September Monthly Blind Tasting - Wine & Music

Sep 9

Written By NZWTS NZ Wine Tasting Society

This month's tasting was epic. We discussed our favorite artists, how music and wine can change the perception of the other, and how, like wine, music can tie us to a time and place. We talked through, Jazz, New Wave Punk, and Trip Hop, and Bossa Nova

These discussions led to split views on reduction and brettanomyces in winemaking. How much is too much? Some would argue that the merest presence of bret ruins any wine it comes into contact with, while some of us like a bit of it in there to add interest; but we all agreed that balance was incredibly necessary!

Thanks for all who turned up, and shared something: wine, music, yourselves.

The wines, in order, with the songs:

Aleks - Prophets Rock "Cuvée Aux Antipodes" Blanc 2024 - Pisa, New Zealand - Inspired by winemaker Paul Pujol’s visit to Ground before (and after) the Tool concert earlier this year.

Max - Clos Cibonne Cru Classé "Cuvée Tradition" 2023 - Provence, France - Inspired by Max’s time in Manchester, where he first tasted this wine and properly began to study it. It, like the songs, have lived rent free in his head since.

Ben - Chateau Marsyas "B-QA" Blanc 2019 - Bekaa Valley, Lebanon - Inspired by Ben’s love of Jazz, and matched (perfectly we might add) with the musician’s Lebanese origins.

David - Takapoto Estate Pinot Noir 2019 - Cental Otago, New Zealand - This match draws a parallel between David and the artist’s origins, the nature of cover songs, and a new winemaker reinterpreting an established style

Ronald - Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2023 - Waipara, New Zealand - Inspired by the balance of masculine and feminine, vulnerable and strong - much like the perfect balance you find in the wine.

Miguel - Patch Wines Nebbiolo 2024 - Pyrenees, Australia - A quintessential Bossa Nova track, this particular version was matched for the playfulness between the two singers and the playful, new world style of this regal variety. Very well chosen Migeul!

Patrick - Domaine de la Janasse 2020 - Chateauneuf du Pape, France - As Patrick couldn’t get his hands on the song inspiring wine, Clos du Papes, he chose another and very good Chateauneuf du Pape to match. While it’s not his prefered listening (2010’s Emo), this music has been hugely important to him over the last two years studying for his WSET Diploma.