Calling all soccer fans! Football season has just kicked off in Europe once again...What will your hands be pouring down your throat over the next soccer game (or how we love to call it ‘Football’ in Asia!)? So ever commonly do football fans guzzle down beers by the mugs, jugs or even kegs over most matches!  Besides beer, mixers are usually the next commonality in line.  What about wine? Ever wondered what wine goes well with the games?

Look no further! We’ve always been talking and discussing about food and wine pairings but here is an Italian vino from Lazio that will ‘pair’ very well with your next football match!

When it comes to pairing, flavours have to complement each other harmoniously, create balance or even enhancing individual nuances. So, what did I look for when it comes to soccer matches and wine pairing?

Firstly, the wine has to be approachable and easy to drink. Secondly, there is a high possibility for the wine to take a back seat when the match heightens with excitement . Hence logically thinking as a football fan myself, the time for a sip would usually be after a near miss to calm things down or as a celebratory cheer when a goal is scored. In such instances, the wine would have taken a back seat (allowing it to breathe a fair bit longer too!)…thus, I would need to sip a wine that has enough jealousy to charm and catch my palate’s attention back by it’s potential  and what it has to offer!!!

The football vino:

Paolo E Noemia d’Amico, Villa Tirrena 2005 Merlot IGT

Bouquet: Some notes of plums, mint and light herbaceous factor with a touch of toasted oak

Palate: Nice, simple and easily drinkable with plums and hints of mixed red cherries/ cranberry flavours on the palate with mild tannins

When there’s a match and a drink in one hand, there are always nibbles in the other…my suggestion?

Nuggets and fries with a tomato sauce dip to go along with this vino from Lazio, Italy.

Perhaps, to add more fun…it’ll be worth checking this pleaser out during the next Seria A, Lazio match!

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salute!

Rev Wines was party central with 45 revellers packing into the tiny little shop often known as “that unnamed wine shop up the road from the Blu Jaz” and spilling into the street. The do celebrated the arrival of their new Champagne “Compte de Noiron” with four different labels in the selection. On top of the bubblies, they also opened a few extra wines from France, Spain and the Americas, well..., actually... more like 21 extra. If they keep going with this sort of revelry, that yet-to-be-named wine shop is sure to be the island's best-kept secret no more!

The range of Champagne Compte de Noiron selection open for tasting were: Brut NV, Premier Cru NV, Brut Rose NV, and Demi-Sec NV. Sonja and I agreed on the Premier Cru to be our preferred, with body and toasty-yeasty nuances. The Brut NV was most certainly a party champers – easy going, easy drinking, with citrus palate (I thought I tasted lemon and grapefruits) - definitely bubbly and happy.

The rest were a plethora of samples they were considering – rather a clever way to conduct exploratory market research, I thought – direct consumer engagement. There were French wines, Spanish wines, Californian wines, Chilean wines... heck, there were lots.

I am rather keen on the red-raspberry-lollies nose of a Beaujolais, and was happy that there were a few on offer, including a semi-sweet one. It was light-medium bodied, easy and refreshing, and went down a treat with blue cheese on baguette. I am still grateful to Sonja for prompting me to make a bee line for this wine, managing to claim the last sip or two of the bottle. We were not the only two into the semi-sweet Beaujolais, methinks.

Another wine that caught my attention was a Spanish Sauvignon-Blanc-Gewurztraminer blend. This was the second time I tasted that blend. The previous had been a NZ wine, which I thought was a weird combination with forward floral nose and strong grassy palate. But this Spanish drop was more balanced and pleasant. Perhaps because the Sauv Blanc was more the fruity rather than grassy style, and the sweet jasmine and tropical fruits together was more harmonious than the attempted flowers-and-cut-grass combo. I do wonder if such experimental (presumably market-driven) blends may one day become ubiquitous on the shelves. I would certainly keep my eyes open for it.

In the absence of Rev's event-organiser-cum-cook Alex, the food offerings were reduced to the humble bread, cheese and salami (well, until the pizza delivery arrived). OK, perhaps free-flow of four different types of cheese and three different salamis weren't so humble, but I was used to being spoiled in their previous tastings with sushi, and Thai curries, and home-made hummous, and BBQ spare ribs, amongst others.

For all this *hic* feast, we paid the princely sum of... $35/head, nett on the price but ++ on the deal. I do think that Rev has been the best-kept secret in town for way too long, and it is my duty as a keen wine drinker to unveil it to my fellow like-minded. Sorry, Aladdin, your treasure cave has been discovered, and “Open Sesame!”

 

 

 

Sonja and I thought it was such a great party, we want to have one there, too! Join us at the TLN wine tour of the Americas at Rev on Thursday, 16 September!

Rev (the wine shop with no name) is located on 31 Bali Lane. Drop an email to alexander@rev-distrinet.com to receive notices of their events.

When it comes to Italian vino, the usual suspects are usually the CABBs -->  Chianti, Amarone,  Brunellos, Barolos! Ask any Italian enthusiast and you wouldn’t be surprised to find out that majority of their collection would consist of these bandits. Besides plantings of new world varietals (Cabernet Sauvingnon, Chardonnay, etc) locally, many other Italian local varietals such as Trebbiano, Fiano, Greco, Refosco, Vermentino and many more usually goes unheard of. 

As tourists, where would one visit? Scenery, history, buildings, architecture all leads to various parts of Europe. Italy, Sicily in particular- tourist spot for sceneries, archeological sites and more is booming not only agriculturally but also in its vinous form (and all vino-holics say, “Hallelujah!”). One more region to explore in our palate expansion!

From a wine enthusiast’s perspective, Brunello = Sangiovese, Piedmonte = Barolos, what about Sicily? Nero d’Avola! No doubt, Nero d’Avola has brought much attention to this part of the Italian wine economy; nevertheless many indigenous Greek grapes including other varietals are thriving well in the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Something out of the box this time for local noses…we have 2 wines, one Fiano, an important varietal from the Campania region in Southern Italy and a Merlot which is easily found in most wine regions around the globe.

Fiano is a native white wine varietal in Southern Italy that commonly entices drinkers with its great aromatics and strong flavour characteristics. The first wine this time is a Fiano, not from Campania but from Menfi, Sicily. Planeta, a rather well established producer in Sicily is not only focusing on the local varietals but has also brought in grapes from other regions to experiment with them within their local terroir, Sicily. To their credit, this varietal has managed to thrive and develop well in Sicily, following which into the bottles and unto our palates!

Planeta, Cometa (Fiano) IGT 2007

Firstly, gorgeously golden in colour!

Bouquet: Nice floral notes, hints of orange blossom and talc together with some burnt rubber characteristics while not missing the stone fruits as it opens up with air

Palate: Rich and creamy on the palate with well balanced low-medium acid profile showing stone fruits as it opens up while there is citrus-lemony freshness and mango notes on the mid palate plus apple-ey acetone coupled with rich complex buttery flavours with a slight hint of burnt wood on the finish

(A rather serious wine indeed which is rich yet balanced that continues to open and evolve with time…seriously screaming out for something rich like Carbonara pasta or a Gorgonzola Pear Walnut salad)

Merlot, on the other hand needs no further introduction...a varietal that compliments a Cabernet Sauvignon blend perfectly, as well as outshining many other wines independently on its own. It has managed to root deep and call home at almost every corner of the globe, starting from Bordeaux to Australia to Chile to mainland Italian Super Tuscans and now to the island of Sicily. This other bottle from Planeta is another serious stunner. Merlot has probably rooted itself here once again and found itself a new home in this region, particularly in Menfi and Sambuca di Sicilia.

Planeta, Merlot IGT 2006

Bouquet: Dark plums with dark flavours reminiscing black coloured berries with black spices, some black pepper plus undeniable heavy tobacco and ashtray smoke notes (in a positive manner)

Palate: Full bodied with a good structure, balanced with good concentration – showing dark plums, dark cherries, woody tobacco and whiffs of smoke before an underlying mid palate of dark spices and mild peppery notes.  It’s rather smooth on the palate and finishes off with ripe tannins

Another food wine – bring out the beef!!!

(This reminds me, never judge a book by its cover…the label isn’t stunning but the wine has really caught my palate off guard! If only I had more in the cellar!)

Great Quality to Price Ratio (QPR) wines…it’s a steal if you can manage to lay your hands on these!!

Do share with me…What is the latest wine that has caught you off guard?!?

(Post it on Facebook via http://www.thelocalnose.com/)

 

Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Salute!

Wine bits about Marlborough wine region for those new to this area. Then again, who knows about NZ wines and not know about Marlborough? :)

A decade ago the first NZ wine I tasted came from Marlborough. It was a sauvignon blanc. Likewise, my first chardonnay and pinot noir from NZ were from Marlborough too. I can still remember my wine friends’ advice then: “ … if you must buy a NZ wine and you don’t know much about the region or label, then just get one from Marlborough and you won’t go wrong.” Making good quality wines (and by and large NZ wineries are known to produce good quality wines) is one thing, but to capture the consumers’ mind thus where even relatively new wine drinkers confidently recommend a particular region, that’s another kind of success. In this the Marlborough wine region can be said to have made a headstart than the other wine regions in NZ.

In relation to modern day context, one can say vine plantings in this region began in earnest during the 1970s (though historical records show a small numer of plantings as far back as 1870s). Within these few decades, Marlborough has rapidly grown to presently become the largest wine region in NZ (around 18,000 hectares). Slightly more than 60% of NZ’s vineyard area is presently located here. The Wairau and Awatere valleys both hold most of the vine plantings within this region.

The most grown grape varietal here is sauvignon blanc. One can say that sauvignon blanc introduced Marlborough to the world. The sauvignon blanc from this region won over wine critics and wine drinkers with its unique gooseberry, green pepper, passionfruit, elderflower and zesty characters. Wine lovers took note of how these characters contrasted from sauvignon blancs made in Bordeaux, Sancerre and Pouilly-fume. One reason given now (as was mentioned even to me a decade ago) for Marlborough’s fame and reputation is the story of how Cape Mentelle’s David Hohnon first started the Cloudy Bay vineyard and went on to produce world famous sauvignon blancs. A hugh market grew in UK for NZ’s sauvignon blanc and other parts of the world which prompted more plantings in this region.

The other white varietals found here are chardonnay, riesling, pinot gris, semillon, gewürztraminer, muller thurgau and viognier. Pinot noir is the most grown red varietal in this region and has gained a reputation here as it has done in Martinborough and Central Otago wine regions. Other red grape varietals found here are merlot, cabinet sauvignon, pinotage, cabernet franc, syrah and malbec.

Chardonnay, pinot noir and riesling are also used for the production of sparkling wine in this region. Marlborough in fact produces most of NZ’s sparkling wine. This region is also known for its botrytized dessert wine made from riesling.

If you are exploring Marlborough wines for the first time, do try the sauvignon blancs and compare them with those from other countries like Australia, Chile, France and the fume blanc produced in US. It will go towards understanding how Marlborough’s sauvignon blancs differ from the rest. You can similarly make comparisons of chardonnays and pinot noirs from Marlborough and compare them with those from other NZ wine regions as well as those from other countries too.

Happy sips!

Wine: 2009 Bay View Estate Wines, Viognier, Marlborough Sounds, NZ.

Tasting note: Aroma and flavours of white peach, apricot, honey-suckle and floral notes. Medium bodied; palate reveals a creamy texture with acidity to lift the flavours.

As I have promised all the Pinotphiles, Part 2 of TLN’s New Zealand Pinot showdown!

This time I’ll still be focusing on the same two regions of NZ, Central Otago versus Marlborough however the wines will be from separate vintages, 2008 and 2007 respectively. To some, these Pinot Noirs may be a hair young but the good news is, NZ does produce quality wines that are approachable young while off course there will also be those that have the potential for aging.

For those who find it irresistible to keep their hands off their cellars, this would be a perfect fix for those ‘itchy’ hands! Surely, wines that are meant for aging will not show their full potential in their infant years hence we always need a ‘drink now’ wine to satisfy our ‘thirsty’ palates while we patiently await our delayed gratifications in years to come. ‘Drink now’ wines don’t mean that these wines are not suitable for the cellars; it’s just simply deliciously approachable in their youth while some may equally have their aging potential.  Off course, the fun part is when we get to try them NOW….and stock some up to evaluate how they mature in the later years!

Thankfully, the wines for this part are those that are already approachable to be enjoyed today. Up for the challenge this round will be Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir from Marlborough followed by Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir from Central Otago.

 

The Verdict:

Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir
Bouquet: cherry juice plus some fresh raspberries coupled with floral notes, light spices and hint of wet earth with a surprising find, ‘red capsicum’!

Palate: Fruit driven wine with pink cherries, sweet ripe strawberries ala chewy strawberry candies with a slight hint of tea notes at the backend

 

Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir
Bouquet: Well crafted perfumed nose consisting of cherries and raspberry mix together with black pepper, hint of spices with a floral component

Palate: Fruit focused with red fruits and cherries plus well balanced acidity
 before some underlying plums on the mid palate and finishing off with light earthiness, black pepper and hint of toasted oak

Once again, everyone has their own palate; for those who enjoy chilling with an easy drinking wine to start the evening, the Gumfields Wines 2007 Pinot Noir would be an ideal bottle to quaff about. As for me, the Rabbit Ranch 2008 Pinot Noir which was a real ‘nose-wine’ won the show this round! In part one, the previous Central Otago pinot did had a great brooding nose however, this Rabbit Ranch Pinot was just perfumed and invitingly attractive while on the palate, it truly is one to enjoy today and over the next 3-4 years if not longer!

(A catchy one from the winemaker; Rabbit Ranch does not ‘test on animals’!)


Always trust your PALate, it’s your PAL!

Cheers!

After a glorious month of touring the old world, the TLN-Soma wine tasting series hops down-under. About twenty Local Noses sniffed their way through Margaret River, Barossa Valley, Adelaide Hills and further east into New South Wales.

The crisp and citrusy Borambola Wishing Well Sauvignon Blanc of Gundagai, NSW awakens the palate, followed by the riper, fruitier Adelaide Hills Pikes & Joyce Pinot Gris - a perfect match to Yantra's sumptuous, melt-in-the-mouth chicken malai kebab.

But these TLN merry-makers have waited in much anticipation for the Aussie reds, starting with the well renown South Australian shiraz. With a mouthful full-o-fruits, from McLaren Vale was lighter-bodied than its Barossa cousins.  Its gentle tannins made it easy-drinking enough to keep normally-white-wine drinker Kara coming for more!

First-timer Robyn from Australia declared her favourite to be big-bodied 2007 Peccavi No Regrets Cabernet Merlot from Margaret River, WA. Dark and broody, with flavours of cassis, cocoa and eucalyptus, it brought back homely memories of Arnott's Mint Slice, a  dark-chocolate-covered mint biscuit – one of the Aussie national favourites alongside Tim-Tams. With the cute mini samosas, the curry spice danced with minty eucalyptus and made tingles on my tounge! Ahh...as Edith Piaf would put it... je ne regrette rien...

TLN meet-up regular Elena, on the other hand, preferred the even deeper and broodier 2005 Katnook Estate Cabernet Sauvignon - a perfect example of a Coonawarra Cab, woody and full of black fruits, with a solid tannin structure.

I love Christmas, and 2007 Voyager Estate Shiraz definitely made me think of just that – plummy and sweet spiced, just like a Chrissie pud(ding)! And with the lamb shish kebab – omigod! Yantra's chef Chintan was so spot-on! Lamb and shiraz... have I clicked my red shoes? For a moment, I thought I was in Oz again!

And then came the big brother. 2005 Mr Black's Concoction Shiraz Viognier brought in the full-bodied jamminess of a Barossa shiraz. Jam-packed of fruits, peppered with the white spice on the nose. A family member of our host Soma graced this wine with her preference. She came, she saw, she liked.

The red wines reigned on TLN Aussie tasting. Indeed, growing, making (and drinking) reds were amongst the things the inhabitants of that sun-burnt land do best. Even the white-wine drinkers converted, and there was something for everyone!

 

Wine-bits for those new to NZ’s Hawkes Bay wine region.

When first I began discovering NZ wines, they were more from South Island than North Island. They were more whites than reds; and it was more pinot noir for red than the other red varietals. It was not by intent that this was so. These were the ones easily available at wine shops (not that there were that many wine shops in the first place a decade ago) and the choice of purchase by friends when we came together for wine sessions. Things have changed these last few years with the arrival of new wine merchants, more wine shops and new wine bars offering a wider choice.

Think full-bodied wines. If Marlborough is popular for its sauvignon blanc, and Central Otago for its pinot noir; then Hawkes Bay in North Island is known for full-bodied red varietals like cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah, and for full-flavoured chardonnays. Over the years Hawkes Bay, the second largest wine region in NZ, has gained a reputation for producing Bordeaux style reds; and rich, complex chardonnays.

In fact more than 70% of NZ’s cabernet sauvignon, merlot and syrah plantings are found in Hawkes Bay. Other popular reds varietals grown here are malbec, cabernet franc, petit verdot and pinot noir. There is also a small quantity of montepulciano, sangiovese and tempranillo being tried out in this region. Chardonnay is the most widely planted white varietal over here. Other whites varietals found here are sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, gewürztraminer, riesling and viognier.

The maritime climate, long hours of sunshine, warm summers and cool autumns, and a varying topography offering more than 20 soil types present an opportunity to make grapes with lots of colour, aroma and flavor, and wines in a range of style. Hawkes Bay offers a range of terrain types where vines are planted:

• The ‘hillsides’ of Te Mata Peak and Maraekakaho.
• The 'higher altitude', cool, inland Central Hawkes Bay area.
• The ‘alluvial plains’ of Korokip, Taradale, Meeanee, Gimblett Gravels and Ohiti.
• The ‘sheltered river valleys’ of Esk, Tutaekuri, Ngaruroro and Tukituki rivers.
• The 'coastal' areas of Bay view and Te Awango.

Gimblett Gravels

One sub-region which has gained recognition within the Hawkes Bay area is Gimblett Gravels. A unique characteristic of this region is its soil. Located over an area of 800 hectares, its shingle soil, deposited by the Ngaruroro River, comprises of stones, gravels and coarse sands. The free draining quality of this soil promotes a healthy root system among vines. Likewise, the heat retaining properties of this soil offers additional warmth for grapes to achieve phenolic ripeness. Though having only 30 years of wine making history, this region is making award winning wines and a name for itself with its Bordeaux blend reds and syrahs.

If you are curious about Bordeaux blends, do try some from Hawkes Bay (especially those from Gimblett Gravels) and compare them with others from Australia, Chile, US and France. Your palate may discover some surprises.

Happy sips!

 

Wine: 2009 Glazebrook, Pinot Gris, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand.

Tasting note: Aromas of ripe pear, ripe peach, spice and floral notes. Medium bodied, smooth texture; flavours of pear, peach and sweet spice in mid-palate.

 

 

 

 

 

Wine: 2005 Trinity Hills, ‘The Gimblett’, Gimblett Gravels, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. This is a bordeaux blend made of 61% merlot, 21% malbec, 11% petit verdot, 5% cabernet franc and 2% cabernet sauvignon.

Tasting note: Aromas of black berries, currants and herbs. Medium to full bodied, youthful character, supple and fleshy in texture, flavours of red ripe fruits, soft tannins and an integrated body with lingering finish.

  I researched the restaurant menu before the outing, to decide what wine to bring, to find that it is a rotary hotpot restaurant (kinda cross between a sushi train and hotpot), offering six different soup-bases, eight different sauces, chicken, fish, seafood, red meats, omigod!

Choices, choices... what to do??!!!! Should I bring white wine or red wine? Dry or sweet? Woody, fruity, flinty, what? Arrgh!!!

Ok, ok, deep breath...*mmm-ahh*...om....

Thankfully, some items are marked “signature.” Let's just go with that. The signature soup is a mushroom broth, and signature sauce contains fermented beans, sesame, sweet chilli, coriander, spring onion and garlic. Now we're getting somewhere.

This calls for fruity white wine, with medium body to hold against the mushroom and bean paste, and forward enough fruit palate to balance the strong flavours of chilli, herbs and spices. So I opted for a German Scheurebe and an Australian Pinot Gris.

 The South Australian 2008 Pike & Joyce Pinot Gris' rich fruit flavours blended beautifully with the sweet prawns cooked in gentle mushroom soup base, the spiced-pears palate with sweet chili and coriander. Most definitely a goer!

As we put our noses to the glass, the 2007 Juliusspital Scheurebe from the Franken city of Würzburg exploded with floral and sweet fruit aromas. Ripe stone-fruit flavours persisted even after being washed with (by then) richly flavoursome soup and mouthfuls of stuffed bitter gourd (my favourite!). I thought the apricot palate even added a dimension to the spicy sweet bean sauce!

 

 

 

Terence, OpenRicer and self-proclaimed absolute novice, swirled, sniffed, sipped, mused over both wines and declared preference to Scheurebe because the wine taste better with the food. The fruit flavours stayed longer, said he.

The restaurant gave us a taste of their house wines, Chilean Montes Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon, to try and match with our hotpot soups. The Sauv Blanc was an easy-to-drink, can't-go-much-wrong sort of fruity white, which, well, can't go much wrong.

My initial reaction of the Cab was not impressive, even with the strong “red meat” flavour of pork liver. But OpenRice graphic designer Jayden preference to medium-rare liver showed the way. He mused what it would be like to marinate the liver in the red wine - lo and behold, that combination did bringeth forth the fruit in the Cab Sauv.

There was dessert, too, of chocolate fondue with fruit, but I was too busy yapping, sipping, munching and experimenting that by the time I finished my hotpot soup, the restaurant was empty and staff was cleaning up. What to do - too much fun and not enough time!

For more OpenRice – Local Nose food and wine adventures, watch this space!

2008 Pike & Joyce Pinot Gris is available from Wine Directions, and

2007 Juliusspital Scheurebe from Magma Bistro and Wine Shop.

Heads up to all the Pinot-holics out there! The first TLN blogging showdown is here with two New Zealand (NZ) reds, Marlborough versus Central Otago.  Here’s one to watch, two of the ‘kiwis’ most planted red varietal,  Pinot Noir from the same vintage (2008) with different geographical regions, soils and growing conditions.

Marlborough, situated at NZ’s north eastern tip of the South Island is the biggest of NZ’s wine regions. Although Sauvignon Blanc is the predominant and most planted variety here, it is closely followed by Pinot Noir.  The 2008 Marlborough vintage was apparently one of the warmest and driest which may result in more concentrated fruit flavours.

Central Otago on the other hand doesn’t lack in reputation by any means. It prides itself as the world’s most southerly wine country which produces Pinot Noir as its largest varietal. Often Pinot Noirs cultivated here from NZ’s only continental climate, produces wines of significant quality to put this red variety in the eyes of the world. Similarly, growers claim the 2008 vintage to be a good harvest with some vineyards in Central Otago achieving higher yields.

For more detailed information between these regions, be sure to check back on our resident expert, Morgun’s NZ blogs! (Central Otago has just posted below)


Wines: Hunter’s 2008 Pinot Noir (Marlborough) vs. Lowburn Ferry 2008 Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Hunter’s 2008 Pinot Noir

Bouquet: Pink cherries with some light spices coming through plus a hint of earthiness

Palate: Light on its feet, soft and elegant with multiple layers of bright cherries, hints of earthiness following from the nose before some spicy toasted oak on the finish




Lowburn Ferry 2008 Pinot Noir

Bouquet: Great aromatics! Some underlying spices plus well integrated dark fruits mixed with cranberries with a whiff of tobacco

Palate: Fuller and broodingly ‘masculine’, higher acid structured red with dark fruits (and dark cherries) with a touch of spices on the finish





The verdict:

Wines come in all sorts of styles as to drinkers’ preferences to different wine expressions…

Personally, I enjoyed nosing Lowburn Ferry’s brooding and well integrated bouquet. Conversely, Hunter’s did rather well to caress my palate with its ‘feminine’ touch, complemented by its multiple flavor profiles.

The second half (another couple of Pinots) will be up soon!!!

~End of part 1~

Always trust your PALate, it's your PAL!
Cheers!

Wine bits for the new wine lover and those curious on NZ’s Central Otago wine region.

When first I heard about helicopters being used to hover over vineyards in an attempt to prevent temperatures from falling too low and to fight against frost, I did not believe it. I honestly thought the winemaker from Central Otago was pulling a fast one. This constant battle to grow grapes in a challenging environment in pursuit of making good quality wines is one reason I am always intrigued with Central Otago. Mankind’s need for challenge? A love affair with madness? The pride of growing grapes and making wine in an area markedly different from any other wine region in NZ? More questions than answers come to my mind when I think of this area. The relief one finds is in the fact that these efforts seem to be paying off. Central Otago wines are getting recognized for quality and being sought after by wine lovers locally as well as abroad.

Among the wine regions in NZ, Central Otago holds claim to several unique features. It’s the southernmost wine region in NZ. And being a wine producing region at a latitude of 45 degrees south, it is also the southernmost wine region in the world. NZ’s highest vineyards are also found here, located from 200m to 400m above sea level. These vineyards lie within the subregions of Gibbston, Wanaka, Alexandra, Cromwell, Lowburn, Bendigo and Bannockburn.

In terms of climate, Central Otago is the only wine region in NZ under the influence of continental climate (whereas the rest of NZ’s wine regions come under the influence of maritime climate). The continental influence gives this region hot and dry summers, long cool autumns and cold winters. There is greater extremes of daily and seasonal temperatures here than in other NZ wine regions. In fact this region is the hottest, driest and coldest wine region in NZ. Risk of frost exist, a good reason prompting vineyards to be preferably located on north facing hill slopes. Those vineyards located on flatter terrain tend to battle against frost using helicopters, wind machines, frost pots and water sprinklers. Ironically, this prevailing temperature extremes and climate produce exceptional wines which distinguish themselves locally as well as abroad.

The long growing season and daily temperature variation come together to grow grapes full of flavor, flavor intensity and acidity (qualities ideal for pinot noir and other varietals). Since 2009, there is more than 1,500 hectares of land under grape cultivation, making Central Otago the seventh largest wine region in NZ. Pinot noir is the dominant grape varietal grown here.  This is followed by white varietals like chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, riesling, gewürztraminer and pinot gris.

 

Wine: 2008 Domain Road, Riesling, Central Otago, New Zealand

Tasting note: Nose and palate shows citrus, grapefruit and mandarin orange characters. A slightly off-dry and medium bodied wine. A good balance in body between fruit flavours and acidity. Wine has a long finish.

There is a tendency for wine lovers to compare how a particular grape varietal show itself in various wine regions. One exercise can be to compare how a varietal like pinot noir shows itself within the various sub-regions of Central Otago. The other exercise can be to compare how a varietal performs across regions like Martinborough, Marlborough, Waipara and Central Otago.

One quest can be to appreciate the regional nuances and differences; the other can be to seek a style that you enjoy, so you can drink more of it.

Happy sips!