Total recorded assaults on Police - New Zealand Police Association

New Zealand Police AssociationNews headlines that would not have pleased the EditorRed tape holds up new bridges(You mean there’s something stronger than duct tape?)Something went wrong in jet crash, expert says(Really – well what do you know?)Police begin campaign to run down jaywalkers(Now that’s taking things a bit far)Miners refuse to work after death(Those good-for-nothing lazy so-and-sos)Juvenile court to try shooting defendant(See if that works any better than a fair trial)If strike isn’t settled quickly, it may last a while(Ya’ think?)Cold wave linked to temperatures(Who would have thought?)Man struck by lightning faces battery charge(He probably IS the battery charge!)New study of obesity looks at larger test group(Why? Weren’t they fat enough?)Kids make nutritious snacks(But do they taste like chicken?)Local high school dropouts cut in half(A chainsaw massacre?)Hospitals sued by seven foot doctors(They’re certainly tall enough to try out for the basketball team)Wither Hillsby Ricky CollinsAbout six months ago I gave a run-down ofthe Two Tracks range of wines, producedby Wither Hills. Recently, I had the chanceto try the company’s main range of winesat a presentation by Ben Glover, the ChiefWinemaker at Wither Hills, and was quiteimpressed with what I tasted. Here are my thoughts on the currentrelease wines that stood out for me.Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2009 rrP $18This struck me as a wine that would have wide appeal, showing veryattractive tropical fruit aromas with classic Marlborough SauvignonBlanc capsicum notes coming through on the palate. The fruitis obviously quite ripe and there is nice crisp acidity, but it’s notoverpowering. I sometimes struggle with a second glass of someexamples of Sauvignon Blanc but the balance in this wine makes thatsecond glass very inviting.Wither Hills Rarangi Sauvignon Blanc 2008 RRP $25Wither Hills have produced this single vineyard example of SauvignonBlanc from a site that sits close to the Marlborough coastline. It’squite a different wine to the standard Sauvignon Blanc in that it hasmore complexity, with layers of flavours that span from lush tropicalfruit through to gooseberry and lemon, and there’s a hint of mild chiliin the mix. The texture is also quite different with more palate weight,having been aged on lees for a few months and the finish is crisp,dry and long. All in all, this is a pretty special example of SauvignonBlanc that stands out from the crowd.Wither Hills Pinot Gris 2009 rrP $18I finally think New Zealand is starting to make some really enjoyableexamples of Pinot Gris, and this is one of them. This wine hasconcentrated peach and pear flavours, with a touch of honey theretoo. It’s made in an off-dry style that shows fruit sweetness butfinishes dry. It’s well balanced and sits well in the mouth, with nohint of alcoholic heat that ruined so many early examples of our PinotGris.Wither Hills Chardonnay 2009 rrP $18This wine is still probably too young to be showing at its best, butits beautiful balance and elegance suggests to me it’s going to bestunning in a year or so. There isn’t much to show on the nose atpresent, but there are beautiful primary Chardonnay citrus flavours,with a hint of minerality to it that may increase with some age. It’s alightly oaked example that will work well with food.Wither Hills Pinot Noir 2008 rrP $32I found the first mouthful of this Pinot a little sharp at first, but thisdissipated once opened for a while and it evolved into a fine exampleof young Marlborough Pinot Noir. There are distinct rosebud aromasand red fruit flavours that combine well with fine silky tannins and anice dry finish to deliver a very enjoyable wine.• Wither Hills produce some nice varieties of reasonably-pricedNew Zealand wine.April 201075