."
 

"Sauvignon Blanc bangs you in the mouth - like an old peasant with his wooden shoe .

The sauvignon is the whipper-snapper. It's not solid enough.

It's violent, it's sharp, it bites, it cries, it's like a ferocious dog you keep on a leash."

– Troisgros

 

It was the next Sauv Blanc on the list that really devastated me though.

 

The Siefried Sav Blanc from Marlborough smelled like a lemon/pine tree air freshener that one would find hanging from a rear view mirror of a car.  Eager to find out what it tasted like, I took a sip and got nothing but salt. Thus the start of my trip's inevitable and quick demise. 

 

My favorite white wine varietal is Chardonnay, especially a California Chardonnay. I realize that not all Chardonnays are the same but I still would rather have a mediocre Chardonnay than a fantastic Sauv Blanc or Riesling. 

 

The next New Zealand wine to try was the Old Coach Road Chardonnay from Nelson. The aroma was delightful and it made me long for the lusciousness of a Chardonnay. I was fearful to take a sip and rightfully so. Once I took a sip, I got a quick hint of Chardonnay but then the second sip was nothing but salt. What a tease! So incredibly demoralizing.

At this point in the trip, I was down but I wasn't out.
I don't give up!

That is one thing I will never do.
Always have hope!
Eventually, my wine buds would have to return and I'd have to keep tasting wines in hopes of the awakening.

 

So, I took a deep breath and decided to delve into the three red wines of the night.

 

The Seifried Pinot Noir from Nelson smelled like a muddy diaper with a hint of sweet, red fruit.

It tasted like rock salt with strawberry glaze poured on top.
At this point, I was thrilled that I could pick out something in addition to salt - anything!

 

Last year, my favorite guy and I went to a New Zealand wine and cheese tasting at Cheesetique in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria. That's when I tried the Carrick "Unravelled" Pinot Noir from Central Otago for the first time. It wasn't my favorite Pinot (of course not - it's not from Oregon) but it was acceptable.

 

Well, on this adventure, the Unravelled had me feeling unravelled. This Pinot had a beautifully stinky aroma but it tasted like.... wait for it.... yep, salt.
It wasn't overpoweringly salty but it definitely was not the way it was supposed to taste. Bummer! Then again, someone on my trip stated, "I find it non-repulsive" so perhaps I wasn't missing anything after all.

The boldest of the New Zealand red wines was the

Mai Mai Syrah from Hawkes Bay.

  Cherry cough syrup with a salt water chaser.

Yum.
 Not really.





 

Just when I was ready to call it a night and jump back on the plane to the motherland, the last wine surprised me!

 

Forrest Estate

"The Doctors'"

Riesling

Marlborough, New Zealand

 

 

This Thompson Twins wine (Get it? Their song "Doctor, Doctor" from the 80s?) had a petroleum aroma and a crisp but delicate taste.
It had been almost a month since I lost my wine buds and to my surprise and delight,
I could taste this one!
I mean I could REALLY taste this one!
 

I may not have been able to taste anything but this Riesling but I wasn't leaving New Zealand completely broken and defeated as I had earlier feared.

Of all the wines, the only one I could taste was made by a husband and wife 

bicyclist and ObGyn team.

Guess this is just what the Doctor(s) ordered!

Oh, the irony!

"If we sip the wine, we find dreams coming upon us out of the imminent night”
― D.H. Lawrence