A white wine blend – created (for the ‘24 vintage) from Pinot Gris, Viognier and Riesling. Blends of white grapes seem much more accepted in Europe – I’m thinking of the ‘Gentil’ Alsace wines, or ‘white Rhone’ wines. Here, they do well at a Cellar door, but it’s a struggle to sell otherwise. Perhaps because a customer won’t really know what they’re getting until they taste it – or that a blend in a certain wine changes with vintages. ‘The Tangle’ has certainly been an example of this historically – owner of Huia, Tom Hegler saying that “In the past there’s been some quite different editions of The Tangle featuring Chardonnay, Gruner Veltliner, more Sauvignon Blanc and of course Gewutrz. I’m seeking a bit more consistency with the composition”.
A pale straw colour in the glass. There’s an appealing aromatic lift to the perfume, with an array of stonefruit and citrus flavours spiced with chamomile, honey, cardamom and jasmine. A piquant intensity, led by a bright acidity appears on first taste. But there is great poise and detail here too, with a balance between energy, structure and texture. Loosening up through the palate, with that waxy texture blossoming. It is as if it is both a simple wine and a complex one at the same time. I can see this being enjoyed over a lazy summer lunch, but you could also find a lot to sit and contemplate as it unfolds as well. The finish has a nod to the bouquet, with spice returning. 92pts
Yesterday members of the Nelson Wine Club held their end of year bbq. The most memorable wine in my view was the Waimea Estate Edel 2009. It was drinking beutifully. I know the story well from then winemaker Trudy Shield. They weren’t going to put Edelzwicker on the label for obvious reasons. When doing the initial blending, everytime came the comment ‘too much gewurz’. After about the 4th attempt they settled on 47% Riesling, 38% pinot gris and 15% Gewurz. Check out Raymond Can’s review in 2011.
When requesting the wine at the cellar door, of course uncultured Kiwis never pronounced ‘Edel’ as it would be in Alsace, which I have visited a few times. Another interesting wine shared was a 2020 QVERIS Kisi from Georgia. ‘Full termentation and maturation on grape skin in Qveris’. Didn’t like it much.
Keep up the good work David