Add some sparkle to your life

If you needed a cup of tea and a lie down last year when Lindauer released their sparkling sauvignon blanc, then you'd best take a deep breath, find someone to hold hands with and sit yourself down because this news is going to send you sideways.
Now lovers of fine fizz can indulge in (from what I've tried, anyway) glasses of delicious, new, springtime sparkling pinot gris. Two that have tickled my fancy are from Boom and 3 Stones.
The Boom Marlborough Sparkling Pinot Gris 2008 ($21) will be a real crowd-pleaser because it has quince and lemon pith notes and a dry, mineral-driven finish. It is delicate and definitely food friendly. To find out where to buy, phone Global Wine Consultants (09) 846 0555.
The 3 Stones Sparkling Pinot Gris ($22) might just be the hit of the season with its lifted florals, green nectarine and quince-like aromas. It has punchy acidity, ripe fruit and sensational mouthfilling length of flavour - and is available from Foodtown supermarkets and wine stores.
One thing's for sure, if this is the new trend for snazzy bubbles for spring and summer, then I'm a happy camper - now I just need someone to bung some bubbles in a bottle of gewurztraminer and I'll be in heaven.
Treat yourself, Japanese-Style
The recession has certainly made me more guarded with my spending, preferring to buy more $12-$20 wines than my usual one or two pricey treats on the weekend. But after a while I found that I wasn't actually enjoying the wines as much as I used to.
So I've decided to adopt the Japanese creed of "itten gokashugi" or "selective extravaganceism" where I'll splash out on one thing and spend astoundingly little on everything else. I have no idea if "extravaganceism" is even a word, but I like the idea of being a selective consumer who enjoys the occasional luxury rather than regular mediocrity where wine is concerned, anyway.

A savvy new breed

The 2010 Marlborough sauvignon blancs are hitting the shelves and so far they're proving stunning stuff indeed. I have friends (and perhaps you do, too) who can't stomach sauvignon blanc; and that used to worry me. I felt I had to educate them, convince them, urge them to reconsider their opinion and just give sauvignon blanc a second chance.
Now I don't even bother, because the less they drink, the more there is for me and I have no problem being selfish with my sauvignon.
The Mudhouse Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($21) has concentrated passionfruit, lime and lemongrass aromas, while having some softer, more delicate, flavours in the mouth.
The Wither Hills Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($18) packs more punch than David Tua with a toothache. It has incredibly ripe passionfruit, red capsicum, sweet cut-grass and tangy lime flavours, vibrant acidity and excellent length of flavour. Saint Clair has also just released its debut 2010 savs and, in true Saint Clair style, they're fantastic.
The Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2010 ($19) is loaded with sweet-pea, sweat and splashes of passionfruit while being lipsmacking and limey on the finish - great stuff.
The Saint Clair Family Estate Marlborough Sauvignon 2010 ($21) has delicious depth and complexity, with added herbaceous, tomato-stalky notes on the nose, rich, lemon/lime flavours in the mouth and a lingering, juicy finish. More please.
Chinese takeaways
A scary report in the Sydney Morning Herald last week caught my eye and I thought perhaps it might serve as a warning to our wine producers eagerly wanting to do business in China.
Fake Australian wines have been discovered in China.
Chinese entrepreneurs are producing counterfeits of Penfolds, one of Australia's best-known brands, and they're audaciously marketing these fakes as high-quality wines, not just in shops but also at trade fairs throughout the country. One exhibitor was even displaying a photo of Penfolds Grange winemaker Peter Gago.
The reporter for the SMH interviewed Matt Bahen, deputy general manager of Australian-owned wine distributor, The Wine Republic, in north China.
"I've seen a 'Penfolds 888' [8 is a lucky number in China] and even 'Benfolds' with the same cursive 'P' but instead it's a 'B'," Bahen said.
"But brand pirating is not a huge threat to our industry" he said. "There are isolated cases - but it's not our biggest threat. Our biggest threat is cheapening 'brand Australia' with random branding in the hope of dumping more containers in China. If we start off cheap and treat Chinese consumers as fools then it's going to bite us."
China is Australia's fastest-growing export market, and in New Zealand it's no secret that more of our wineries would like to break into this lucrative market as well. However, we'd be wise to be aware of the risks, as it's not just large companies being targeted.
Small companies such as Flinders Range winery Flinders Run have already been victims.
Apparently a wine shop in Shenzhen sold Emanuel Skorpos, the owner, two bottles of his Kieras Bin 05 Merlot 2008.
Skorpos had travelled to China after hearing reports that his wines were being copied.
The shopkeeper then told him that he could supply other wines under the brand and in greater quantities.
"It's bigger than my issue," Skorpos said. "It's about Australia's export wine market. The Australian Government needs to do something."