I am an advocate for it whenever possible, in fact I can’t believe it has taken this long for me to get upon the soapbox and shout its virtues.
As we all know its appeal has waned in a similar fashion to all 1980’s superstars, including myself. But you simply can’t beat a big grunty, buttery chard, a fact I know thousands of loyal tightwads enthusiastically agree with.
From the outset vineonline has delivered chards that punch well above the price tag.
Commercially there will always be the need to land on the country’s leading sav blanc offers, both in quality and consistency of supply, as it is in excess of fifty per cent of total wine sales. However this has been made easier by the sheer amount on offer as we were hit by the savalaunche.
Chardonnay, however, is a different story. Our wineries on understanding the trend reduced production and concentrated on quality, meaning sniffing out jaw-dropping deals consistently is not the easiest.
Perhaps it was the fact that this varietal was not only the love of my love (wife & children excepted) but that all the team adored the golden nectar and that drives the determination to seek out the best deals on the market.
From the big gear such as Winemakers Mark 2009, produced by Kemblefield, where aged oak is perfectly balanced with intense fruit to the subtlety and creaminess of Wandering River produced by the legendary chardonnay maker Trinity Hill we know we have offer for all chardonnay lovers.
Our confidence not only comes from the actual tastings of our product but the knowledge of the growers we are sourcing from. We have built bloody great relationships with Pioneers of the NZ Wine Iindustry. Families that pioneered the Gimblett gravels are another source of growers that have consistently produced our best white wines for over a century now and backed us through the knowledge that we would work with them on a fair basis and had the foresight to see that online offers some meaningful alternatives to the iron-fisted short-term approach of grocery.
So as I sit with a glass of Indicator Point which is so mellow and perfectly balanced (it is almost dangerously easy to drink on beautiful Sunday afternoons) I reflect that, yes, vineonline and chardonnay are a job well done.
The Boozy Foody
Vineonline Blog
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I Love Chardonnay
Wednesday, 05 September 2012 -
Off to Central Otago
Friday, 01 June 2012
It was time to get out of the shaky city for a weekend, head for roaring fires, ample food and plenty of, what is without doubt, one of our top drawer wines; Central Otago Pinot. I absolutely love the stuff!
As is always the way when I head down to central to imbibe and enjoy with siblings, great mates and even mother, the good gear is pulled out. As much a statement of their pride in their barren yet dynamic landscape as pride in fruit it amazingly produces.
From the elegance, perfect balance and mineral finish of Queenstown legends such as Chard Farm and Gibbston Valley, to the ripe cherry and plum yet ultimate silkiness of Wooing Tree of Cromwell, I savoured every gulp. In doing this I had a real sense of pride in our Vineonline Central Otago offerings.Our central Pinot brands are produced from pioneers of the region. Squeaky gate sourced from a legend of Bannockburn was pulled out to accompany an outstanding wild venison and game salami pizza, perfectly cooked in the ultimate outdoor man oven. The red cherry and spice overtones a perfect accompaniment to the richness of the game served up by my mate Chopper, game foodie extraordinaire.
The following day involved brotherly company, a slow cooked Denver leg (Southern for leg of venison) and long conversation about all things pinot; he is a bit of an adorer is my brother. The 2008 Smokehouse Bay was the perfect companion with the aromas of bush honey & wild thyme and a palate of vanilla & thyme balancing the richness of the venison beautifully.
The reason for the quality of the Vineonline offering is simple; long standing and mutual relationships. The Financial crisis hit, driving down Central Otago winery land prices at the same time as number of new vines came on in 2007/2008. This led to reduced equity, and vastly lower prices for many Central Otago wineries.
Through this period we worked with the wineries. Always paying a fair price and never attempted to give away our source, even though we were moving juice that under its own label would be three times the price! We also passed the savings onto you, our loyal members, ensuring everyone wins.
For this reason, although I will always be excited about heading down to friends and family in Alexandra and Queenstown, and the local fair I will sample, I have real pride in Vineonlines Central Otago offerings, without doubt the best value pinot deals in the market.Cheers,
The Boozy Foodie
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