Most of Orange County’s serious diners know by now that Turner New Zealand, near Costa Mesa’s Performing Arts Center, is our bastion of pristinely raised food that results in a cuisine beyond delicious. It’s also healthy for us and beautifully presented.
Noel Turner, the proprietor, is from New Zealand (now with his major home here in OC), where his family business is free-range animal farming and seafood raising in the cleanest water possible. His products are used by America’s top chefs and Michelin-starred chefs abroad.
The wine list at Turner New Zealand also is dotted with wonderful finds. Some of the newest darlings of the wine world are coming out of New Zealand. Noel’s pride in what he does has led him to enhance the wine list even further. He has just received seven marvelous and very limited world-class New Zealand wines.
I never have a problem finding dining partners whenever I mention Turner New Zealand restaurant. After-the-fact conversation always is dappled with comments from fellow diners about the unbeatable flavors of the food and the interesting wines that the staff lead us to,or that I personally knew and wanted them to try. Most of my wine selections are from New Zealand because it’s a perfect venue for me to broaden some wine horizons.
Make a reservation now to try these new wines and the undeniably delicious food. It’s your chance to find out what the wine connoisseurs already know. Remember, since these are limited release wines, they won’t be permanent in Turner New Zealand’s wine cellar.
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Turner New Zealand in Costa Mesa: seven new wines |
Craggy Range 2002 Merlot: Craggy Range winery is perhaps New Zealand’s most ambitious, quality-focused winery. Having nine terroirs (various makeups of soils) throughout New Zealand, this 2002 Merlot comes from its Gimblett Gravels vineyard in Hawke’s Bay. It is loaded with rich, concentrated blackberry fruits, spice and chocolate flavors with ample fine tannins.
Goldwater 1996 and 1998 Cabernet/ Merlot: These cabernet/merlot blends originated in the Waiheke Island vineyards of the Goldwater Estate. Extending over 35 acres of free-draining clay-based hillside soils, the grapes produced here are world-class. These vintages are touted as having a rich, pleasing taste that has been aged to perfection.
Goldwater 1999 Merlot: Made entirely from hand picked grapes grown in the Goldwater Estate Waiheke Island Esslin Vineyard, which was established from specially selected clones of merlot privately imported from France. The wine is an intense, deep plum in color and has the bouquet of plums and spice with subliminal oak. I know this wine and love it with my red meat and even with the pristinely raised Turner King Salmon.
Te Mata Coleraine 2000 Cabernet/Merlot was bottled in January 2002. This Coleraine 2000 is a blend of 52% cabernet sauvignon, 29% merlot and 19% cabernet franc resulting in a world-class wine full of floral aromas woven with spicy and dark berry notes and underpinned by essences of cedar and toast.
Neudorf Moutere 2001 Pinot: Mention of this wine came up in a recent conversation with some wine savvy guys I know. I am anxious, based on their comments, to get myself over to Turner once again to try it. They say it’s a smooth, very bright wine. The grapes came largely from the 20 year old Clone 10/5 Vineyard at Pomona and the even older Clone 22 Block at Neudorf both on the Moutere Hill clay and gravel near the city of Nelson. It’s said to be a fine m & #233;lange of ripe blackberry, grilled cherry and black plum flavors that complement many foods.
Dry River 2001 Pinot: This is a dark, robust and densely flavored wine, a Martinborough red that ranks among New Zealand’s finest pinot noirs. It’s reportedly lush and silky on the palate, with super-ripe flavors of plums, spice, licorice and prunes and firm supporting, but not obtrusive, tannins. It is one of New Zealand’s hugely concentrated wines blessed with a long, complex finish that I am told gives it equal footing as a sipping wine or as a food wine.
Since these wines are among the best, I caution one more time that they are extremely limited. Do yourself a favor and share a bottle of these select wines with others during your next Turner New Zealand gourmet meal. They’ll be perfect to pair with the free-range, 100% grass-fed Turner steaks, Turner lamb rack or Turner venison chop (all of Noel’s custom raised products carry the Turner name on every restaurant menu that uses them).
I often have red wine with the steamed clams,also raised in his natural habitat aqua farm and, trust me, the best you’ll ever taste,or with his Turner King salmon.
I will defend to my last written word the quality of food you will find at this restaurant. If you don’t avail yourself of it, it’s your big culinary loss. When making a reservation, you might want to inquire when Noel himself will be there. He’s a bigger than life personality whose passion for food and wine put new meaning into serious dining.
Turner New Zealand: 650 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa, (714) 668-0880.
