Astrolabe … Old Instrument, New Wines

Astrolabe; according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary it is a compact instrument used mostly by seafarers to observe and calculate their location by observing the position of celestial bodies before the invention of the sextant. Now that we all know what has an astrolabe is, what has that to do with wine, unless it is something to help us find the location of the nearest wine store but we now have GPS’s and cell phones to do that.

Again, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, New Zealand \ˈzē-lənd\ a country SW Pacific ESE of Australia comprising chiefly North Island & South Island. Putting the two definitions together we get Astrolabe Wines of New Zealand. Why would anyone name their winery after a old fashioned, unless piece of junk was beyond us, unless they collect antiques; so, we investigated. Much to our amazement we found the vineyard and the wines were named, not after the instrument, but for the ship L’Astrolabe of French explorer Dumont d’Urville who explored the Marlborough coast in 1827. The name was chosen because of the historic ties with both New Zealand and the Marlborough district.

Astrolabe 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($23). There are few who will not agree that the finest Sauvignon Blanc wines in the world come from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. This is a wine that fulfills all of the requirements of a wine made from fruit grown in New Zealand. It is also made without the use of oak, so all of the attributes of this wine are derived solely from the grape. The wine is crisp and acidic, with the pronounced aromas of lime zest and lemon, along with notes of red pepper and elderflower. The very intense flavor displays notes of gooseberry and citrus. Riding throughout both the flavor and aroma is the grape varieties signature herbaceous (dry grass) aroma and flavor. Along with a very interesting mineral element All of these manage to show up in the finish, which is long and luscious. The Astrolabe 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a very enjoyable wine and an ideal choice to accompany shellfish or as an aperitif.

Astrolabe 2012 Marlborough Pinot Gris ($23). Pinot Gris is the French way of saying Pinot Grigio and this wine does emulate the French style rather than the Italian. While not totally dry, this wine manages to very nicely straddle the fence between sweet and dry and is an excellent example of why the popularity of the Pinot Gris styles is growing by leaps and bounds in this country. The wine displays a very pale golden color and the rich aroma of white peaches and pear which is backed up by citrus and vanilla. The flavor is also laced with the sensation of pear and white peaches which carry over to the finish is long very full of fruit and memorable. This delightful wine can accompany most of our shell fish and sea food as well as serving as an aperitif and is also the ideal wine for oriental foods. We enjoyed the Astrolabe 2012 Marlborough Pinot Gris and we are sure that you will too.

Astrolabe 2012 Marlborough Pinot Noir ($23). The Astrolabe vintners show their ability to tame this very difficult variety with this wine. The ruby color cradles the aroma of dark cherries with the sensation of oak in the background. There is also plenty fruit here, and in all of its glories, cherry, plum, raspberry and a light sprinkling of oak, but in elegant, dignified amounts. The suggestion of oak carries into the finish where it rounds out a delightful wine drinking experience. There is also a modest tannin background, which will assure that the wine will continue to improve and gain in complexity over many years to come. This wine is a fine accompaniment to the lighter meats and pasta dishes. We always enjoy a pinot noir with grilled salmon and has proven to be the perfect accompaniment for the lighter meats, barbequed or not.