Yvonne Lorkin: Sileni success (+ spring sips to try)

Yvonne Lorkin

Every now and again I'm asked to take visitors to Hawke's Bay on wine tours and I enjoy these for reasons aplenty. The first is that I'll leap at any opportunity to show off the spectacular place where I was born, raised and live to anyone. Any time.

The second is that taking people on wine tours gives me a great excuse to get away from the office, away from my desk and out into the wide world where it all happens, and by that I mean the cellar doors. One little wine tasting oasis that I always try to call into is Sileni Estate on Maraekakaho Road, in the middle of the Bridge Pa Winegrowing district - because yes, the wines are quality, but it's how they run their cellar door that really spins my wheels.

Anne Boustead has been the cellar door manager for aeons and she and her team are brilliant at making you feel immediately welcome no matter how busy they are. I can't stress how important it is to be acknowledged as soon as you walk in the door - I've lost count of how many times I've felt so bored and ignored at cellar doors around the country's wine regions because no one has said "Hi guys, great to see you! I'm just working through this group - but here's a wee something to sip while you wait and I'll be with you in a tick".

But you'll never have that issue at Sileni. They know the wines intimately; they're always entertaining and most importantly - are great educators. So it's no surprise to me to hear they claimed their fourth Cellar Door of the Year title at the Hawke's Bay A&P Bayleys Wine Awards held on October 20. "We're utterly thrilled with the win," said Anne.

"We have a great team here at our cellar door and everyone loves their job. When you love your product and you love what you do, you can't help but provide a great experience."

It topped off an impressive evening for Sileni, who also took home the Trophy for "Champion Pinot Noir" for their 2014 Exceptional Vintage Pinot Noir.

Variety in spring

Spring is a weird season. Frosty mornings can turn to dusty-hot, windy days, which morph into overcast, misty evenings and things can go royally up the Khyber if you're not careful to pack sunscreen or a cardigan, or - a decent bottle of wine to smooth over anything unpredictable...

Rod McDonald 'One Off' Hawke's Bay Malbec 2014, $31

This wine has the most gorgeous garnet, ruby hue. It boasts tobacco leaf, dried herbs, cocoa, blueberry and a gentle meaty character in the mid-palate. The tannins are dusty, clinging and have just the right amount of 'chew' to make it a match for something savoury and slow-cooked. rmwines.co.nz

Brightwater Vineyards Nelson Sauvignon Blanc 2015, $20

Gary and Valley Neale know a thing or three about growing tasty, aromatic white wines in sunny Nelson. This sauvignon is saturated with ripe limes, passionfruit, peach and tangy red capsicum flavours and a round, fleshy, ultra-easy mouthfeel. brightwaterwine.co.nz

Wild South Marlborough Pinot Noir 2014, $18

This super-soft, lightly structured pinot has berries-and-cream characters on the nose alongside a sniff of smoke, sweet cherry and a hint of plum. If you're looking for a beginner's guide to pinot noir (or even to red wine) then this could be just the thing to swing you.