|
It's hard to believe that New Zealand's deserved popularity and respect, stemming from a meteoric rise through the world's market from a standing start, has a history not much more than twenty years old. From the beginning they set out their collective stall and have concentrated on doing it well rather than doing it cheaply: there isn't really any such thing as an "entry level" New Zealand wine. The first wine to explode onto the scene was a new wave Sauvignon Blanc which still colours the opinions of many UK drinkers. However, NZ is no longer a one-trick pony and several other varieties are now cultivated with enormous success - Pinot Noir in particular is frightening the Burgundians. Kumeu River are, without doubt, one of the top producers. Their wines are serious, made with passion and great precision; they see their job as assistants to nature, guiding and fine tuning rather than controlling the process from start to finish. Their straight Chardonnay rivals any in the southern hemisphere; Mate's Vineyard is probably the finest. The additional lines from Grove Mill and Herringbone Hills underline the growing variety and burgeoning success of New Zealand's hard-working and technologically advanced crew of dedicated winemakers. Grove Mill, incidentally, are the world's first Carbon Zero winery.
|
