Recently I attended another fabulous evening at The Hour Glass in New Plymouth, with Karl Coombes, wine-maker at Monte Christo Winery & Amy Taylor from Vintners. We tasted six excellent wines, all matched perfectly with food from Jenna and the team.
A great turnout from 40 wine lovers, were welcomed with a glass of the 2024 Monte Christo Rosé on arrival, Jenna from The Hour Glass introducing Amy from Vintners & Karl the wine-maker at the Monte Christo Winery. Amy and Karl provided us with background information about themselves, and a little history of Monte Christo dating back to the 1860’s and, the Paris Family who now own it.
Karl talked about his experiences & work as assistant wine-maker to Jen Parr at Grant Taylor’s ‘Valli Wines’ in Central Otago. Grant was one of Central Otago’s wine pioneers in the 1990s. As it happened, Monte Christo owner Nicholas Paris blind tasted a bunch of Central wines and Valli was the producer that stood out. So he ‘head-hunted’ Karl to join Monte Christo & the rest is history. Karl is very passionate about his wines & his winemaking skills, care and attention to detail showed in all his wines.
The evening was filled with tasting & eating, asking questions and learning more about Monte Christo, the wines, the vineyards and so much more – as usual lots of discussion, laughter & chatting with ‘new found’ friends. Many thanks to Amy, Karl, Jenna and her team again for another excellent wine event. Make sure to visit The Hour Glass website, sign up to the newsletter & follow on the socials.
THE MONTE CHRISTO WINES TASTED IN ORDER
2025 Monte Christo Riesling
Tasting notes: Expect a bright, citrus -driven Central Otago Riesling with floral lift, crisp acidity, apple and stone-fruit notes, and a refreshing mineral backbone.
Dish: smoked salmon, crème fraiche and dill blini.
Pairing blurb: The Riesling’s acidity and citrus lift cuts through the richness of the salmon and refresh the palate but keeps the match tight and bright.
2025 Monte Christo Chardonnay
Tasting notes: An elegant yet complex Chardonnay with fresh lemon, green pear, white peach, hawthorn flowers, river rock and subtle baking spices.
Dish: Chicken, leek and tarragon croquette with lemon herb aioli.
Pairing blurb: This Chardonnay suits creamy texture, gentle savouriness and golden fried notes, especially when balanced with lemon and herbs.
2O23 Monte Christo Central Otago Pinot Noir
Tasting notes: An enticing Pinot Noir firm yet elegant, with red and black cherries, plum, raspberry black tea and-dried floral notes.
Dish: Seared duck breast with cherry jus, parsnip puree, kumara gratin and roasted baby beetroot.
Pairing blurb: Central Otago Pinot Noir’s red fruit, acidity and savoury depth complement duck, and earthy root vegetables without overwhelming the wine.
Three Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs, a Side-by-Side tasting
2024 Alexandra Pinot Noir
This Pinot Noir displays notes of strawberries, blackberries, red flowers and cinnamon spice. On the palate, it is elegant with very fine tannins.
2024 Bannockburn Pinot Noir
A deep and polished Pinot Noir with dark berries, Doris plums, almond, Christmas spice and flowering thyme.
2O23 Pisa Pinot Noir – A highly seductive and luscious Pinot Noir balanced by bright acidity and firm and silky tannins, with dark cherry, plum, wild strawberry intense violet and clove aromas.
We finished off matching the wines with delicious ‘taste and graze’ sharing platters, all carefully curated to complement and enhance all three wines. As always, the food matches & service by the team at The Hour Glass was just superb.
About Monte Christo Winery
In the heart of New Zealand’s Central Otago region, a long-forgotten tale of vinous history dating back to 1864 has been unearthed – a story interwoven with gold, ambition, and a passionate legacy that thrives today in the distinguished wines of Monte Christo Winery.
Monte Christo Winery has a rich heritage dating back to the 1860s, when a young intrepid Frenchman by the name of Jean Désiré Féraud left his homeland to join the goldrush. Settling in the Alexandra Basin, Féraud had no idea of the impact his discovery would have on a celebrated wine-growing region 150 years on.
The Monte Christo vineyards are dispersed across three distinct Central Otago subregions including the Alexandra Basin, Bannockburn and Pisa, each vineyard with its own unique microclimate and soil, are farmed using sustainable, organic and regenerative practices.
To find out more about Monte Christo Winery and buy wine online, visit https://www.montechristowinery.co.nz/
Come and join us at the next Hour Glass event! Click Below.
