Making the case for New Zealand reds

There are few wines as sought after as Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand’s Marlborough vineyards. Despite the quality and “drinkability” of the other wines the country has to offer, Brits only seem to be interested in the fruity white grape variety, even during a supply crisis after a bad harvest.

New Zealand produces great reds from instantly recognisable varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but they only just register the smallest ripple on the sales ledger of most merchants. 

One exception is Pinot Noir: a French “colonist” that was first planted on both islands in the late 1800s and has recently been climbing into the public consciousness through the world-class product grown in the South Island region of Otago, New Zealand. 

The more northerly Marlborough region accounts for 70 per cent of the Pinot plantings in New Zealand, but their final product does not quite match the quality as their southern contemporaries. This is due to the pioneering Marlborough producers planting the wrong vine for their soil, a Swiss clone that resulted in wines with little depth and structure. 

This mistake has taken a good deal of effort to rectify, but by planting a more suitable Burgundian version of the vine and taking time to alter negative public perception, they are getting there.

Central Otago put itself on the Pinot Noir lovers map at the start of the Noughties by taking a big, ripe and oaky wine to market. It helped to establish them, but, in the twenty or so years since, the region’s producers have sought to control vigour in the vine and the boldness in the wine, culturing elegance and freshness in the final product. Picking the grapes slightly earlier and fermenting at lower temperatures have helped lock in these desirable qualities.

Although the growth of Pinot Noir in “the land of the long white cloud” has only properly been realised in the last twenty years, if you are looking for delicious wines with floral, herbal and fruity complexity, don’t automatically reach for the Sauvignon Blanc. Instead, choose a Kiwi red, especially those Pinots from Central Otago in the south and Martinborough in the north.

New Zealand reds to try:

Greywacke Vineyards Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand – £33.49 from Adnams

Yealands Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir – £16.79 from Drinks Direct.com

Mt Difficulty ‘Roaring Meg’ Pinot Noir, Central Otago – £18.99 from Majestic Wines