"new zealand wines" news and stories

New Zealand may be relatively new at creating wines (when you compare the country's history with that of Old World countries like Portugal and France), but it's making great inroads. The first established vineyard was in 1851, thanks to a Roman Catholic church that had access to land in Hawke's Bay, still a significant region for vineyards and wine production.There are about ten growing regions for grapes in this slender island country that stretches from Northland to Otago. Beginning in the 1980s, New Zealand's most famous wine grape -- Sauvignon Blanc -- began to attract critical attention. Pinot Noir tends to be its most coveted red wine, yet Bordeaux blends are also achieving recognition.

New Zealand's Sauvignon Blancs are crisper and snappier than their counterparts in Chile, even more so than the varietal in California. To tone it down but not eliminate the heart of this wine, pair it with seafood dishes that contain a citrus sauce, or choose aged cheeses with fresh-baked breads. Pinot Noirs there tend to be lighter than, say, those produced in Santa Rita Hills or other AVAs along California's Central Coast. It's still okay to choose a gamey, dark meat, or any mushroom dish would do quite well. There are a lot of earthy and forest-floor notes in New Zealand Pinots, and the above options will accentuate them beautifully.

See our six favorites after the jump. These wines perfectly express New Zealand's terroir now.

One of the reasons I miss the Bay Area is the San Francisco Chronicle. Now don't get me wrong, I love the Los Angeles Times and a couple of the writers in the weekly food section are ones I look forward to. However, the San Francisco Chronicle dedicates a whole section to wine on Thursdays (and the fact that there is no need to "register" right away).

As we've already posted, the Chronicle pays homage to the wines of New Zealand this week, but their list of 36 recommendations from the 52 wines that they tasted deserves to be singled out. They're all Sauvignon Blanc, which is what New Zealand is famous for.

• Highest ranked of their list, rated three and a half stars (***½) to 2005 Framingham Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($17), 2005 Matua Valley Paretai Estate Series Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($17), and 2005 Sauvignon Republic Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($18). 2005. That was a very good year.
• Three stars (***) out of four awarded to 2005 Forrest Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($16).
• Two and half stars (**½) for just about everyone else.

  Aw, they didn't even mention my favorite Monkey.