Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013
©LeDomduVin 2020

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" 

Hawke's Bay 

New Zealand 2013

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013

(roughly 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 44% Merlot & 11% Cabernet Franc) 

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013 
©LeDomduVin 2020

Last Friday, we tasted an old wine sample, that we received years ago, but never opened, to check if it is still drinkable.... and surprisingly, it is actually pretty good. Very good I should say. 

Medium to full-bodied, ample and generous, with dark ripe fruits and berries, cocoa and coffee beans, liquorice, earth, hints of vanilla, more dark fruits and a touch of spices. Nicely balanced and harmonious overall for a solid 14% alcohol wine. It expanded very agreeably from the beginning to the long-lasting and tasty finish. 

I'll definitely have another glass. I like this wine! ...and I just realized it got some good ratings and accolades too... 

• 97/100 by Bob Campbell MW (New Zealand wine specialist, author and educator at http://bobcampbell.nz/)

• Silver Medal at the "Wine International Challenge" (https://www.internationalwinechallenge.com/) 

• Silver Medal at the "International Wine & Spirits Challenge" (https://www.iwsc.net/)

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" has often been compared to some of its best counterparts in Bordeaux and even Napa Valley against which it can easily rival. 

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013 
©LeDomduVin 2020

Sometimes, it is better to forget about certain bottles in your cellar for a while, you never know, you could be surprised 😋🍷👍

Tasting while listening to "The Cure" made me take some  distorted pictures 🤣🤣🤣

Sacred Hill "Helmsman" Hawke's Bay New Zealand 2013 
©LeDomduVin 2020

This last picture is the real label. The one on the bottle above is a sample label. 

Sacred Hill Helmsman label shot
©LeDomduVin 2020

Thank you and until next time, be safe, take care of yourself and drink responsibly.  

Cheers! Santé!

LeDomduVin (a.k.a. Dominique Noël)  

#sacredhill @sacredhillwines #hawkesbay #newzealand #bordeauxblend #meritagewine #meritageblend #red #redwine #wine #vin #vino #wein #oldsample #samplelabel #forgottenbottle #ledomduvin @ledomduvin #lesphotosadom #fridayvibes #fridaytasting #fridaytastingatwork #winetasting

Tasting Session: Noble House (with Anthony Allport & Howard Glick)

2007 Blocks Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough New Zealand

Suggested retail price $18-$20

Surprisingly, compared to most of the brand coming from New Zealand and despite the very commercially oriented and marketed colorful label, this is a family owned winery... probably one of the last one fighting against giant money making corporate companies that swallowed nearly every vineyards in New Zealand within the last few years.

It is a classic New Zealander Sauvignon Blanc: the grassy and goose berry notes on the nose are quite powerful and inviting. The palate is overall clean, crisp and quite long with a lovely acidity accentuated by hints of citrus - lime flavors lingering in the finish. A good wine in my opinion but it doesn't command such a price. I guess it is the only way to survive for one of the last family owned estate in NZ. 

2007 Strada del Sole Chardonnay Piemonte Castel Boglione Italy

Suggested retail price $16-$19 

A real discovery, this wine was quite intriguing, almost like a compromise between a Jura wine with wild fresh almond notes and a white Burgundy with fruit and depth, complemented with the minerality and the crispiness of a high altitude vineyards white from the northern part of Italy. I loved it. 

The nose boasts notes of golden apple, fresh almond, nut shell, minerals, and floral undertone. Showing a slight touch of oxidation (like a Jura white) that adds dimension, the wine is bright, vivid, with a good combination of yellow fruits, minerals and acidity. Balanced and quite long, it could definitely be enjoyed during the summer, but like Jura, Swiss and Savoie whites, it also the perfect companion for Cheese Fondue and earthy dish (creamy mushroom soup, etc) after a good snow day in the mountains. A Cheese tray with Livarot, Reblochon, Epoisse, Triple Cream will surely be enhances by such a wine. Try it, it is intriguing but very interesting, and quite good I must say (especially in this kind of price range). 

2007 Vini Menhir Novementi Rosato Salento #9 - Apulia Italy

Suggested retail price $14-$17

This 100% Negroamaro rose is lush, creamy, and food oriented, with a wintery mouthfeel. The palate offers a lot of fruit, richness and roundness. It will definitely please the people that drink rose all year old (and not only during spring or summer....). Earthy, fruity and robust enough to support red meats. 

2007 La Planta Ribera del duero Spain

Suggested retail price $16-$19

The entry level of the Arzuagua winery (neighbor of Vega Sicilia) is always an happy moment for me. I have been following this wine for the past 3 or 4 vintages now, and I have always been satisfied overall. 

Granted, some people may say: too rich, on the edge of over ripeness and too much oak.. and I won't say the opposite, but eh, it is a Ribera del Duero after all, and we are far from the old trend of Ribera's rustic and tannic wines. 

The new generations are producing much more fruit forward and heavier style than before. Vega Sicilia and Condado de Haza (some of my favorite wines in this world) are surely making elegant, harmonious and age worthy wines that are more traditional in style. However, Peter Sisseck's Pingus, Bodegas Aalto, Mauro or even Vina Sastre (to name only a few) are in the lead of some of the best wineries in Ribera and they produce much riper, concentrated style.  

La Planta is a dark, spicy, rich, concentrated, strong, inky little wine. Some may found trace of bitterness due to some tannins and the alcohol, but decant it first then drink it with a nice juicy steak on the grill or even better, the specialty of the region, Chuletillas de Cordero (small grilled lamb chops). Fantastic!

Sante!

LeDom