Sue Courtney wrote:Bill Hooper wrote:First, a little background is probably necessary for this wonderful grape. It must be said however that like many of the obscure wines that grace our dinner tables, Sankt Laurent has a background that is more than a little cloudy.
Hi Bill, There is a St Laurent project in Central Otago. No sure if they have produced any yet,
Here's the link: http://www.judgerock.co.nz/pages/stlaurent.shtml
The guy behind it the project wanted an alternative to Pinot Noir and picked his first fruit from the 2007 vintage, which is evidently still in barrel. I hope I get to try it.
I have tried a couple of St Laurents - if old notes are OK.
Stift Klosterneuberg St Laurent 2002 from Austria was tasted December in 2004. I wrote "While this particular wine had aromas and flavours slightly reminiscent of Pinot Noir with a good definition of plummy fruit, I thought it more like a Pinotage with its rustic earthy depth."
In April 2002 I tasted Collegium Vinitorum Svatovavrinecke 1999 from Moravia. Svatovavrinecke is their name for St Laurent. I loved this wine,which was carried to New Zealand in Martin Kristek's luggage. I wrote, "The dense red / blue wine of excellent colour had a rich, jammy nose of 'jam as it cooks'. In the mouth it was fruity and savoury with a little spice but meaty too. I couldn't detect any oak. It was a seemingly simple style at first but became quite rich and intriguing in its complexity with its lovely, rich, ripe, concentrated, sweet fruit that was full of berries and plums. Wonderful mouthfeel too with its soft velvety fruit tannins. "
Cheers,
Sue
Thanks Sue! Awesome notes -I've tasted nothing from Moravia, but my wife and I are thinking about a trip through on the way to Prague. I'll certainly keep my eyes open for SL. I'm glad too that NZ is embarking on its production. NZ could give SL a big shot in the arm.
Cheers,
Bill