Last of the NZ Reds

I am trying to resist the temptation to post for postings sake, but at the same time I am mindful that I want to maintain some kind of momentum, conscious of that fact that there have been other initiatives in the past that I have undertaken, that have fallen by the way-side somewhat. So given this quandary, I have decided to post anyway. The reason: I was thinking that my blog could serve as some kind of permanent reminder of the wines that I have consumed. Why was I thinking this? Well when my wife and I went to New Zealand on our honeymoon last year we managed to return with a number of fine wines, the quantity of which has slowly dwindled 'til we find ourselves in the position that today we have decanted the last of the NZ reds, a Nautilus 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot Reserve. Sounds fancy....well wait until you smell it. At first I thought it was corked (it was that rare thing amongst NZ wines - it actually had a cork rather than the more frequently encountered Stelvin enclosure - screwcap to thee and me) but I think that was just a slight mustiness around the bottle neck, and once decanted (not as pretentious an act as it may seem, it gives the wine a chance to breathe and relax a little more) all seemed well. At this stage I cannot say what it is like, it is still sitting in the Decanter in the Kitchen. As my wife and I plan to enjoy an evening in its company, I thought it only correct to purchase another bottle of wine - this one a 2003 d'Arenberg Galvo Garage - an interesting blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. I like the way that d'Arenberg - and so many other Australian winemakers have a story behind the production of their wines, or at least the initial inspiration for them. Hopefully with my work-in-progress relocation to Brisbane, I should be in a position to get to try more Australian varietals than I currently have access to in the UK market. I should get to see if they do indeed keep some of the best wines to themselves. Although much of the viticultural action is in South Australia and Victoria, I am certainly keen to sample the output of the boutique wineries of Queensland - particularly Robinson family vineyards. Maybe I'll post tomorrow to serve as a reminder of how the Nautilus and 'Galvo' went.