New Zealand is enjoying a growing reputation as a producer of fine wines. Bob Campbell, the country's leading wine education expert, looks at its success story and selects his favourites.
There was a time when fine wine automatically meant French wine. Then New Zealand's wine-makers burst onto the scene with their fresh and vibrant flavours.
New Zealand wine made its first appearance on the British market just two decades ago. Waitrose spotted the potential of these bright and fruity wines and was one of the first supermarkets in the UK to stock them. Today, names such as Montana, Oyster Bay and Villa Maria are a familiar part of the fine wine scene. Many critics now hail Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc as the world's best, but 30 years ago this highly acclaimed wine style wasn't even a gleam in a New Zealand wine-maker's eye.
The growth in New Zealand wine quality has been nothing short of phenomenal. New Zealand's cool climate, relatively dry eastern coast and free-draining soils have always offered the potential to make distinctive, high-quality wine. The key to unlocking that potential has been a small group of wine-makers with a passion for making better wine and a willingness to take risks. Other wine-makers followed their lead whenever a breakthrough was achieved.
Significant breakthroughs have included the discovery and development of regions such as Marlborough, Martinborough, Canterbury and Central Otago, and of premium districts such as Gimblett Gravels or Waiheke. Vineyard developments that allow the vine to make the best use of the sun's rays have played a major part in boosting wine quality. Refinements in wine-making techniques and the increasing age of the vines have also made a contribution.
Progress has been rapid but, in the words of wine-maker Brent Marris, owner of Wither Hills, 'If you think that New Zealand wines are good now, you ain't seen nothing yet.' The race to make better wine seems to have no finish line. 'We've come a long way, but there are some exciting developments in the pipeline that will push the quality of New Zealand wine to another level,' claims Marris.
Those developments include a move away from the plains towards hillside vineyards and reduced crop levels to create more concentrated flavours. Many new Italian, Spanish and lesser-known French grape varieties are currently being tested in different sites with some exciting results.
Other trends include the emergence of Pinot Gris as a fashionable alternative to Chardonnay and international recognition for New Zealand Pinot Noir. New Zealand Chardonnay is becoming more food-friendly with flavours that rely less on oak and more on tangy citrus and ripe peach characters.
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blends are becoming riper and more concentrated thanks to the expansion of vineyards in areas that are best suited to both varieties. Even New Zealand wine-makers' most precious asset, Sauvignon Blanc, is being refined by some of the more adventurous makers to make it less 'grassy' with riper and more complex flavours.
New Zealand wine tastes
Sauvignon Blanc
The plumpest, ripest Sauvignon Blanc grapes reveal passion fruit, pineapple and other tropical fruit flavours, while smaller, denser, greener grapes have gooseberry, red capsicum and cut-grass flavours. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is an exuberant blend of both ends of the spectrum: lush tropical fruit and zingy gooseberry. It has a remarkable pungency and purity of fruit. I like it with lightly spiced Asian dishes or hot smoked salmon and asparagus. Try Montana Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001 or Jackson Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2001.
Riesling
New Zealand Riesling falls somewhere between the light, floral German model and the bigger and more austere wines of Alsace. The best are made in the South Island regions, where the cooler climate produces aromatic wines with strong citrus flavours that sometimes include a hint of tropical fruits. In New Zealand, Riesling is a popular match with Asian-influenced 'fusion cuisine' but it will suit a wide range of seafood, chicken or pork dishes. My favourite is roast pork and crackling with apple sauce. Montana Marlborough Riesling 2001 and Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling 2001 are two to look out for.
Pinot Noir
Hard to find but worth the effort, New Zealand Pinot Noir offers vibrant cherry, plum and cassis flavours with a silken smooth texture. It is a soft and subtle red although the best examples have surprising power. Styles vary from rich and full-flavoured in the North Island region of Martinborough to sleek and spicy in Central Otago, the world's most southerly wine region. Marlborough Pinot Noir, a rapidly rising star, falls between these two extremes. New Zealand Pinot Noir suits a wide range of dishes with Coq au Vin at the head of my list. Try Montana Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2001.
Chardonnay
'Bottled sunshine' was how one critic recently described New Zealand Chardonnay. These wines certainly manage to radiate enough warmth and richness to make them ideally suited to hearty winter fare. Chardonnay from the North Island regions of Gisborne and Hawkes Bay tend to be richer and more creamy than the finer, zestier wines from the Marlborough region. Chardonnay is New Zealand's most versatile food wine and matches a wide range of dishes, from the most delicate consommé to the heartiest risotto. Craggy Range Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2000 and Wither Hills Marlborough Chardonnay are just two from an excellent selection.
Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
New Zealand's most robust red relies on the Bordeaux grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot although the result is distinctly Kiwi in character. Cabernet Sauvignon provides cedar, blackberry and mint flavours together with a firm structure of drying tannins, while Merlot adds softness, charm and a plummy influence. Great with roast of New Zealand lamb and mint sauce. Montana East Coast Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2000, and Church Road Hawkes Bay Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot are worth selecting.
This article was first published on Waitrose.com in January 2002