The Second Glass

Needing a break from wine, our first week in New Zealand was packed full of hiking, beer drinking, and driving through the picturesque and changing landscapes of the south island. Our first wine stop was to visit a friend working a harvest in the Waipara Valley just north of Christchurch. We were greeted in the cellar with the frenzy of four forklifts shuffling grapes around, and the frantic scurrying of every employee to process the incoming fruit. We were propositioned to work on the sorting table (conveyor belt of crushed fruit used to remove stems by hand) for a few hours in exchange for a few bottles of wine. With a moment of consideration to jump into the excitement of another harvest, we simultaneously said “thanks, but no thanks - we’re on vacation now!”.

Pushing north, we came to the picturesque mountains surrounding the Marlborough region. There was a light cool breeze in the fall day to match the light wine styles Marlborough is famous for, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Pinot Noir. I came to Marlborough expecting to love its Sauvignon Blancs, and I have left wanting to taste more of its impressive Pinot Noirs. From what I tasted Marlborough seems to produce intense fruit forward Pinot’s like I have never tasted. If a glass of fresh strawberries, black berries and raspberries is your style - Try some Marlborough Pinot Noirs. The even bigger surprise was the complex and balanced Chardonnays tasted.

Our final stop in the south island is the lesser known Nelson wine region. Marlborough has put its name on the map as THE region for Sauvignon Blanc in the world, but it is the opinion of this humble traveler that Nelson’s offering has much more character. Nelson is protected by the mountains on the east and the Tasman Bay on the West leading to a temperate climate. With less variation between day and night time temperatures, Sauvignon Blanc from this region comes out with more tropical fruits on the nose, which is the sweet spot for my personal tastes. The surprise Nelson had to offer me was a new found respect for a varietal I normally ignored - Pinot Gris. In one sip, Pinot Gris transformed in my mind from the cheep, tasteless wine I drank in college to a delicate white wine that can taste like a great desert. The best example had some residual sugar balanced perfectly with baked peach flavors. In any case, if you are looking for a fresh New Zealand white wine, try out the Nelson Region.

Until next time,

Cheers!