Yvonne Lorkin: Are old wines still drinkable? (+sips to try)

Wine with Yvonne Lorkin

A text message arrives from my friend, Jen. She's given up on trying to pin me down for coffee, or for a proper, well-behaved, big girls' glass of wine at a reputable establishment to "catch up".

To say I've had a busy two months is a bit of an understatement; it's been more like trying to swim against the tide in shark-infested waters to an island that only gets further away.

Don't get me wrong, I pinch myself every day that I have one of the best jobs in the world (although the idea of being the All Blacks masseuse makes me seriously consider re-training), I'm also fortunate to attend some pretty fantastic wine events, but most of them involve work in some way.

So when Jen's text arrived saying, "Wine roulette round at Sarah's house. We're going to open a bunch of old wines and see if they're drinkable" - just for fun, no being nerdy and taking notes, no scores, no ratings, no stress - I was in.

And so it was that I found myself in Sarah's lounge with four other girlfriends, MTV blaring on the big screen, nibbling our way through a thigh-inflating platter of cheese and staring down the barrel of a selection of wines from way back in the mid-1980s.

The Guigal Cote Rotie 1985 was so riddled with brettanomyces that it smelled like when you're driving behind a fully loaded cattle truck, the Renmano Chairmans Selection 1985 Cabernet Bin 480 tasted like cocoa-dusted prunes and the Delas Saint-Esprit Ctes Du Rhone 1987 tasted like old instant coffee but had good grip.

So, wine roulette is loads of fun. Get a bunch of friends together, get them to dig around in their cellars or cupboards for the odds and sods, crack them open, turn up the music, lower your expectations and laugh your way through them.

Otago in limelight

Terra Sancta and fellow Central Otago mates Rippon made the Top 100 Wineries in the world on the Wines & Spirits magazine annual list. Considering the rankings are based on a global tasting of 16,600 wines, it's a huge achievement to have two Central Otago wineries keeping up with the Krugs, Guigals and Bollingers of the world.

Soho Stella Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015, $24

Ahoy there, sauvignon blanc fans! You'll be wanting to get your mitts on this if you're a fan of crunchy, crushed herbs, punchy passionfruit and peach flavours, sweetpea and lime in your wine. It might be slick and stylish but it definitely doesn't just stand in the corner of the party looking cool, it's out there on the dance floor singing at the top of its lungs. With racy, gum-tingling acidity, it remains fresh on the palate until the wee small hours.

Amisfield Pinot Noir Rose 2015, $30

This is such a pretty wine in the glass - and it gets better as soon as you sniff. Aromas of candy floss, cherry, soft raspberry and melon meet a beautifully balanced burst of fresh berries, a squeak of spice and plush, tangy acidity adds delicious zing to the finish. Just perfect with a watermelon, mint, black olive and feta salad.

Angove Organic Shiraz Cabernet 2014, $18.99

A really interesting series of flavours here: caramelised plum, super-ripe berry and cherry notes all bounce around in the glass. There's a soft, meaty character in the mid-palate that extends to the finish. Smooth, easy and super-sippable.