gharbour
Posts: 371
Joined: 4/30/2010 From: Savigny les Beaune, France Status: offline
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ORIGINAL: gharbour quote:
ORIGINAL: SkeBum Gary, Fall in the Carolina's is the best time of the year IMHO. You are going to hit wine country in New Zealand also correct? Any more word on more grape contracts coming through? Keeping my fingers crossed for good weather for you, the Sierras are supposed to get their first dusting of snow up high this weekend, getting cold in a hurry out here. Darren Hi Darren, I couldn't agree more on the Carolina's in the fall. Although a dusting of snow on the Sierras always made me tingle for skiing! Nicholas and Colleen got offered a new contract today, but not what their are looking for. They remain confident in waiting for the right grapes. This afternoon the sun came out and should be nice now for the better part of a week. People here are getting antsy about picking with the concern about mildew and odium. The return of sun, warmth, and wind will help a lot. Thank for the good wishes, Gary Hi Darren, I realized I didn't answer your question on visiting the wine regions in New Zealand. Since we have a daughter who lives there we go just about every year (4 times now). We have had wine tours of all the major wine regions at least once including, Waiheke Island, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Marlbourough, Canterbury, and Central Otago. I must say our favorite wineries are at the extremes of the list. In Waiheke we love(d) Goldwater Estates (which is gone now as the family donated their vineyards and cuverie to the wine school at the University of Auckland) and Man O' War, which has unbelievable vineyards. They both have (had) great Syrahs. I still have a few bottles of Goldwater Estates Syrah squirreled away. At the other extreme you have Central Otago. Two special wineries; Felton Road and all the way out in Wanaka you have Rippon (the most beautiful vineyard in the whole world for sure). Both Felton Road and Rippon have ties to the wine school in Beaune where Nicholas and Colleen went. In fact last Christmas we took Nicholas and Colleen (along with the rest of the family) on a wine tour of New Zealand and they brought a bottle of wine from a classmate's Domian (Julian) who had done an intern at Rippon back there. The owner of Rippon also attended the wine school in Beaune (of course you have the Pinot Noir connection between Burgundy and Central Otago). Felton Road's wine maker also went to the Beaune Wine school and they have one of the best designed wineries I have ever seen along with great wines. If you get the chance this is an amazing trip to make. Best, Gary
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Gary Harbour Chez Nos Coeurs Savigny les Beaune
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