Apologies for the lack of a post about my wine experiences in New Zealand. Whilst there I was caught up with just appreciating being there and since my return a week ago the jetlag has not helped me focus. Plus, I’m a bit hesitant about what to say.
I absolutely love the country of New Zealand (Aotearoa) let me make that clear from the start. The scenery is incredible, the people are very welcoming and friendly and there is so much variety across the country from the warm beaches of the Bay of Islands to the fjords of the west and the wildness of the southlands. Add in volcanoes, earthquakes, unique wildlife and you begin to see the fascinating nature of the country. If I was a lot younger then I’d seriously consider living there. So, why am I hesitant to speak about the wines?
New Zealand has a long tradition of wine production dating back to the 19thC as immigrants from Europe took vine cuttings with them and made wine principally for their own use. One of my winery visits was to Mission Estate in Hawke’s Bay, the country’s first winery founded in 1851 by French missionaries. It was not until the 1970s though that this nascent winemaking blossomed into a large commercial venture. The UK’s entry into the Common Market (EU) made exports of wool, lamb and other products more difficult and many farmers turned to wine. The early success of Sauvignon Blanc wines with their upfront, appealing tropical flavours quickly brought names like Cloudy Bay, Hunter’s and Jackson to the fore around the world.
As I became interested in wine in the 1980s I enjoyed those Savvies (as the Kiwis call them) and still do but I also began to appreciate some of the other wines being produced. The key bottle was Te Mata Coleraine which opened my eyes to the possibilities of NZ red wines, in this case Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was a real treat. therefore, to be able to visit Te Mata winery and taste some of their wines though, sadly, not the Coleraine which now retails for very large sums and was the draw for most of the many visitors to the cellar door. Incidentally, if you are in that area then drive (or walk if you are brave) up Te Mata hill itself for the stunning views it affords.
Coleraine vineyard at Te Mata
So, why am I hesitant to speak about the wines? Answer the question!!
Well, though I enjoyed many very good, interesting and enjoyable wines whilst in New Zealand I have to say that the majority were a bit dull, interchangeable regardless of place or winery. As well as and tasting a large number of wines during my stay I visited fourteen or fifteen wineries and they became predictable, offering pretty much the same formula of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Rosé, Pinot Noir. I won’t name names here but some of the wines I tasted in Hawke’s Bay were very much the same as the wines I tasted in Marlborough, Canterbury or Otago and so on. Formulaic, commercial wines made for easy drinking, often passing off time in oak as if it was a magic formula to good wine.
Now, there is a place for such wines and many people do enjoy them but for me, they lacked any real character or interest. Like Australia many New Zealand wineries seem to exist because of the cellar door experience, restaurants and bars. Some of these, like Cloudy Bay, were excellent and I like the idea of going to a winery and enjoying food and wines, it is very appealing. However, quite a few were aiming for quantity rather than quality. Good for them if that makes them a living but it doesn’t make necessarily for interesting wine for a wine enthusiast (snob) like me.
When wineries offered something different, whether that be grape variety or winemaking methods, it lifted the spirits. I tasted some excellent wines and I will be highlighting some of those next time. It is easy to forget that the NZ wine industry is young and is catching up with the Old World and its experience. Many of the vineyards are vast swathes of Sauvignon Blanc (75% of Marlborough vines) on flat land and the wineries have massive tanks of wine. The artisanal side of winemaking is younger still and wineries such as Hans Herzog, Felton Road and Valli are beginning to spread their influence but it’s an uphill struggle as yet. The natural wine scene is tiny though The Hermit Ram, Halcyon Days, Cambridge Road are making good wines and I discovered one exciting new addition. I am sure that in a decade or so there will be more variety of wine being produced.
It is good to go into any bar in New Zealand and find wines readily available at good prices by the glass or bottle. I hope that some of those will experiment a bit more and help build a demand for variety. One such is Matisse in Napier which offered the well known wines of New Zealand alongside new producers and with sections on its list for unusual grapes. On more than one occasion I was warned in other establishments that some wines were organic so might taste different. I hope that attitude can be put to one side. There is so much going for New Zealand wine; the climate, clean air, fresh water and some producers are using those natural blessings to make wine I want to buy and drink. I just hope that more will follow their example and not just settle for being the same.
amarchinthevines 