Before coming to NZ I thought I knew a fair amount about NZ wines and I probably did. However, three things have surprised me in particular. Firstly the sheer size of the vineyards in Marlborourgh and the Wairau valley; some stretch for miles. Secondly the variety of grapes grown. We are all familiar with NZ Sauvignon blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay but I have been surprised by the outstanding quality of the Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Both Riesling ad Gewürztraminer have come in dry and sweet late picked varieties and both have been good but some of the sweet wines have been stunning.
Finally the wines of central Otago which, particularly the Pinot Noir, have become increasing popular in the UK in recent years. The vineyards are much smaller and I guess many struggle to get wide distribution in the UK but if you get a chance to try any of the wines from Peregrine (a wine with altitude!), Mount Difficulty or Lowburn Ferry then you will not be disappointed. All central Otago wines have been very good and some outstanding. Not just the Pinot Noirs either, the whites are also terrific. We had a lovely lunch at Mount Difficulty where they have a terrace restaurant overlooking the vineyards, valley and mountains;as good an experience as any in France.
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