Kudos to the Kiwis

New Zealand is perfect for vine growing because no vineyard is more than 80 miles from the sea, and they all enjoy many hours of sunshine during the day and cool sea breezes at night. Wine has been produced in New Zealand since the early 19^th Century, although back then it was mainly liqueur wines that were being made. It was only in the 1960’s that light wines started appearing, with the German grape Muller Thurgau dominating the vineyards. Since then much has changed, and of course Sauvignon Blanc is now the winning variety that any money-making winery will plant. However I truly believe the real stars can be found in the more interesting grape varieties of this country, so here follows a very brief guide to where to find them.

Map courtesy of http://www.nzwine.com

Gisborne

The most easterly tip of the North Island, Gisborne claims to be the Chardonnay capital of the country. But recently it’s making a name for itself with aromatic white varietals, from the more famous Viogniers and Gewurztraminers, to the more obscure Arneis and Albariño. Probably the most famous winery from this region is Lindauer, whose sparkling wines I’ve always thought to be great value for money. However if you want something really special watch out for the wines from Millton winery.

Hawkes Bay

Hawke’s Bay is New Zealand’s second largest region and is best known for its Bordeaux-blend reds and Chardonnay, although aromatic whites are consistently good and Syrah is increasingly impressive. Within Hawke’s Bay you will find the subregion of Gimblett Gravels, where some of New Zealand’s greatest full-bodied red wines are produced courtesy of the gravelly soils reminiscent of those in Bordeaux. Look out for the wines of Craggy Range, Trinity Hill and Bilancia.

Wairarapa/Martinborough

Martinborough is a sub-region of Wairarapa, on the southern tip of the North Island. Here you will find lots of boutique wineries, making just 1% of the country’s total wine production but also some of the country’s most iconic, sought after wines. Predominantly planted with Pinot Noir, you will find the aromatic white wines again, of which I believe the best are made at Dry River estate – their Rieslings and Syrahs are some of my favourite wines of all time.

Marlborough

New Zealand’s flagship wine region, which has brought the country great fame with its distinctive Sauvignon Blancs. While obviously Sauvignon makes up the vast majority of plantings, Pinot Gris and Riesling are also doing very well here, and more recently Grüner Veltliner is looking quite exciting. There is a huge number of wineries here but my personal favourites are Seresin, Greywacke, Clos Henri and Foxes Island. Cloudy Bay is of course the most famous but you are paying extra for its popularity so unless you want to buy their Te Koko (a delicious oaked Sauvignon Blanc) I’d steer clear.

Central Otago

In the heart of the Southern Alps, the area is a desert but with unlimited water for irrigation (thanks to the snowcapped mountains) and a big temperature range between night and day, the resulting grapes show a huge concentration of fruit flavours. Pinot Noir is the star here, rich and ripe and silky smooth. Look out for Felton Road and Mount Difficulty.

If you want to explore this country’s spectacular wines further, I highly recommend you go straight from here to The New Zealand Wine Cellar’s brilliant online shop: http://thenewzealandcellar.co.uk . Set up by patriotic Kiwi and London resident Melanie Brown, this is THE place to find all of New Zealand’s greatest wines (or at least all those the country exports).

Happy Swigging!