I’ll have to admit early doors here that this might be a tad on the brief side. Firstly I can’t really do justice to the amazing wines coming from both North and South islands in just a couple of short paragraphs. Secondly, I’ve got to bugger off and catch a plane to Bordeaux, I know, it’s a tough life!
Because New Zealand is effectively just a couple of thin strips on land surrounded by oceans you get cool to moderate temperatures, and sometimes fairly wet conditions. Also, the further south you go, the cooler it gets (southern hemisphere remember!).
One great thing about the climate is that there are a lot of long sunny days in the growing seasons. This means the sugars in the grapes are quite high, meaning, especially for Pinot Noir, they tend to be relatively high in alcohol compared with elsewhere in the world.
The style usually sought is one of pure red fruit. Most winemakers try not to mess about with the grapes too much in the winery. Some like to encourage more earthy or herby smells, I think more than anything just so it doesn’t taste of fruit cordial to be fair.
I’m down playing it a bit maybe, but I really don’t mean to. A well made New Zealand Pinot Noir is one of the best wines you’ll ever try. I hope you get lucky this week and get your hands on one.
Cheers
Other posts in NWTW Week 23:
#NWTW Week 23: Pinot Noir from New Zealand (Part One)
#NWTW Week 23: Pinot Noir from New Zealand (Part Two)
#NWTW Week 23: The First Pinot Noir of the Year
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