Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Wine Review: Remarkable New Zealand Wines


I was listening to one winemaker from New Zealand and in his accent and style he referred to his wine as a "bloody good drop".  I tend to  agree with him that New Zealand is making some remarkable juice in one of the greatest places to grow grapes and it is catching attention worldwide.  The diverse climate and soils coupled with the focus on lower yields leads to high quality wines made from many different grapes, not just the well-known Sauvignon Blanc.  I find the wines to be fresh, elegant, and charming.  We recently added a Riesling, two Chardonnay's, and two Pinot Noirs to our list of New Zealand wines.  Otto's Constant Dream Riesling from Marlborough (yes there is more than Sauvignon Blanc grown there) is outstanding with bright acidity and bursting flavors of peaches, apples, and honeysuckle.  A delicious drink as an apertif with cheese.  The Craggy Range and Kumeu River Chardonnay's are both made in a Burgundian style with a clean crisp, minerality, and little or smart use of oak that does not overpower the ripe fruit.  Stunning and very well-balanced small production wines.  As for the Pinot Noirs, they are pure expressions of the land and the terroir similar to the premier crus and grand crus of Burgundy. Seresin is biodynamically farmed and its characteristics are likened to a pretty, soft and feminine Volnay, whereas the Craggy Range Te Muna Road has a more masculine personality with more body, deeper fruits, and an earthier tea-leaf like texture similar to a Gevrey-Chambertin.  Expand your horizons within New Zealand and you will be surprised at what you find! ~Monica McCall

 

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