KEY POINTS:
Autumn 1963. Auckland Grammar School. 1st XV rugby trial on the lower ground, now affectionately known as the southern motorway. Lining up as a centre-three quarter against the incumbent, this was my big chance for sporting glory.
Alas, he scored a fistful of tries in 20 minutes, making
me look ordinary. My sporting career in tatters, I consoled myself that he was one to watch.
Picking out the great and potentially brilliant from the rest of the pack can be advantageous when it comes to buying wine. Spot it early and you can grab it at a reasonable price before it's deified by the wine media, picks up a truckload of medals, doubles in price and vanishes into that rarified space known as "must be good because it's so scarce".
Into this category put Clevedon's Puriri Hills and North Canterbury's Pyramid Valley.
Neither are Johnny-come-latelies but, with a few vintages behind them, they are storming the barricades.
American owner Judy Fowler fell hopelessly in love with the picturesque Clevedon site overlooking the Hauraki Gulf. Inspired by the Bordeaux blockbusters of Pomerol and St. Emilion, her Puriri Hills label is putting out some of New Zealand's smartest reds. All handmade and organically grown on site, the wines are varying blends of merlot, carmenere, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and malbec.
Further south at Pyramid Valley in North Canterbury, another American, Mike Weersing, is proving it's a nice day for a white wine - or red.
Remarkable riesling, pinot blanc and semillon are joined by a subtle, first-class pinot noir.
Time spent winemaking with the Finns at Neudorf in Nelson has been beneficial with total dedication and meticulous management both in the vineyard and a hands-on winemaking process. Nothing is left to chance. There is a relentless pursuit of vineyard sites to ensure optimum growing conditions and a focus on absolute quality.
No compromise. It shows.
And the one to watch from my pathetic tilt at rugby glory? He made the All Blacks a few years after leaving school. I felt better. To his credit, Graham Thorne never mentions my humiliation.
RECOMMENDED
* 2005 Puriri Hills
Bordeaux blend of merlot, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and malbec. Refined, rich, remarkable. Flavours of plums, herbs and spices.
Price $37.50
* 2006 Pyramid Valley Growers Collection Hille Vineyard Semillon
Made from Marlborough grapes with vibrance, lovely weight and acidity. Lime, mineral and nutty flavours.
Price $38.50
