Sep 01 2010
Growing Competition From NZ Wine Regions
Thirty years ago you’d have been lucky to find more than a handful of wines direct from New Zealand wine on shelves anywhere in this country. At the time there were only small, isolated pockets of vines spread largely around the North Island, and few had tasted, or even heard, of the miracle that is Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc.
In 1981, three brothers from Canterbury on the South Island planted their first vine, which was famous fror being the southernmost commercial vineyard in the world. Coming from a Germanic background, where grape vines were found not only in the family backyard but also the local school, the Giesen’s were surprised to find a country climatically similar to their own yet with so few vines in the ground and a population more interested in Steinlager than anything that required a corkscrew.
In 1984, the first Giesen vintage produced which also included a small batch of the wine which would eventually become renown as the famous Marlborough Sav Blanc. Alex Giesen sums up its success succinctly “It is the people’s wine”; a style that has seduced drinkers around the world with its pungent, decadent passionfruit flavours and spark of spine-tingling acidity. The 2008 Giesen Sauvignon Blanc has a well balanced sharp, acidic taste coupled with a full fruit flavour.
Today Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is a global phenomenon that has well and truly put New Zealand wine firmly on the world stage. While New Zealand is renown for the its Sav Blancs, this is one of the countless great wines that are on offer.
And one of New Zealand’s highlights is its Chardonnay, especially with wines from Kumeu River. While Chardonnay maybe be falling out of favour amongst some wine drinkers, Michael Brajkovich’s wines are truly inspirational. Forget the oaky Chardonnay flavours which have nothing in common with refined Kumeu River wines, which found north of Auckland.
You find it difficult to locate greater value than with a 2007 Kumeu River Village Chardonnay, which has a vibrant, fruity Chablis flavour with some creamy sensations and length. Brajkovich’s crowning achievement is the 2007 Mate’s Vineyard Chardonnay, which can be considered as one of the world’s finest produced Chardonnays. As with wine from Kumeu River, there is much that goes into this wine including complex flavours of citrs and apple complimented by nutty, barrel taste. And if stored for the next five to ten years, you’ll discover a most pleasurable drinking experience.
Known for their expectional Pinot Noirs, New Zealand’s movement into the traditionally dominated Australian full bodied red markets including Shiraz, Merlot and Cab Savs, which has been most interesting. Near Auckland and specifically around Waiheke Island, Cabernet Sauvignon is dominant. Unlike the intensive fruit flavour normally found in Cab Savs, these have a strong quality with great complexity and can be often be compared wines found in Bordeaux.
The New Zealanders also have a wonderful way with Shiraz, which is usually termed Syrah, especially around Hawkes Bay. Here Gimblett Gravels, helps the Shiraz to ripen providing it’s wine with a spicy flavour with layers of peppery fruit. Standout producers include Te Mata, Bilancia and Esk Valley but for consistency it is hard to go past the masterpieces from Steve Smith at Craggy Range. While the 2006 Block 14 Syrah shows lovely balance between perfumed fruit and fine-grained tannins, the 2006 Le Sol Syrah is breathtaking with layers of chewy sweet fruit heightened by a spicy and floral perfume. While different in style, this wine provides great competition to anything found in the Barossa Valley or McLaren Vale.
