Wine Focus for November 2017: New Zealand

[Robin Garr]

Let's spin the globe and look at the Southern Hemisphere for November's Wine Focus as we delve into the wines of New Zealand. The country's aromatic Sauvignon Blancs probably come first to mind when we think of Aotearoa, the Land of the Long White Cloud. But there's plenty of good Pinot Noir, too, and smaller quantities of diverse varieties including Pinot Gris, a splash of Syrah, and even a Pinotage vineyard or two. NZ wines are generally available in the US, and I believe in the Commonwealth nations, Canada, Britain and Australia. How are the pickings in Europe, though, Tim and others? If you have a problem, we won't yell if you substitute some Loire or other cool-climate Sauvignon or Pinot.

Robin, availability of NZ wines in France is similar to that from most foreign and especially New World countries, i.e. sparse. As with the others, there is a token presence on supermarket shelves of mainly SB from large producers, e.g. Brancott, and some upmarket cavistes mainly in Paris, e.g.Lavinia, may carry a few more at inflated prices. Another resource is web sellers in other EU countries, especially Germany, where prices are quite reasonable but orders should be in multiples of 12 assorted bottles to amortise freight.

Availability in Belgium is much better.

PS: I just checked Lavinia's website. Only 1 from New Zealand . Cloudy Bay SB for c.€30 .

30 Euros..LOL.
NZ has rather fallen off my horizon of late. Some PN choices out there, also P Gris so will look around but not too excited this month.

Well, I was in luck as local winebar was offering the Kim Crawford Pinot Gris for $10 a glass. From Marlborough of course, like the SB. I was expecting some thing rather on the commercial side but I enjoyed with some perogies.
Pale yellow green in color, banana, orange on the nose. My tasting companion found some apricot and pineapple but it was not a big tropical fruit style nose. Initial entry thought was off-dry, good finish, nice acidity with pear and lycee, Some might think so-so but under the tasting circumstances was very pleasant but need something tad more complex. Might be hard to find up here with slim pickings by the looks of it.

[Robin Garr]

Both are pretty good, yet they're quite different in style. The Oyster Bay shows lean, herbaceous flavors more akin to the Old World, compared with the ripe, oak-accented Nobilo Icon, showing a more New World style.

Oyster Bay 2012 Marlborough Pinot Noir ($14.99)

Clear ruby color, quite dark at the core but shading quickly to a clear edge. Light red fruit and a pleasant whiff of ripe, just-cut tomato - a characteristic that I often find in cool-climate Pinot Noir - shows in the nose and on the palate. It's brisk and acidic in the flavor, tart and palate-cleansing, rather light-bodied, with a soft edge of tannins and a hint of stony minerality in the finish.
13% alcohol in a wine that's distinctly Pinot Noir, more reminiscent of the Old World than the New. U.S. importer: Oyster Bay Wines USA, NYC. (Nov. 1, 2017)

FOOD MATCH: Fine with beef, burgers and meatloaf. It would also go well with Pinot's alternate companions: salmon, mushrooms, and cheeses.

WHEN TO DRINK: The sturdy metal screwcap - almost ubiquitous in New Zealand wines - will help preserve it, and there's no rush to drink it up now. I doubt that it will evolve with cellaring, though, so might as well enjoy it over the next year or so and then buy more recent vintages.

VALUE:
I skated in for a buck less than Wine-Searcher.com's $16 average U.S. retail; it's a good value in the middle teens.

WEB LINK
Here's a detailed fact sheet on Oyster Bay Pinot Noir from its producer.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Locate vendors and check prices for Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir on Wine-Searcher.com.


Nobilo Icon 2013 Marlborough Pinot Noir ($19.99)

Rather dark ruby in color, with reddish-orange glints against the light. Mixed fruits, blackberries and plums and red and black cherries, with a distinct but not overwhelming edge of warm, spicy oak. Mouth-filling fruit and good body on the palate, red and black fruit and gentle spice over tart acidity, with soft tannins becoming more apparent in the long finish. Moderate 13% alcohol doesn’t intrude. U.S. importer: Constellation Imports, Gonzales, Calif. (Nov. , 2017)

FOOD MATCH: Lamb; salmon or tuna, mushroom and cheese dishes are its natural territory for matching, but like most Pinot, it’s versatile. It worked nicely here with a simple Tuscan dish of large white beans (Royal Coronas from Rancho Gordo) drizzled with good olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper; thin slices of Parmigiano Reggiano alone made it sing.

WHEN TO DRINK: No rush, particularly with the stout metal cap, but I don’t see it as a Pinot with long-term aging potential. Drink up over the next few years.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com's $20 average U.S. retail is on the steep side, but it can be found widely in the middle teens, at which point it's a very good value. Check Wine Searcher for good buys at sources convenient for you.

WEB LINK
Here's a fact sheet on Nobilo Icon Marlborough Pinot Noir from the winery website.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Find vendors and compare prices for Nobilo Icon Marlborough Pinot Noir on Wine-Searcher.com.

I live in New Zealand and greatly enjoy its wines. While Marlborough has some very good Pinot Noirs, the best come from either Central Otago in the South Island (near Queenstown) or Martinborough in the south of the North Island, about two hours drive from Wellington. By number of vineyards and quantity of cases, Central Otago is the most prolific but Martinborough has been established longer. From the latter region, Dry River, Martinborough, and Palliser stand out for me. Central Otago includes Gibbston Valley and actor Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks amongst many top labels. Prices range NZD 50 - 85.
For me the best NZ wines and often neglected are its stickies. Cloudy Bay, Dry River, and Pegasus Bay amongst many others producers are world class.

Trevor, Welcome to this great website. One question for you. I have read that Dry River makes an outstanding Gewurztraminer. Have you tried it and if so what do you think of it? I have never seen it in the US of A. Any other NZ Gewurztraminers of note?

[David M. Bueker]

Welcome Trevor.

I would sample more NZ wines if there was any reasonable selection near me.

There used to be, but it seems NZ has fallen off the retail map in recent years. At least in my area.

Hi Jim
I’ve been reading Robin’s wine lovers posts for many years but never had the urge to post.
Dry River wines are almost all outstanding. The gewurztraminer is no exception. Michael Cooper a well read NZ wine writer rates it 5 star and one of the best in NZ. It’s usually around NZ$ 47-50 a bottle. It ages well. I have tried some and it’s quite spicy and elegant. I prefer their Rieslings however.
Cheers
Trevor

Sorry Jim missed your second question. Other good ones include Pegasus Bay from North Canterbury in the South Island, Framingham in Marlborough. I think they both export to the US.

Thanks Trevor. If I ever get over to NZ for some serious fly fishing and wine tasting I'll look up Dry River and Pegasus Bay. That would be a dream come true!

[Robin Garr]

I’ve been reading Robin’s wine lovers posts for many years but never had the urge to post.

I'm very glad you broke the ice, Trevor! I hope you won't be a stranger now that you've introduced yourself.

If I can add for Jim on NZ Gewurz -

Dry River do indeed make an outstanding one, in the large, intense fruit and spice mould. A most striking wine, but very hard to get.

Other good ones - Framingham & Johanneshof.

Cheers
Andrew

[David M. Bueker]

Who is importing Dry River to the USA these days?

[Jenise]

Is Dry River a brand unto itself? I am recalling a number of outstanding whites I've had from Lawson's Dry River--separate entity from what you're discussing?

http://www.dryriver.co.nz

Are you thinking of Lawsons Dry Hills?

[Jenise]

Ah, I see, a separate brand altogether. Thanks for clarifying.

[Jenise]

Here's something unusual, a New Zealand Syrah. It was a gift and therefore an orphan in my cellar: I believe it's the first NZ syrah I've ever had. Served it last night with garlic-crusted lamb chops on a potato and green olive hash.

2005 Bilancia Syrah 'la Collina', Hawkes Bay
Decanted; no sediment. Mostly black fruit with black olive, wet cement and a tiny amount of tar. Much more generous on the nose than on the palate, and a short, parched finish made it dull and better with food than without. Usually, when the nose has some freshness and is more open than the palate, I would presume the wine was just closed and needed more time, but other reports over the last two years on Cellar Tracker would not make one optimistic about that in this case. Price appears to be $60ish in the U.S.

[David M. Bueker]

I procured and opened a bottle of 2016 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc in the name of science. Overall it was not objectionable to this SB hater. That being said, it was rather bland. I did not expect that.

1BE4BB01-36A7-43B4-8A65-C6E06CE25D95.jpeg

[Jenise]

I procured and opened a bottle of 2016 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc in the name of science. Overall it was not objectionable to those SB hater. That being said, it was rather bland. I did not expect that.

1BE4BB01-36A7-43B4-8A65-C6E06CE25D95.jpeg

Unfortunately, that's my experience with the modern Cloudy Bays (not the Te Koko, though, that's magnificent). Definitely isn't the same quality that it was when the original two (Kevin who now has Greywacke and the other guy's at, I think, Dog Point). Bizarrely though, about the same lofty price it ever was, so very overpriced for what it delivers nowadays.

But hey, good of you to take the chance.

2011 Misha`s Vineyard Wines Riesling Limelight Misha`s Vineyard, Central Otago.

Cellared 2 years, SC, $25 Cdn, not that well-known a producer, NZ Riesling hard to find up here in AB.

Medium yellow in color. Very aromatic nose over two days, good spice here, hint of gasolein. Some lime, peach, apricot and a hint of honey. Could be too sweet for what I am proposing to eat for dinner?
Initial entry thought is medium-bodied, some residual sugar quite apparent, complex, good fruit balance. As it opens, "more of a spatlese style wine, not what I was expecting" from across the table. Peach, tangerine, nice minerality, some spice. Way too sweet for my current taste, have a Framingham somewhere which will suit me better I feel.



.

2013 Trinity Hill Syrah....seems like an O.K. Cote du Rhone to me with blackberry fruit in moderation and a bit on black olive mixed in. There is an astringency on the finish that is off-putting. I'll save whatever bottles I have left for deer camp. Those guys will drink anything. abv of 13%

Hey Bob, what is the alcohol level on that Misha's Vineyard Riesling? Just curious, since you say it is spatlese style.

Hey Joe..12.5%.