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Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (X2)
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Author:  Goosegogs [ Wed Dec 08, 2010 8:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (X2)
If I never post here again it is only because I have found my perfect wine.
Bone dry ( 3.4g of rs but it doesn't show ). Light bodied with a smell so hauntingly beautiful that it's almost a crime to drink the wine. If i'm honest i'm not sure that I could tell this apart from the 06 Oh Block 2009. There must be a difference but it's too vague for me. Passion fruit and a very definite green pepper finish. No tartness at all just pure concentrated flavour with a seamless silky texture.

The Essence of Sauvignon*
:qofgold:
G
*If this makes no sense I care not....it's my post.
Author:  tribs [ Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
Looks like I'll be taking the full case then :lol:

Thank you very much Mr G and please do not disappear (again) :wink:
Author:  Bacchus [ Wed Dec 08, 2010 9:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
'ware the Goslimg...
Author:  Goosegogs [ Wed Dec 08, 2010 10:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
13.5% alcohol but so light bodied that the entire bottle slipped down in under two hours and I am stone cold sober albeit very relaxed and mellow. Just proves that what gives you a hangover is not the alcohol but the excess sugar and stalky doo dah in badly made wines.

All the tasting notes inc the St Clair website insist that this has a splash of grapefruit and it is that, that makes it subtly different to the 06 Block.

I'm not sure but it is a little more pungent than the 06 .

Great wine at all temps

Treat yourself Ba...
Author:  tribs [ Thu Dec 09, 2010 3:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
The staff at my local say that they had been to a Saint Clair tasting recently. Were you invited Goose :wink: .

Apparently they will be expanding their range which will soon include a Syrah and a Riesling, which I have been told is stunning.
Author:  tribs [ Mon Dec 13, 2010 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
I picked up some PB 19's. I noticed they had a Saint Clair Wairau Reserve SB 2009 at £22 (I think).

Just remembered, I think Goose tasted this earlier in the year.
Author:  Duncan [ Mon Dec 13, 2010 9:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
tribs wrote:
I picked up some PB 19's. I noticed they had a Saint Clair Wairau Reserve SB 2009 at £22 (I think)


£22 is pretty strong money ! Mr T.

I have the Astrolabe kekerengu coast '09 MSB and unoaked Cloudy B. '09 but both acquired on special.
Author:  Goosegogs [ Tue Dec 14, 2010 12:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
Sorry you didn't enjoy the VM WR, Tribs.

The SC PB 19 is a stunning wine. Lighter by far than the VM but with a truly gorgeous flavour of grapefruit, boxwood and passion fruit.

I have only come across this boxwood twice. Oh Block 6 and 19. What exactly is boxwood.

I am relying on you to love the 19, Tribs. My reputation now depends on it.

GK will laugh at me if you don't rate it.
Author:  tribs [ Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:16 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
I did enjoy it, just not as much as I had hoped.

I expect I'll love the block 19. The Block 3 08 I had month or so ago was wonderful and apart from the ghastly Majestic Estate Reserve I have not been disappointed with any of their wines.

I am itching to try one. Can't wait, but I am desperately trying not to over-hype it in my mind. Its just wine. Gorgeous Saint Clair wine, but still just wine. :lol:

Incidentally, I was browsing their website and found a map showing the location of their vineyards which I thought was interesting. The 19 block is situated on the Old Renwick Road and not that far from block 6 which is quite a bit larger. Th block 3 which is said to be more herbaceous is more towards the coast off Cloudy Bay. I wonder if majestic will stock more of their blocks when they expand their range. I hope so.
Author:  tribs [ Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
Goosegogs wrote:
I have only come across this boxwood twice. Oh Block 6 and 19. What exactly is boxwood.


Isn't it the wood from a box shrub. The dense hedge type that are used for topiary?
Author:  tribs [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
Finally tried one at the weekend. Thankfully not a disappointment at all.

Typical Saint Clair wizardry has produced a wine that has powerful concentrated flavour and a decent amount of alcohol yet is incredibly light bodied. It also completely belies its dryness :shock: . Matt Thomson, the winemaker is a genius.

I cannot add much to Goose's note except I found a hint of what I describe as peapod. Could this be either the boxwood or green pepper you mention? Also there is a tiny amount of pith. Delicious.

You may have noticed that wines in our house take a little while to get drunk, hence the occasional day 6 or more. This though, simply disappeared. Remarkably easy to drink in stark contrast to the VM Wairau Reserve.


Almost forgot :qofgold:
Author:  meljones [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 7:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
"Stalky doo dah" Goose - lovely. Am adding it to my list of beautifully crafted wine tasting terms, along with "phenolicking about" and others.
Author:  Goosegogs [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
Ha !

My reputation is in tact.

As oppposed to in tatters where it normally is.

How would you compare this to the Saint Clair 2009 basic when it was fresh and flavoursome. I think the Pioneer Block's are the better wines but the 09 basic was so good I was happy enough. It was only when it fell apart after about 6 months that I really starting getting into the PB's.
Author:  Bacchus [ Mon Jan 10, 2011 11:07 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
No PB at MW...send me some
Author:  tribs [ Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Saint Clair Pioneer Block 19 Bird Block 2010 MW £11.99 (
When fresh the SC Basic 09 had the most concentrated fruit flavour I have ever experienced in a white wine. Unfortunately this seemed to disappear with only a small amount of ageing. I had only drunk 2 bottles before this happened.

I think the PB wines have better ageing potential if a little less in their concentration of flavours. I can only guess why this would be the case.

I will try and revisit their Block 3 as I found the grassiness / herbaceousness very appealing. I'd be interested to see what it is like fresh. I'll also be very interested to grab some of the Oh block if and when it becomes available. Gutted to have missed out on this last time around.
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