Preferred Wine Cellars
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Types of Red Wine from New Zealand
New Zealand seems to have slipped under the radar when it comes to red wines and when people name famous red wine producing areas they usually seem to forget this country. There are some remarkable New Zealand wines though.
The History of Wine in New Zealand
Wine making in New Zealand dates back to the colonial times in the early nineteenth century. Most British immigrants at the time had a preference for spirits and beer, so wine production was marginal. Port and sherry was made there though, as well as different types of red wine and white wine.
The wine industry did not develop much until the middle of the last century, when Britain because part of the EEC (European Economic Community) and this required the end of the historic New Zealand meat and dairy trade terms. The agricultural economy was drastically restructured and vines were introduced to areas, which had been only used for pasture before.
Pubs and bars in New Zealand were only open for half an hour at the end of the working day and closed on Sundays but this was reformed. Also, BYO was introduced in restaurants. BYO means, "bring your own" and New Zealanders began to bring bottles of wine to restaurants. A lot of New Zealanders traveled around Europe in the 1960s and 1970s and discovered the wine-drinking culture.
The Best New Zealand Red Wines
Montana in Marlborough began to produce Sauvignon Blanc in the 1970s and Cabernet Sauvignon later on. Some people claim that Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is the best in the world.
Red wine in New Zealand is often made from blends of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, or Cabernet Franc varietals. Syrah, Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Tempranillo have also been used recently. Merlot because the next popular wine in New Zealand after the early popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Bordeaux blends in New Zealand come from hot, dry areas like Waiheke Island and Hawke's Bay. Most wines from the country are early maturing, fruit-driven and not too oaked. There are a lot of differences between New Zealand wines which are due to the vineyards, wine-makers' philosophies and vintages, although a lot of New Zealand Pinot Noirs are fruity and ripe with mineral, earthy, wild thyme flavors.
Pinot Noir is very popular in New Zealand, although in the late 1970s and early 1980s not much red wine was made in the country because of the low annual sunshine hours, which can be an issue when making red wine. The Saint Helena 1984 Pinot Noir is an exception though. This wine was made in the Canterbury area and its success led to the belief that Canterbury might become the home of Pinot Noir in New Zealand. Good Pinot Noirs are still made in this area.
New Zealand wine growers favor Merlot because the grapes ripen fast. Merlot can be hard to grow, as the grapes need lots of pruning and also well-drained soil. Merlot can go from ripe to overripe in a couple of days, so attention to ripeness levels is also very important. Merlots from New Zealand are lightly oaked with soft berry flavors.
The Syrah grape, which is also known in some areas as Shiraz, is also used to make wine in New Zealand. The country has only been using this grape for twenty years, although the wines taste good with their peppery, spicy aromas.
