Dish

South African tipples, a beer vertical taste sensation, shiraz vines getting

on in age and some exciting wine varietals to liven up the repertoire –

YVONNE LORKIN rounds up the latest from the world of drinks.

BY TH E GLA SS

116 DISH

The team at Three Boys in Christchurch have been brewing up

a storm recently, having just released a briny, new version of

their Imperial Oyster Stout to the world. This beast of a beer

boasts dark chocolate, fresh coffee and a salty ocean fog. Bluff

oysters layer the salts that break through the sweetness of the

malts and the boldness of its 12%ABV. “Boozy but easy,” says

brewer Misty Ruske. “Like a dozing pirate, this beer is designed

to be buried in the ground to be dug up and enjoyed another

day”. They’ve also released a 10th Anniversary Apricot Ale.

This barley wine rocks in at 10%ABV and is plumped up with

ripe apricots harvested from vacant “Red Zoned” properties.

Initially sweet with stone fruit marmalade and caramel biscuit

and finishes with a tangy apricot tartness that lingers.

OYSTERS, APRICOTS & ANNIVERSARIES

Springbok sipping... If you fancy getting among a snazzy

selection of South African wines, then look no further than the good

folk at Kudu Imports. Nine exciting brands including the likes of

Spier, Vrede en Lust, Swartland, Simonsig, Diemersdal and Graham

Beck, spanning across 60-odd individual wines are now available

via their website – kudu.co.nz. In addition to their comprehensive

catalogue of wines from Uruguay, Italy, Argentina, France, USA,

Spain, Portugal and Australia, the team at Planet Wine also have

27 South African brands available. If you’re keen on Badenhorst,

Ernie Els, Meerlust, Raats Family, Boekenhoutskloof and Alheit (to

name a few) contact Martin Cahnbley on [email protected].

SMOKIN’ VINTAGE

Vertical tasting is a wine

thing, right? It’s where

multiple vintages of the

same wine are tasted

side by side so you can

compare the differences

and track how a wine is

developing over time.

Back in 2012,

Invercargill Brewery

got in on the act by

releasing four vintages

of their manuka-smoked

bock known as the

Smokin’ Bishop. When

originally released back

in 2007, it was the first

commercially available

smoked beer in NZ.

“We promised it would

age beautifully,” says

brewer Steve Nally, “but

by winter’s end every

drop had been drunk.”

The only way he could

prove his point was to

hide a 600ltr batch of

the beer away from his

sales team each year

since then in order to

deliver on his promise.

Often called “bacon

in a glass” with a smoky,

single malt-type edge,

when I tasted the 2008,

2009, 2011 and 2012

side by side, it was a

revelation. The 2016

has just been released

and I can see another

four-year vertical on

the horizon.