Villa Maria winery is now a day trip?

To promote the new A380-800 Airbus in the Emirates line, the company I work for (non-wine related) was invited by Emirates to send two employees on a promotional A380-800 trip. I happened to be one of the lucky employees chosen (having won the ticket). The trip consisted of an economy flight from Sydney to Auckland, a visit to the Villa Maria Winery and a return trip to Sydney flying business class. In one day.

Ok - so the Hunter Valley is about a 3hr drive from my place (and I've done a day trip there and back in a day driving) and Auckland is about the same time from check in - checkout (if lucky). Price difference is about AUD$1200 after airport taxes (flying) and fuel (driving) are taken into consideration. But the Hunter isn't well known for pinot noir and the flight was free - so who's counting costs?!

06:30: Arrive early. Why do I do this to myself in the search for pinot? Answer: Because it's pinot. Solution: Find coffee. Lots of coffee. Coffee NOW. Ok - you get the point. Meet with the lovely (and essential for me - understanding of coffee needs) , Ivette Velasco, Sales Executive for Emirates. Check in completed very efficiently by the friendly Emirates staff.

08:00: Taken to Emirates Lounge for breakfast (and the essential coffee). Compared to the Sydney Qantas Lounge which I have also been to, I prefer the Emirates Lounge. I found the food to be of a better quality and the layout and seating is more comfortable. Once the caffeine levels start to rise, we are offered a glass of Veuve Clicquot Poseidon NV Blanc. Typical of a NV Veuve Clicquot, it has a lovely light straw colour with fine bead, heady aromas of yeast and citrus leading to a rich, mouth-filling palate and a medium to long, dry finish.

08:40: My first look at the A380-800 from the inside as we board. First impression of economy class is that even though there are more seats across the aircraft (233 pattern), there is more space between seats and the seats themselves are possibly slightly wider. Once seated, the differences were very obvious: The facilities on the economy class seats are very close to those found on business class seats on domestic Airbus flights. Touch screens, multiple new and classic movies available (not the non-changeable trash one usually has to put up with), decent headsets, the list goes on. The seats were also more comfortable and had a greater range of positions available than normally available on economy class (domestic or international) and in fact, I've flown business class on other airlines with less comfortable seating. Takeoff unfortunately delayed for approximately 40mins due to the ambiguous "technical hitch". Perhaps NRMA needed calling?


09:00 (approx): NRMA battery installed, jumpstart completed and taxiing commenced. New feature of the A380-800 is discovered: The front-view live-cam. No - you can't turn it off. It's displayed for all passengers on the main screen which is very nice and would fit nicely in a movie theatre (ok - exaggeration on size - but certainly it was large enough for a home cinema setup). Immediately becomes disconcerting when a plane is seen in full screen view coming down the taxiway in the opposite direction. Find myself thinking...turn...turn now...turning now please...TURN NOW FOR GODS SAKE! Deep breaths and closing ones eyes don't help the situation as it turns into a macabre slomo disaster movie. Eventually we do turn - only to find oneself transfixed by the end of the runway (and in Sydney - that means either water or houses - in this case - water) approaching at around 200km/hr - takeoff very smooth. Breath in. Breath out. Relax. Ahhhhh. And this from someone who's completed pilot training. God only knows what someone with a flying phobia would do. Note to Emirates: Perhaps show something a little more calming on the main screen during takeoff and landing before some poor soul who needs a little more prescribed medication than they have taken decides they no longer want to be part of the flight - somewhere between 3 feet from the end of the runway and wheels up.

Once flying, there is some time to explore the features of the Emirates A380-800 Airbus and it is now that the real value of flying this service is fully realised.

Starting with the essentials: The toilet lights not only show which toilets are free on a left/right aspect, but also indicate as to where they are located on the deck - fore or aft. This is important on a plane around 73mtrs long. Combined with the aisle width, you could turn the lower deck into a jogging track on long-haul flights. Closer to home, the service in economy is every bit as good as anything in business class on domestic flights and even a lot of international flights in a similar time slot. The seats have more legroom, are wider and, seem to be further apart from the neighbouring seat than in other airbus models. The individual screens, located either in the backrest of the seat in front or, for those in the front end row, attached on a stalk that swings out from the seat arm, are very reasonably sized (much larger than what I have seen previously on other airbus flights - both domestic and international) and are tilt adjustable. The features available, include a very large range of new release and classic movies (I watched Dark Knight on the way out), games (both play on your own as well as play against other passengers), TV shows (both past and present) and a range of music styles. Also available is text, email and phone capability - direct from the seat using the remote control. Each seat also has a dedicated USB port for connecting to a wireless internet connection.

Brunch was served on the way over - efficient service, friendly staff, good menu choice. Absolutely no complaints.

12:40 or thereabouts: Arrive Auckland airport and lose 2 hrs thanks to the change in time zones. Difficulty explaining to customs that I'm on a day trip to a winery. Eventually let through - apparently a business conference makes more sense at least to customs officials who obviously need to visit a winery more often.

15:20 (local time): Arrive Villa Maria Winery (luckily it's only about 15mins drive from the airport) - let the fun begin! Meet with reps from Auckland Tourism, Bush & Beach Eco-Tours and Langham Hotel.

16:00: Wines arrive.

1. Villa Maria Clifford Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc:

Clear & Bright - water white. No tint.

Typical pungent grassy aromas of gooseberry and melon.

Medium to high acidity, medium finish, slightly fuller mouth feel than the usual NZ Sav. Blanc. Not particularly into NZ Sav's but this one I would rate higher than the usual quaffers.

2. Villa Maria Ihumatao Vineyard Gewürztraminer:

Clear & bright - water white with a distinct green tinge.

Very aromatic wine with intense aromas of rose petal, turkish delight and lemongrass.

On the palate, spicy leading to a slightly hot but pleasant finish. Medium length with a slight residual sugar noticeable. Very pleasant wine and definitely recommended.

3. Villa Maria Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007:

Vibrant deep strawberry colour.

Intense aromas of strawberry and red berries.

Medium - light weight with powdery tannins and the complex layered approach starting to show. Should reveal more with time. Medium length. Quite elegant and hides the 14% alc well. Not at all hot on the finish.

4.Villa Maria Gimblett Gravels Cellar Selection Syrah 2007:

A vibrant deep ruby red leading to a dark red centre.

A floral nose gives aromas of cherries, plums and dark fruits with a hint of chocolate.

Medium bodied with fine tannins providing an elegant structure for the fruit to really show. A definite one for the cellar - very Rhone-like. Lovely balance, long length and finish. Best wine for my money of the bunch (even against the PN).

17:00: Back to the airport! Explain our way back through customs and board the A380-800 again for the return trip - this time in Business Class. Seriously - this is how travelling should be. Pod bays provide your own little cocoon from the other travellers (doubles available). A shoe box so you can kick the shoes off and they don't go flying around the cabin. An electronically adjustable foot rest. A multi-adjustable seat which can be reclined fully into a bed. A large TV screen with all of the previously mentioned features - but which also has a smaller screen close at hand so you don't have to reach forward to touch the screen itself. Best of all - the seat has a built in and multi-functional massage. Choose from wave, zigzag pattern or concentrate it on any one of 4 or 5 different body zones.

No need to call the NRMA this time round and takeoff was pretty much on the designated time. Champagne served prior to takeoff (not sure which one this was - tasted fuller than the Veuve and if I was to hazard a guess it would be a NV Moet et Chandon.

Dinner was provided from a simple but very reasonable menu. I ordered the seared tuna steak on nicoise salad for starters and the deli plate for main. Both were very well done - the deli plate containing some wonderful duck pate which was very enjoyable indeed. Wine selection was again simple with a selection of 2 whites and 2 reds available - one being the Chateau Canuet Margaux 2000 which I selected:

Inky black in colour with some slight age-browning on the edge.

Rich aromas of dark fruits, blackberries and vanilla.

On the palate, plums and chocolate, bound with fine tannins - structurally sound even at this age finishing long. A beautiful complex wine.

Arrived back in Sydney on time and rested after the 2.5 hr trip - aided by that wonderful wine and a trip-long massage!

Conclusion: Would definitely do this again. It was a long but fantastic day. Emirates ticked all the right boxes both in-flight and on the ground. Their staff were faultless. Friendly, welcoming and tirelessly working to ensure that all passengers were looked after. Would definitely recommend them again. If you're flying long-haul, the new Airbus A380-800 is definitely the way to go. Even in economy there is more legroom, a larger seat, more room, better facilities and a much smoother and quieter flight than any aircraft previously flown. Business class is like being in a 5 star hotel and would be the preferred option - particularly if going on a longer flight.

A big thankyou to Ivette Velasco for looking after us for the day, to all the Emirates staff who provided a wonderful flight there and back, to Villa Maria Winery for accommodating us - even though it was a shorter visit than anticipated, and to all the others involved behind the scene.

Central Otago Pinot Celebration 2009 - Day 3

Recovery after such a night of hedonistic pleasure was slower for some than others. While my partner slept, I went fishing with a local guide in the pristine waters of Lake Wakatipu. Not a particularly good day for fishing as it turns out but successful nonetheless, returning to the Crowne Plaza Hotel where we stayed, with a 38cm, rather fat, rainbow trout in tow. Lunch was had at one of the many waterside cafés available and then it was off to Mount Edward Winery to catch up with the winemaker Duncan Forsyth who kindly showed us around and provided a glimpse of the 2008 vintage with a barrel tasting session. We ended the day in the hotel room eating the rainbow trout poached in sake, accompanied very nicely with a bottle of Pinot Blanc from Mt Edward Winery. A perfect end to the final day.

Central Otago Pinot Celebration 2009 - Day 2

Day Two. Up early again (note to the organisers – these 08:30 starts are no good for my health!). Today however, I was definitely not going to be late! The Formal Tasting. To start with, a master class on the Burgundy AOC chaired by Nick Mills of Rippon and with input from Neal Martin (Wine Advocate), Jasper Morris, Jean-Luc Pépin and Jancis Robinson. This was followed by a tasting of the following Grand Cru Burgundies (vintage 2001):

• Domaine Trapet Pére et fils Chambertin.
• Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis.
• Domaine Comtes Georges de Vogue Musigny.
• Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux.
• Maison Bouchard Pére et fils La Romanée.

What can I say? Obviously, they were all far too young to be sacrificed. Even though a number of hours had passed between being opened and the tasting (some aeration may have helped), there was still that young-wine vibrancy about them. Perhaps they needed air – most definitely they needed time. Lots of time. For this reason alone, I am reluctant to provide my thoughts on each of the wines presented.

Having said that, I will say this (and please don’t burn me at the stake for sacrilege): The Grand Cru Burgundies on a whole had more finesse than the best Central Otago pinot with a hidden power that, though I’m sure would show itself fully in time, was so tightly bound up as to only offer a glimmer. On the other hand, Central Otago pinot on the whole has more up front power (more grunt as Duncan Forsyth from Mt Edward would put it).

What does this all mean? Well, I guess (putting on flame-proof suit), if you want a wine that will age magnificently (and, importantly, require aging to show its true magnificence), provide you with the embodiment of the terroir of Côte d'Or, fill your mouth with the finest texture and leave your tastebuds longing for more long after the glass is empty; if you can afford it (and even if you can’t) and, more importantly, if you can keep it in pristine condition for a very long time – then a Grand Cru Burgundy will do all of that. It is achingly, enticingly beautiful. And yet: If you want a wine that will hold its own against the biggest flavoured dish, that will be great when throwing a roo on the lunch time BBQ, yet is just as great to sip on its own at the end of a night, perhaps in front of a roaring fire; if you want a wine that will fill your mouth with flavour and provide texture you can cut with a knife (as one winemaker suggested); if you want a wine that shows the terroir of Central Otago in all its outdoorsy, handsome, manly, ruggedness; if you want a wine with grunt! – Then (at 100th of the price) you’ll certainly be satisfied by a Central Otago pinot noir. I know what is in my cellar – but I also know what I’d like sitting in an out of the way, back corner of my cellar for the next 40 years or so if the bank manager would let me!

Once the formal tasting was over (I noticed that not too many attendees were spitting any of the $5000 / bottle wine out), we split into groups again for lunch. We were fortunate to be in the group taken out to the magnificent Rippon winery.

Rippon is a family run winery and Nick Mills is very active in the local wine making fraternity being the head of the Winemakers Society. Our lunch was magnificently prepared and matched with a selection of wines from both current and back vintages including a wonderfully old 1970? Rippon pinot noir which, although dominated by slight fruit sweetness, was holding together well. Lunch was followed by a quick tour of the winery and a discussion by Nick of the biodynamic techniques employed by this fully biodynamic winery (this was cut short due to time restraints rather than any hesitancy on the part of Nick to talk).

The 2009 Central Otago Pinot Celebration culminated in the Grand Dinner. This year it was held at the Skyline Restaurant. Reached by gondola, it has commanding views over Queenstown and Lake Wakatipu out to the Remarkables – an imposing mountain range that dominates the Queenstown skyline.

The meal was prepared by award winning chef Martin Bosley. A menu showing off some of the local wild produce of New Zealand was a perfect foil to what, in my opinion (tasting Grand Cru Burgundy not withstanding), was perhaps the highlight of the two days. The final dinner you see, has a very interesting take on BYO. Each guest has the option of bringing a wine from his or her cellar to share. A number of very generous souls brought more than one. It was a wonderful collection of rare, old, interesting and pristinely preserved wines. From all over the globe they came. 20 year old Riesling from Alsace, a veritable vertical tasting of old and new Oregon pinot noir provided by a very generous pinotphile from America (thanks Jeffery – that was an experience!) and burgundies of various vintages (premier and grand cru) by the case.

Central Otago Pinot Celebration 2009 - Day 1

What can I say! My partner and I spending two days immersed in all things pinot. Heaven has a name and it is PINOT CELEBRATION!

Central Otago Pinot Celebration 2009 kicked off on Thursday night with a sub-region master class. Unfortunately, due to the vagaries of off-peak international travel, we were unable to make it, so settled for a wonderful dinner of wild Wapiti (venison) washed down with a 2006 Chard Farm Finla Mor Pinot Noir at the Bath House Restaurant. Magnificent on all counts and full marks especially go to the Chef and staff of the Bath House.

Friday morning saw us heading over to the Millennium Hotel Queenstown NZ (at the pre-coffee hour of 08:30 which is unheard of for me) for the start of what would turn out to be mega tasting of pinot from the finest wineries of Central Otago. The day was divided up alphabetically – with wineries from A - ME prior to lunch with approximately 40 wineries each showing at least 2 (or more) wines from the current and previous vintages.

Once our palate was completely swamped, we headed off to a "working lunch" - the group of over 180 delegates split up amongst approximately 6 of the best restaurants in the Queenstown area. We were lucky to be in the group going to the Wai Restaurant which provided a magnificent degustation menu matched to 4 Central Otago wines.

Back at the Millennium, it was straight into the back end of the alphabet with iconic names such as Felton Road and the world-beating Wild Earth.

The day was finished with a wonderful evening at the interestingly named restaurant Botswana Butchery where all the days’ wines were available for additional tasting matched by an endless procession of food from the kitchen.