The Cellar: New Zealand Pinot Noir
Friday, August 15, 2014
Steffen Rasch, GoLocalProv Wine Writer
If you have any familiarity with the wines of New Zealand it is probably the grassy ‘New Zealand style’ Sauvignon Blanc. But the fact is that all kinds of wines are made in New Zealand ranging from fruit driven Merlots to steely dry Rieslings. That said the varietal that most wine nerds are talking about these days continue to be Pinot Noir. Over the past 15 years New Zealand Pinot Noir has become increasingly popular with consumers domestically as well as internationally so plantings are on the rise. In fact, Pinot Noir is now second only to Sauvignon Blanc in production volume.
Pinot Noir is predominantly grown on New Zealand’s southern island, i.e. the cooler part of the country, most noticeably in Marlborough and Central Otago. Because it is slightly cooler in Central Otago the wines from this part of the country are usually leaner, less ripe and higher in acid compared to the ones being produced further north where the warmer weather produces softer and more fruit-driven wines.
This week feature wine is the newly released 2013 Pinot Noir from
Dashwood. For around $15 this wine delivers a lot of character, as well as flavor. There is an undeniable ‘delicious factor’, made up of ripe dark fruits, mellow acidity and soft tannins, that makes this wine very approachable and a great entry wine for someone looking to taste New Zealand Pinot for the first time. A light chill gives the wine a refreshing pop. The grapes for the Dashwood wines are sourced from Marlborough, more specifically the sub-regions Wairau and Awatere Valleys – hence the riper fruit profile.
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Side note: 2013 was a spectacular growing season in New Zealand so I urge you to try as many 2013s as possible, especially any red you might be able to find. They are usually great values.
Cheers.
Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Feel free to email him at [email protected] with any wine-related question or learn about wine in person by signing up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.
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