Wine Tasting Report

With hors d'oeuvres, Crab-stuffed smoked salmon, New Zealand Cervana venison paté and three-onion and goat-cheese croustine:

Huia Marlborough Brut - Clear straw. Good apple and yeast aromas; fresh and crisp, good bubbly.

Vinterra San Juan Malbec - Dark garnet. Grapey, a whiff of smoke, soft and quaffable.

Not tasted: Mitchelton 1998 Marsannne and St. Hallett 1998 Poacher's Blend.

With the first course, New Zealand green mussel soup:

Palliser Estate 1999 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc - Pale greenish-gold. Characteristic NZ green-chile and grapefruit aromas. Full and fresh, but loses points for perceptible sweetness.

With the second course, pistachio-crusted Chilean sea bass with blackberry and papaya coulis:

Catena 1997 Mendoza Chardonnay - Toasty, smoky, oak dominates appley fruit. Oak and tropical-fruit flavors, fat and off-dry.

Third course, mixed baby greens with lemon poppy seed dressing and Stilton cheese: (No wine.)

With the fourth course, roasted Argentine strip loin with white bean ragout and summer vegetable succotash:

Catena 1997 Alta Malbec - Very dark garnet. Black cherry and light mineral aromas. Black fruit and sweet oak.

Kanonkop 1998 Stellenbosch Pinotage - Inky reddish-purple. Bretty, barnyard and earthy black fruit. Deep and ripe, earthy and tart.

With the dessert course, mango tart with passion fruit curd:

Klein Constantia 1995 Vin de Constance - Clear gold. Fresh, juicy apricots and grapefruit on the nose and palate. Delicious fresh-fruit sweetness structured with lemony acidity and a light, pleasing bitterness in the finish.

Passed separately:

Bredell's 1994 Cape Vintage Reserve - Very dark ruby. Deep stone fruit aroma and flavor. Port-like, very fine.

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