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Of course, when it comes to New Zealand wine, what immediately springs to mind would definitely be its beautiful Sauvignon Blanc – fresh, exuberant, expressive fruit and takes up more than 85% of the nation’s wine export! Being irresistible to this attractive white wine seems to be a worldwide phenomenon. However, the island country has MUCH MORE to offer: red or white, light or rich, the diversity and exceptionally high quality may surprise you! Below are several single varietals from NZ that are worth your attention.
Pinot Noir
The signature red of NZ is Pinot Noir, mostly from the cooler southerly regions, such as Marlborough and Central Otago. There has been an explosive growth of Pinot Noir sales to the world over the past few years. NZ Pinot Noir is fruit-driven, forward and early maturing in the bottle, with high quality examples characterized by savoury, earthy flavours with a greater complexity. The diversity in climates and soil types results in the great regional variations of Pinot Noir wine styles.
Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon
Second to Pinot Noir, Merlot is another red variety with high planting volume in NZ. It is usually blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and/or other grapes varieties, such as Cabernet Franc and Malbec, in hotter and drier regions of NZ. The most prominent one is Hawke’s Bay, which has earned its world fame as early as the 60s by the current giant producer McWilliams. Due to the maritime climate of the islands, earlier-ripening Merlot is better-suited for growing, leading to a greater dominance of the variety in the blends. The blends are thereby with prominent, expressive fruit of Merlot and at the same time possess the structure and finesse of Cabernet Sauvignon. They also are approachable when young yet still with good ageing potentials.
Syrah
NZ’s Syrah is definitely riding high, particularly in Gimblett Gravels of Hawke’s Bay. With limited production accounting only for 1% of the nation’s wine export, it still manages to attract international attention. Acclaimed for its beautiful complexity and elegance, NZ’s syrah reminds red lovers of Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph. That in Hawke’s Bay, in particular, is known for its elegant firm tannins and aromatic flavours of berry fruit, plums, violet, followed by spicy black pepper.
Chardonnay
Chardonnay’s versatility is beautifully expressed in the soils of NZ – apart from the signature citrus and fruit, you can find a variety of styles that are common by exceptional quality. The Chardonnays from cooler-climate regions, such as Marlborough, are typically of higher acidity and minerality with medium-to-light body; those in warmer regions are usually of fuller body, richer flavours and soft-medium acidity. Winemaking also has a significant contribution to the final result: use of oak, lees contact, etc. The diversity of NZ’s Chardonnay styles gives rise to the unlimited possibilities in food pairing: say, young and unoaked ones with seafood and mature, richer ones with more savoury dishes, such as chicken with creamy or lemon-flavoured sauces.
Pinot Gris
Pinot Gris is grown throughout NZ, mainly in Marlborough, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne, after getting popular in the recent 30 years. Fresh and flavourful, it is typically followed with a green fruit and honey note. Like Chardonnay, this white variety also has diverse styles. It is common for winemakers to carry out barrel ageing, fermentation with wild yeasts, and lees stirring to develop texture, mouth feel and complexity of the wine. The warmer-climate regions usually produce riper styles while the cooler-climate ones tend to make wines with great structure.