One of my most memorable moments in New Zealand came when sustainable winery owner extraordinaire Peter Yealands proudly assured me there were now more vines than sheep, which seemed a good thing.
Yealands knows a thing or two about sheep: he brought in the first Baby Dolls (Australian miniatures) that offer a truly sustainable answer to weed control in the vineyard.
The even better news (unless you're a sheep, maybe) is that many of those vines are Pinot Noir, something at which New Zealand excels.
Last week's Vancouver wine guru DJ Kearney led a tasting of 13 wines from around the country, not only from Central Otago (which has long been hailed as Kiwi Pinot's star performer). Flighted by region, they offered a worthy reminder that there's more to New Zealand than great Sauvignon Blanc and a diversity of regions beyond Marlborough. I was truly impressed by the across-the-board quality of these drops, and only hope those that aren't yet available do eventually find their way into this market.
Not all are for the wallet-challenged, although they do offer remarkable value at every level given the price you generally have to pay these days for good Pinot.
Here's a few worth tracking down.
Ara Select Blocks 2012 (Marlborough, Waihopai Valley): Darker, more earthy, with some barnyard hints followed by a cherry-toned palate with balanced tannins, acidity and some savoury hints that nod to Burgundy. Excellent value, $24.95, 91 points.
Gladstone Pinot Noir Wairarapa 2011 (Wairarapa): Very elegant, lighter style but with all the savoury, bright cherry chocolate, plum and spice elements, with violets up front followed by silky tannins and a good finish. A powerful wine for its weight, $44.50, 91 points.
Tohu Rore Reserve Pinot Noir 2012 (Marlborough, Awatere): Leaner style, appealing, savoury and mineral entry with herbal notes wrapped in cherry and black fruit with well-balanced tannins, BCLS $44.99, 90 points.
Once again, as is often the case with New Zealand, I was struck by the range and styles on offer although, sadly, we're still not seeing the kind of diversity that's actually available in this market. Hopefully that will soon change.Also on hand last week was Kiwi pioneer John Forrest, who first came to Vancouver some 18 years ago and introduced the then very novel and mistrusted idea of screw caps. At the time, Forrest poured wines from identical batches of his Forrest Estate, side by side, one under cork and one under screw cap.
The results were pretty convincing, so much so that consumer acceptance of screw caps took hold in B.C. a whole lot faster than elsewhere. These days, thanks to the Marlborough Kiwis, screw caps are no longer even an issue.
Now Forrest and his wife have embarked on a new initiative: a line of low-alcohol wines that include the following.
The Doctors' Riesling 2011: Bright, juicy green apple notes with stonefruit and citrus. Very refreshing as a sipper but also food friendly (specialty and PWS $20-ish, 89 points).
The Doctors' Sauvignon Blanc 2012: Very varietally correct, with classic herbaceous and tropical notes (specialty and PWS $20-ish, 89 points).Belly's Budget Best Monte del Fra Bardolino 2012Up-front crushed red berries and spice followed by easy-sipping, zesty red fruit with crisp acidity. Perfect slightly chilled with barbecued salmon or mild cheeses ($16.99, 90 points).
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. Contact: [email protected].
