The Bridge Cafe and Bar in Waitara, Taranaki has it’s own wine club (Waitara Wine Club) for locals to learn about wine and try new wines from visiting presenters.
There have been a few tastings over the last few months, each evening presented with a selection of delicious finger food provided from the Cafe kitchen.
The latest evening was presented by Jasmine and Alissa, local reps for Villa Maria Wines in Taranaki who brought three white and 5 red wines to taste.
Villa Maria is a well respected New Zealand family wine company with dozens of varieties of wines, from many NZ wine regions and across a number of labels. Their wines regularly receive accolades with medals and trophies awarded, in New Zealand competitions and those across the world. Tonight we tasted wines from three labels; Villa Maria, Left Field and Esk Valley.
Wines tried on the night were:*
Villa Maria PB Sauvignon Blanc 2016
Fresh and intense, tropicals, melon and herbaceous, juicy clean and crisp finish…
Left Field Pinot Gris 2015
Slight viscosity, apple citrus and pear, spice & vanilla, off dry, textured…
Villa Maria PB Chardonnay 2015
Medium bodied Ripe stone-fruit, peach citrus and fig, subtle oak, light creaminess…
Left Field Pinot Noir 2015
Light cherry, strawberries cherries and spice, juicy fruit, fine tannins, warm finish…
Esk Valley Pinot Noir 2015
Purple hues, plums & cherries, clove and spice, complex, layered, elegant…
Villa Maria PB Merlot 2015
Dark crimson, plum and blackberries, spice and cedar, silky tannins, rich, generous long finish…
Left Field Merlot 2014
Dark purple, plums & blackcurrants, little earthy, spice, vanilla, oak, chocolate beautifully balanced…
Esk Valley Syrah 2014
My fave of the evening – deep black cherry to the rim, plums, black fruits, black pepper, integrated oak, medium bodied, rich and moreish…
Our thanks to Jasmine and Alissa for coming along, and to the team at The Bridge Cafe and Bar for the venue and yummy food! CHEERS!
For more information about the wines visit:
VILLA MARIA | LEFT FIELD | ESK VALLEY
To find out more about the Wine Club visit their FACEBOOK PAGE
*My quickly scribbled notes