by Margaret Swaine | Feb 28, 2001
Ancient Greeks considered that wine was a gift from the gods and worshipped Dionysus, a creature with the mind of a man and the instincts of a beast. I did my own worshipping back in my college days when I fell in love with a modern Greek Adonis whom I met at the Acropolis in Athens. We spent several sunny carefree summers on the sand beaches of the Greek isles snacking on fresh bread, feta and black olives while sipping the anise flavoured ouzo or cool pine sap tasting retsina.
When a few years ago I returned to Greece to check out the wine scene, my former lover, despite two marriages and several children hadn’t changed much. But the country and its habits had. It’s hard to find much selection in retsina even in Greece anymore. I still love its piney taste with the olive oil drenched food of the land, but only a handful of serious producers, such as Kourtakis and Malamatinas put their vats to it.
The majority of the Greek vintage (about the same size as that of Bordeaux) is focused on non-sapped indigenous varietals. There are over 300 native grapes, but certain names such as xinomavro and agiorigitiko for reds; assyrtico, rhoditis, robola and savatiano for whites crop up the most. These have been augmented with vitis vinifera such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot.
French, German and Australian trained Greek talent, along with money from the country’s wealthy industrialists and the EU funding has put the wineries in a position of having all the technology and expertise to run with the best. I wrote after my trip in 1998, that with proper attention focused in the vineyards, the world would be begging for limited edition Greek bottlings, instead of chortling about pine resin. However while the market has stabilized in the past few years, demand for Greek wine dropped sharply during the last 15. Viniculture in Greece has been shrinking at a fast rate since the beginning of the eighties due to a pull up program.
Despite controlled appellations of origin, “table wine” still accounts for ninety percent of total wine consumption, with retsina taking up thirty percent of that. Producers have found that retsina and mavrodaphne (their sweet fortified red) hold their own in sales because they cannot be copied. And it’s hard for foreign markets to go directly from retsina to say Gerovassiliou, one of Greece’s top award winning winemakers. Today’s situation is such that of the 200 or so Greek producers, only a few have the size and organization for major export. Tsantali, Boutari, Achaia Clauss and Kourtakis are among the strongest and it’s their competent mild, inexpensive, house wine style products that are generally available around the globe. They all do however also make higher end wines that naturally have more limited distribution. Slowly we are also seeing top labels from the smaller producers gaining sales because of the global consumption swing towards quality.
The Regions Appellation of Superiour Quality (OPAP) of which there are 28, are from grapes from a certain geographic zone, where the producing area may be included on the label. The words reserve or grand reserve indicate extended aging. Topikos Oinos (vin de pays) and Epitrapezeos Oinos (table wine) are the rest of the wines produced in other areas. The ever expanding local area wines number over 25 wine producing zones (and growing) and often combine native Greek with foreign varieties. Commercially Attica, Drama and Epanomi are important local areas.
Then just as in Italy, some of the renegade boutique wineries make table wines more famous than the officially recognized ones. Space does not permit detailing all the wines and regions – for that I recommend Miles Lambert-Gócs “The Wines of Greece”, a comprehensive, over 300 page book on the subject and “The Greek Wine Guide” by Nico Manessis.
Northern Greece: In Macedonia wine is produced in a scattering of areas with specific microclimates. The “xinomavro” red variety is a major part of the blend of three of its appellation wines and of numerous local wines. A lowish tannin, high acid grape with farmyard and cherry character, its name means “acid-black” and it’s one of the most successful indigenous grapes. It’s the predominant variety in the appellation of Naoussa, on the southeastern slopes of Mount Vermio, with its 7,000 acres at an altitude of 150 – 350 metres.
During recent years Naoussa has also been planted with merlot and syrah with good success. Côtes de Meliton appellation, on the sunny slopes of mount Meliton, has a dry, warm climate that gets the benefit of the nearby sea. White appellation wine is produced from Greek varieties such as rhoditis, athiri and assyrtico. Athiri produces pleasant wines with a fine fruity aroma and full taste. Assyrtico is a distinguished multi-purpose variety characterized by its rich body and high acidity. It produces both lemony crisp wines and rich, oak matured ones, as well as special sweet wines.
A generic cialis in canada person has to always consult the doctor before selecting the dosage. Studies have shown that Yohimbine is effective in treating impotence is great. free cialis Men have been able to experience generic viagra online a significant improvement in their depression symptoms as well as erectile functioning. Simple varieties linked with levitra fast delivery on the net are known as predators by the majority of surfers. Epanomi, a farming village, is famous for being the home of Ktima Gerovassiliou. Evangelos Gerovassiliou, selected wine maker of the year by The Greek Wine Guide in 1996, makes dynamite wines, at a spotless and pretty winery half an hour east of Thessaloniki. Vineyards are planted on the highest slopes of the region on soil rich in iron and minerals derived from the sea waters which used to cover the land. Bordeaux graduate and student of Emile Peynaud, Gerovassiliou has planted assyrtico, chardonnay, viognier, petite syrah, malagousia and grenache. He skillfully blends native Greek varieties with the French imports for some of his whites or for example mixes grenache with petite syrah for his red. The winery is ultra modern with air conditioned cellars for the French oak barrels.
Drama, in Thrace in the far northern reaches of Greece, is home to two other famous wineries, Ktima Kosta Lazaridi and Chateau Lazaridi. The two Lazaridis are brothers who made their money from marble. When I visited the modern, leading edge Chateau Lazaridi (owned by Nikos Lazaridi), I met Bakis Tsalkos, a Bordeaux trained Greek winemaker. Tsalkos was looking after 28 properties in St. Emilion. “I came back to Greece because I was embarrassed by the poor quality of the Greek wines abroad,” he explained.
He started at Lazaridi by planting French varietals to make a name, with plans to work in some indigenous grapes. His Magic Mountain red (name inspired by Thomas Mann novel and the mountain overlooking the vineyards), for example was a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot first released in 1990. Brother Kostas who owns nearby Domaine Constantin Lazaridi is also a proponent of French varietals. Amethystos is a blend of cabernet and native limnio and the white generally a combo of sauvignon blanc, semillon, and native assyrtico. They also make tsipouro, the Greek version of grappa, with bottles are painted by John Nanos, a famous Macedonian painter.
The plain of Thessaly, surrounded by mountains and not far removed from the sea, has all the necessary prerequisites for vine cultivation. Three appellations are in this region, including the lovely red of Rapsani, made from xinomavro, krasato and stavroto grown on the foothills of Mount Olympus. Tsantali has vineyards in Rapsani, Macedonia and other parts of northern Greece. Thirteen company oenologists analyze soil, leaves and climate to determine optimum varietals and cultivation techniques and supervise the planting of experimental plots of viognier, merlot, syrah, cabernet sauvignon and other French varietals. To create Cava Tsantali, they blend xinomavro and cabernet sauvignon.
The pine forested areas of Central Greece are where much of the production of retsina takes place. The most common variety of the whole area in savatiano, a workhorse type that with modern winemaking now makes soft and fruity instead of oily and thick wines. In Attica newly planted French varieties, especially cabernet sauvignon have also seen good results in recent years. Semeli in Attica makes an oak aged agiorigitiko and cabernet blend that’s lovely.
In Atalante, near the slopes of Mount Parnassus, ancient home of Dionysus, is Domaine Hatzimichalis. Owner Dimitris Hatzimichalis made his fortune bringing products from Longines, Citizen, Grundig and Boffi to Greece. In 1973 he began to fulfill a dream by purchasing land at Atalante, 142 kilometres from Athens and just six from the sea. His winery combines Greek varietals with sauvignon blanc to make gentle, mildly fruity wines. They do barrique aged chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. The Ambelon is a delicate white based on the robola variety generally found on the Ionian Islands and thought to have been introduced by the Venetians in the 13th century.
The Peloponnese the second largest viticultural area of Greece with almost 200,000 acres, stretching on plains, hillsides and plateaus has the greatest number of Greek appellations. The appellation wines of Nemea are produced from the noble native red variety, agiorigitiko. They are distinguished by a deep ruby colour and complex aroma.
The Aegean Islands have been growing wine since the Neolithic ages. Santorini, formed by a volcanic eruption, has a special soil which favours whites such as assyrtico, aidani and athiri. Cretan wines have been famous since the Minoan period. Peza is a notable appellation on the island. Samos is known for its sweet wine made from a variety of Muscat.
While the symposia, the highest intellectual form of social activity of the ancient Greeks (where they drank wine mixed with water for hours and talked) may be long over, the beauty of man, grape and the land is very present. A 4000-year-old tradition of wine cultivation, like a first love, can’t be forgotten.
by Margaret Swaine | Jul 24, 1999
by Margaret Swaine
European wines stand aside. Chile now has a growing number of super premium reds to challenge the best. And at $65 to $85 a bottle, they’re a good buy comparatively speaking. When Chile’s modern wines first reached North American shores in the eighties, we enthusiastically embraced them for their clean fruity taste at bargain prices. As sales boomed, there was more money to pour into the vineyards and wineries and success begot success. Foreign capital took interest, adding their millions in the form of joint ventures or outright purchase and investment. So by 1996 some of the market leaders began the super reds with the first reaching market about two years ago.
“We must demonstrate that we are able to produce high quality wines. It’s the can opener. We must be able to produce a big amount of wines of 90 points and more.” said Rodrigo Alvarado, manager of Chilevid. Chilevid, formed in 1993, is a group of high quality wineries that export the majority of their production. Their membership includes famous foreign names that have invested in Chile, such as Seagram (Cuvée Mumm in Casablanca), William Fèvre of Chablis (in Maipo Valley), Baron Philippe de Rothschild (Almaviva) and Marnier-Lapostolle (Casa Lapostolle).
I recently visited Chile to see what had developed since my previous trip about ten years ago. The changes were exponential. Gone were all vestiges of the old wood fermentation tanks, replaced by expanses of gleaming temperature controlled stainless steel tanks connected to computers for monitoring. Expensive French oak barriques for aging wines were everywhere. As were highly touted foreign oenologists flown in to consult on the harvest. New vineyards have spread across the countryside with pricy drip irrigation (as opposed to the old “flood the fields” method), and increasingly creeping up steep slopes which is great for quality but murder on the budget.
Though Chile has been making wine for 450 years, the current revolution began in 1979, when Miguel Torres of the famous Torres Winery in Spain, brought state of the art technology and his expertise to a winery he bought. He chose to settle in Curicò Valley, part of the Central Valley region, but he had a span of 1,400 kilometres from 27° latitude to 39° south, of wine growing locales to pick from in this long, skinny country. Chile stretches 5,000 kilometres along the Pacific Coast of southwest South America, with a width of a mere 90 to 400 kilometres. It’s happily hemmed in by the Andes, a good source of irrigation water, and the ocean, great for cooling breezes and fogs. Add in the long hours of sunshine and extended growing period, and it’s easy to see why wineries with money to spend would chose here.
It’s fast forwarded wine making in advance of infrastructure much like the cars clogging the inadequate road and transport system of Santiago. In the latter case the result is pollution levels and accident rates among the top in the world. In the former it means no controls on how many wineries are started or which grapes are planted. An appellation law to establish legally recognized viticultural zones was only set up in 1996. Wineries have burgeoned to 115 with 80 exporting. Labels have multiplied like rabbits within the wineries as they attempt to cover all possible tastes. Concha y Toro, the largest winery, as an example has this impressive line up: Frontera as the basic cabernet sauvignon and merlot reds, and chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and semillon whites; Sunrise a step up in generally the same varietals; Casillero del Diablo even better; Explorer for new varieties; Trio Sunrise for regional focus; Marques de Casa Concha for more specific regional (e.g. Rapel Valley within the Central Valley), Amelia for private reserve chardonnay and Don Melchor for private reserve cabernet sauvignon. Then in September 1998, they launched Almaviva, their Franco-Chilean fine red wine joint venture with Baron Philippe de Rothschild.
“A lot of wines are made by marketing departments…we make a wine and then say to marketing you figure how to sell it,” commented Miguel Torres about this proliferation of labels. In the end there will undoubtedly be a shoot out in good wild west style with labels and wineries dropping by the way side. Luckily on the plus side, the boundless enthusiasm has bred some amazing wines.
The aforementioned Almaviva is one. In the fashion of Grand Cru Bordeaux, 40 hectares of top vines 20 to 25 years old in age are reserved exclusively for this wine. About 90% are cabernet sauvignon, the rest merlot and cabernet franc, a classic Bordeaux blend. The vines are pruned back each year to reduce the yield to about half the norm. A state of the art Chateau has been built amidst them so that vinification, aging and bottling can be done on location, like the “mis en bouteille au chateau” done at Rothschild in France. A French and a Chilean oenologist share the wine-making. The wine is aged in new French barriques for 16 months and fined with the traditional egg white. Last year they produced 10,000 cases almost all sold abroad, and eagerly anticipated.
Errazuriz, founded in 1870 by a Don Maximiano Errazuriz of Basque origin, is one of the country’s leading quality wineries. Still family owned, descendant Eduardo Chadwick had the fortune to attract Robert Mondavi Winery as a partner for a 50/50 joint venture in the production of an ultra-premium red, Seña. The partners have also spun-off a premium line, Caliterra. Meanwhile Errazuriz continues with its own distinct and wonderful estate grown line produced at their winery in the Aconcagua Valley under winemaker California-born Edward Flaherty.
When the Marnier-Lapostolle (Grand Marnier liqueur fame) company decided to expand their fine wine business abroad, they ended up in the Rapel Valley, south of Santiago. Family member Alexandra Marnier-Lapostolle recruited renowned roving winemaker Michel Rolland to create the wines for Casa Lapostolle and invested US$ 12 million to make it all happen. And happening it is. Great wines all the way up to the Clos Apalta, Casa Lapostolle’s top gem, named after their oldest non-irrigated estate vineyard in Rapel. Tasting the stunning 1997, practically brought me to my knees. When I asked Rolland how he managed to make such a beauty, he replied with a smile, “Good soil, low yields, old vines, not bad winemaking.”
A Selection of Chilean Wines – from bargain to blow the budget with pleasure
Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon 1998: A difficult vintage, cold with lots of rain (the previous year was the best in about 15) hence more spiced and slightly herbaceous with subdued but pleasant berry. Aged 70% in new and used American oak six to nine months. ($10)
Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon 1996: A good year during maturation of the grapes, but rain at harvest. Aged in French barriques a year. Very purple red still, with smoky berry, minty herbal nose and chocolate. Quite rich and layered but tannins are chalky so needs age and time. ($34)
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Errazuriz Chardonnay Estate 1999: Warm vintage with low yields. Partially French oak barrel fermented and aged four months. Good fruit, quite ripe and tropical with a medium body. ($11)
Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay 1998: Natural wild yeasts, all barrel fermented and aged in French barriques. Delicate, complex, balanced, apple butter flavours with length and elegance. ($21)
Errazuriz Don Maximiano1997: Hillside estate vineyards. Mainly cabernet sauvignon with some cabernet franc, aged in French oak 18 months, over a third new. Rich, chewy touch of port like quality with a hint of mint, spice, coffee bean and lots of ripe berry. Wonderful, complex interplay of flavours. ($40)
Seña 1997: All French oak aged 18 months. Use one egg white per four barrels to fine as tannins are gentler in Chile than in France. Cabernet sauvignon with 5% carménière (a varietal mixed in the vineyards with merlot in Chile and confused with it until recently). Big, structured, packed with mint, herbs, sweet berries and vanilla. ($65)
Casa Lapostolle Cabernet Sauvignon 1997: Purple edged red, aged in French barriques, nose leaps out sweet ripe blackcurrant which follows through nicely on the palate. Smoothly balanced, some minty, herbal intrigue, yet friendly and rounded. ($15)
Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc 1998: Aromatic nose of fresh pineapple and passionfruit. Lively taste full of fruit, yet clean and refreshingly tangy. ($12)
Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Chardonnay 1997: Fermented and aged 12 months in barrels. Rich Buttery, velvety texture that’s lush and smooth on the palate. Exotic tropical fruit tastes. ($28)
Casa Lapostolle Cuvée Alexandre Merlot 1997: Spends one year in new French barriques. Excellent, supple, full of sweet ripe fruit with great concentration. Coffee, chocolate complexities. Depth and structure with medicinal notes. ($30)
Clos Apalta 1997: From select parcels of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and carménière. Incredibly intense, layered, structured, velvety tannins, full bodied has strength while smooth and elegant. Everything is present and integrated – berry, cloves, dark chocolate. ($80)
Torres Sauvignon Blanc 1999: Lovely tropical, passionfruit nose and taste. Fresh, clean aromatic and lively. ($10)
Torres Cabernet Sauvignon 1998: Sweet, ripe, smoky, smooth berry with a touch of herbs. Medium-full bodied. ($12)
Torres Manso de Velasco 1996: From old cabernet sauvignon vines, aged 18 months in French Nevers oak barriques. Concentrated, full, cassis, plums, herbs and smoky tar with plenty of tannins and some cocoa notes. ($25)
by Margaret Swaine | Jul 17, 1999
In Alsace, we are not in the timber business, we are in the wine business,” pronounced Etienne Hugel as I tasted through a dozen of his wines. Part of the 12th generation in this family business, it’s obvious where he gets his ideas. His uncle Jean Hugel, who presided over 50 consecutive vintages before retiring, walked in at the end of the tasting to say “Isn’t it nice to come to an area where they make wine with only grapes. We are not in the timber business.”
This is the most common refrain I heard throughout the 170 kilometres which make up the Alsace Wine Route, among the over 1,100 wine-makers who sell in bottle. Like a great big family with internal squabbles, everything else was the subject of debate. Each winemaker expressed impassioned opinions about the optimum hectoliters per hectare, the planting of non-traditional grapes such as chardonnay, the naming of Grand Cru vineyards and exactly how dry each of the classical seven grape varieties should be vinified. But then while this is an area of close knit families and a viticultural history that can be traced back 2,000 years, it’s also an area which has been invaded frequently, falling under different flags depending on the victors. Vines were rampaged during such times as the Germanic invasion in the 5th century, The Thirty Years’ War and the two World Wars changing Alsace wine-making along with the politics of the area.
Tucked up in the most northeast corner of France, across the Rhine River from Germany and touching Switzerland at its southern tip, Alsace is jewel of a region. The Vosges Mountains to the west act like an umbrella, taking the brunt of the rain and blessing the area with one of the driest climates in the country. It’s postcard picturesque with historic walled villages of cobble stone streets, half-timbered houses, Romanesque and Gothic churches. The ruins of Medieval castles dot the mountain sides. Between the two gateways of Marlenheim in the north and Thann is the south, row upon row of vines undulate through the rolling countryside. Signposted vineyard trails give walkers a choice of 19 different “two hour” strolls.
Hugel & Fils is in the centre of Riquewihr, a town so pretty it makes your heart ache for romance. Recently Hugel attained the status of number one exporter of Alsace wines to Canada, beating out Willm which held the honour for decades ( a 1956 Quebec Liquor Commission listing shows 1947-49 Willm Riesling for $2.40). Still completely family owned and self-financed, they harvest from 65 acres of their own domain and buy from an additional 300 acres. They have clout and prestige. They also have the luxury of sticking to their guns. Along with two other major wineries who dominate the export market, Trimbach and Beyer, they oppose the Alsace Grand Cru system set up in 1975.
A little background is necessary to understand the significance of this. Since the devastation of this century’s wars, the push for renewal has divided the farmers in Alsace between those who believe in producing large quantities of cheap wine from high yield grapes, and those who advocate quality wines from traditional noble varieties. The quality over quantity guys have prevailed. The region was thus rewarded with AOC (recognized appellation of origin) Alsace status in 1962. Named after the grape variety, Alsace wines generally express the true varietal character of their origins in a pure fashion. About ninety percent of the wine production is white. Officially recognized grapes are riesling, pinot blanc, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscat, sylvaner and the only red, pinot noir. By law they are sold in tall bottles called flûtes.
However, the rest of France tends to believe that earth or “terroir” is of ultimate importance. They give the best vineyard sites the name of the nearby village, chateau or even the plot of land. Fortunately for Alsace, their soils are both diverse and rich in minerals. About 50 million years ago both the Vosges and the Black Forest of Germany were a single massif. When it collapsed the Rhine plain was formed. The Alsace vineyards, situated along the fault line between the remaining massif of the Vosges and the plain, are a mosaic of the collapsed ancient upper layers. Clay, limestone, marl, granite, gneiss, schist and even volcanic soils are intermingled. Certain vineyard areas have the geology to be deemed better than the norm. Hence in 1975 the first 25 designated vineyard sites which yielded wines of distinctive character were named. A few years later, another 25 were added bringing the total to fifty sites of Alsace Grand Cru vineyards.
Hugel, which has half of its vineyards in Grand Crus areas, decided not to be part of the system because they think it’s too watered down for Alsace to gain recognition for top quality. “They allow too high yields…and they wanted everything to be Grand Cru,” said Etienne. The Hugels believe in hand picking, low yields and as little intervention in the wine making process as possible. For the moment, they don’t label wines which come from Grand Cru areas as such. They believe their family name on the labels present a better indicator of quality. Down in the cellar, Etienne showed me the world’s oldest wine barrel in continuous use. Built in 1715, “Catherine the vat” has been filled by 12 generations of Hugel’s and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.
Later that day in the town of Ribeauvillé where storks still nest on the rooftops, I meet with Hubert Trimbach, whose family wine-making tradition is also in its 12 generation. Below the enchanting winery with its half timbered walls and spire towers, I traipsed through his subterranean rooms holding over a million bottles in slumber until the time for their release. He too says “There’s not enough discipline in the use of Grand Cru so we don’t use it on our labels.” He blames it on the coops which have built huge wineries and need volume.
His thoughts on grape varietals differ however somewhat from Hugel. Etienne told me he felt gewurztraminer had the uniqueness of style that can insure a good future for Alsace. “I don’t think you can reproduce it well anywhere else,” he explained. Trimbach confided on the other hand, “Between us, riesling is the greatest white wine in the world. The longest lived. Chardonnay can go to…bed.”
Trimbach wines are all about focus and style. He never allows them to go through malolactic, a secondary fermentation which softens the acidity in a wine. His are steely, intense and long lived. His Clos Sainte Hune from a great vintage can still be fresh after 30 years, and is arguably the best riesling of Alsace.
Marc Beyer of Léon Beyer winery in Eguisheim is another anti-Grand Cru, proponent of dry lemony crisp whites. His Riesling Les Ecaillers, despite being 100% from a Grand Cru vineyard is named after an oyster shucking and white wine competition rather than a plot of vines. It does indeed go very well with mollusks. “We focus on being food wine. I refuse any residual sugar if I can help it,” he emphasized.
Meanwhile near the Medieval town of Kayersberg, the Colette Faller and her daughters Catherine and Laurence (Laurence is one of the few female wine-makers in Alsace) do things a little differently. “We keep our house brand name and add the Grand Cru designation,” said Laurence. All their grapes are from their own Domaine Weinbach property. And they don’t always ferment their wines dry. She said in hot years when grapes have a high natural sugar, if they were to ferment the grapes completely dry, the resulting wine would have too high an alcohol level. In addition, she explained they use native yeasts which slow down before all the sugars are fermented to alcohol and the wine could get tired if they always waited until completion. Her wines had an opulence and lush ripe fruit, yet still plenty of acidity and length.
Bernard Sparr at Pierre Sparr in Sigolsheim, is another believer in putting the Grand Cru designation along with his family’s brand name. His grandfather was the mayor of the town during World War II and typifies what happened in the region. He held four passports in his lifetime. “In 1911 before World War I we were part of the German empire. In 1918 he became French. Then back in 1939 he’s German again. Then after that war French,” said Bernard. Grandfather’s involvement in the French Resistance leaves no doubt as to his preference of citizenship. His winery however was completely destroyed and he had to replant and rebuild from scratch.
Bernard, who recently married a Canadian he met in Ottawa, has inherited that fighting spirit. Along with the traditional grapes, he plants chardonnay which he oak ages. He ages his pinot noir in oak also, contrary to most other Alsace producers. However he did admit, “Ninety-eight percent of the time we are against wood….We have just a few thousand bottles of wine that was in oak.” Regarding sweetness in wine he said, “ We try to look for balance of acidity and residual sugar. I think riesling has to be dry as it’s the king of Alsace and the most well known. With pinot gris, gewurztraminer and muscat they must have some residual sugar or they will be so alcoholic they’ll burn your mouth.” His wines are fleshy, with big flavours and ripeness.
Perhaps the last word must go to Olivier Humbrecht of Zind-Humbrecht, one of the most out-spoken of a generation of strongly opinionated wine-makers. He is France’s first graduate of the British Master of Wine program as well as an oenologist. His wines are among the most expensive and I believe, the best, coming from the region. “Plenty of my wines get rejected at tasting panels as too rich, not typical for the region. They just don’t understand what I’m doing.” All his vineyards were converted to biodynamic viticulture since 1998 (beyond organic – this method follows the cosmic influences of the moon and planets as well) He goes for low yields, ferments in large wood foudres (vats) using native yeast, believes in letting the wine develop with as little intervention as possible – so it “speaks for itself”. He puts Grand Cru on his labels but said, “In Alsace every village wanted a Grand Cru so almost all got one it seems,” adding that he thought only about 30 deserved it. “Things have to change but if you criticize too hard people think you’re an extremist and they won’t listen and you won’t get any change.”
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Lucky for us, we needn’t worry while they sort it out. All the Alsace wines which are imported into Canada are from the area’s top quality producers. No matter what’s on the label, what’s in the bottle is bound to be good.
Alsace Wines Gentil Hugel 1997: Blend of sylvaner with over 50% noble varietals (riesling, pinot gris, gewurztraminer, muscat) with a pretty floral nose and a gentle, perfumed, grapy taste. Rounded, it hints at sweetness but finishes clean and dry. Well made, charming, fruity melange. Lovely as an aperitif. ($13.)
Hugel Pinot Blanc Cuvée les Amours 1997: Aromatic, attractive nose. Peachy fresh with a fleshy roundness in the mouth. ($18)
Trimbach Pinot Blanc 1996: Dry, structured, with an austere elegance. There’s a tight, minerally, character with a crisp, lingering acidity. Makes a good food wine. Note: The ’97 coming on stream soon has more body and fullness due to the warmer year. ($13)
Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune 1995: Petrol and minerals in the nose. Very long, intense and dry. Still young, tight, austere and lemony. Lots of structure and concentration but needs more time to be at its peak. ($50).
Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Cuvée Ste. Catherine 1996: Very intense with lots of acidity and length, yet still nicely ripe. The ’97 coming soon is more supple with less dominant acidity and more tropical fruit. ($57)
Dopff & Irion Gewurztraminer 1997: Forward fresh lichee nose. Aromatic, spicy, soft and lingering. Full of character and body, yet basically dry. ($16) Léon Beyer Tokay-Pinot Gris 1997: Zesty spicy, flavours, medium-full body with creamy texture balanced by good acidity. Tangy finish.($15)
Léon Beyer Riesling Reserve 1997: Crisp and refreshingly dry, citrus/grapefruit in flavour. Lightness yet good length and zingy acidity. ($13)
Pierre Sparr Diamant D’Alsace Réserve 1996: Lightly aromatic pinot blanc varietal. Soft and friendly with peachy pear fruit and smooth, lush finish. ($12)
Pierre Sparr Pinot Blanc Reserve ’98: Very ripe, fruity with almond blossom, pear and peach character. Soft and smooth. ($13)
Pierre Sparr Muscat Reserve ’98: Exuberant grapy nose with peels, blossom in the dry taste. Hint of spice in the finish, good balance, refreshing and charming. ($18)
Crémant d’Alsace Cuvée Willm: A sparkling wine made by the champagne method using a blend of pinot blanc, pinot gris and riesling. It’s pleasantly fruity with touch of sweetness and a spicy juicy peach flavour. Is so popular here that Canada has become its biggest market. ($26)
Willm Clos Gaensbroennel Grand Cru Gewurztraminer 1997: From an unusually hot vintage so it’s much richer, riper and creamy textured than normal. Fair amount of residual sugar so best before or after a meal. ($30)
Zind-Humbrecht Herrenweg de Turckheim Gewurztraminer 1997: Very rich, honeyed, powerful and intense with sweetness from noble rot and an aromatic rose petal quality. Incredible. ($35) Note: I tasted 27 wines from the winery’s ’97 vintage. The exceptional weather of warm sunny days and just enough rainfall produced wines that are universally wonderful. Pray that a few bottles of the Muscat Herrenweg de Turckheim, Riesling Heimbourg, Riesling Clos Windsbuhl, Pinot Gris Clos Windsbuhl and Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal make it to Canada and into your hands.
by Margaret Swaine | May 29, 1999
The wine tasting at the swish Hotel Mont Cervin in Zermatt, looked at first blush, like most others I’ve attended in the world. Dozens of earnest faced winemakers carefully pouring and explaining the fruits of their considerable labour to an assembled group of wine critics, writers, sommeliers and restaurateurs. Except for one thing. Many of the winemakers were wearing ski boots. And the sweat soaking their skirts was not from the heat of the room, but from a fast decent off the mountain.
I didn’t need to look at their feet to know their story. I was with them on the slopes. Typical of this most atypical wine symposium, we had crammed in a very early morning seminar on Swiss wines and Asian food. And a quick tasting of merlots from the Italian speaking Ticino district, lead by winemaker Guido Brivio, looking as sexy with his version of beard stubble as Andrea Bocelli. All run like clockwork to get those of us who ski on the mountain by 10:30a.m.
Then we were off schussing down black diamond slopes, the winemakers carving their turns with grace and speed. Lacking style but doing my best to preserve the skiing reputation of crazy Canucks, I barreled down after them. At lunch we stopped at Restaurant Franz and Heidi in the tiny village of Findeln, 2051 metres up the Alps above Zermatt. Towering above in glittering sunshine was the Matterhorn. A light lunch is never so light if you eat European style. We ordered wine from everyone’s winery to go with the remarkably sumptuous food. The meal lasted ‘til 3:00pm, which explains the hurtle down at breakneck speed to be ready for the tasting an hour later.
The Alps, the Swiss and the wines are intertwined; almost inseparable it seemed. This landlocked, mountainous, visual fairyland has some of the steepest vineyards in the world. Some are on a 85% slope with terraces of rocks to hold the earth. When I looked down from the vineyards of Robert Gilliard, way down to the town of Sion (a bidder for the winter Olympics), I got vertigo. Peering off the CN Tower seemed safer. Back in the 1800’s when the area was extremely poor, the church came up with a 42 year long make work project. That’s how long it took for the people to bring enough rocks from the river to make the terraces that now keep the earth and vines in place. Cable cars are used to bring people up to harvest the grapes. Helicopters are sometimes even used in this Valais region to get filled containers of grapes down the mountain, I’m told. Why not. Helicopters were used to get food into Zermatt this year after avalanches cut off road access. Which explains somewhat the cost of everything in Switzerland.
However now Canadians won’t have to travel far with a thick wallet, to find a selection of Swiss wines, as we are certain to see more of their wines on our own ground. Switzerland, which traditionally has exported only 1% of its wine production, is now pushing to establish an market outside her borders. As part of the GATT (General Agreement of Tariffs and Trade), three years ago the doors were opened to imported reds and in 2001 the protection of Swiss whites will be lifted. While the Swiss consume more than they make, the new free market will bring many competitors to woo them. The Swiss winemakers have no way to know how loyal their countrymen will be to home grown wine. Wine lovers elsewhere stand to benefit from their apprehension.
Many exciting indigenous varietals are turned into wine, as well as the standard noble ones such as merlot, pinot noir and chardonnay. However it’s chasselas which we are likely to import the most. Almost half of the country’s vineyards grow this varietal, making up 60% of the total wine production. Moreover, Switzerland makes the vast majority of the world’s quality chasselas wine. The Swiss believe the chasselas comes closest of all to expressing the true nature of their soils and their souls. While it is thought the varietal originated from Upper Egypt and was introduced to the country by the Romans in the 2nd century, it has so many clones and has evolved to the point that it’s considered native. Some Swiss experts claim to have proof chasselas was born on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Why would they be so proud of a varietal which is scorned as a common table grape by many such as their neighbors the French and the Italians? In nearby Alsace when it’s made into wine, it’s often hidden in a blend with others or called by a brand name which disguises the grape. It’s generally known as a big producer which makes fairly neutral, soft wine. Precisely so say the Swiss. The delicacy of their chasselas allows it to bring out the taste of their complex soils. Back loom those Alps again and the river valleys below – giving much variation in earth; thick alternate layers of calcareous soil, marl, gypsum, tertiary sandstone and more.
Indeed, producers who keep the vigor of the vine back by cropping (cutting off grape bunches) and by the impossibly steep Alpine slopes where they plant it, do coach it to heights of great charm. In the Lavaux region where the famous steep Dézaley vineyards overlook Lake Geneva, they say that the grapes are fortunate to receive three sources of sunlight. Sun from heaven, sun off the stone walls and sun off the lake.
There’s another reason, the Swiss have an affinity for chasselas. Think of the restrained, at first very formal, character of the Swiss. They reveal themselves slowly, subtly and only after you’ve spent considerable time getting to known them. (The Swiss National Tourist Office jokingly advises tourists to always wipe their feet for two minutes before ringing a Swiss the door bell.) So it is with the chasselas. It’s not an expressive varietal like sauvignon blanc or muscat with a wildly perfumed nose. It takes persistence and concentration to get it to reveal itself. Then you are rewarded with a taste as close to its origins as possible – the flavour of the rocks, soils and minerals of the Alps.
The Swiss proved this point on another pre-ski early morning when they had Swiss Sommelier Association president Myriam Broggi rub rocks under our noses during her lecture. Then she had us taste wines which came from the various earths. Light sandy soil such as that around Geneva gave an aroma like linden blossom and an overall lightness. The limestone soil of Neuchatel gave more a sensation of acidity, a dry effect on the tongue and a taste of minerals. The iron rich red marl soil of Vaud, created a heavier, sweeter nose and a metallic character finishing in dry bitterness. The firestone of Dézaley gave a full body to the wine and a burn flint smell. And so we sniffed dirt and sipped wine, finding characteristics of one in the other. Like noticing a child has it’s mother’s nose.
Hence each Canton (and each district and vineyard within) produces wines with particular characteristics. The ones of the French speaking part of Switzerland represent two thirds of the production and are where the chasselas is grown. In order of size; Valais, Vaud and Geneva are the largest producers for export. The Valais call the varietal by the local name fendant so watch for that on the label. As for food matches – naturally Swiss dishes such as cheese fondue (often made with it), raclette, fish and seafood go well. Also Japanese cuisine, lightly prepared poultry, vegetable terrines and all kinds of soft cheeses such as Camembert, Brie and Reblochon are a match.
If you don’t want to wait for the wines to come to you – this year is the time to go to Switzerland. Between July 29 and August 15 the Winegrowers’ Festival takes place in Vevey, a beautiful waterfront town on Lake Geneva. Held for the first time in 1783, this festival happens only once a generation. This year is the fifth and last time of this century. The festival features open-air performances and parades with 4,600 actors, dancers and musicians. Characters are drawn from Greco-Roman mythology and the bible (Ceres, Bacchus, Noah etc). The August 11th performance, during a 96% eclipse has a scene “the reconciliation of the living and the dead” timed to hit the height of the darkness. Snowcapped Alps form the backdrop to it all. And of course you’ll have a little taste of the Alps in your glass of wine.
Swiss Wine Producers in Canada
Wines tend to come in sporadically at this point in the $12 to $20 range:
If you planned the love-making act then take it 30 cialis samples to 40 minutes before it. These benefits would be just enough for breaking those blocks but it also ensures a tadalafil generic canada proper erection for a longer duration of time. Screening exams taught in educational programs often place too much importance on supine leg-length assessment in determining my link cheap viagra pelvic disorders. There are also two reasons: first, it is a good source of potassium, which is great gestalt, produced by instinct or buy cialis in usa by an arrangement of directions, is bad outline in the event that it doesn’t impart. Caves Imesch (Valais)
On chalkiest soil in sunny Sierre, the driest climate in Switzerland – in some years less rain than in the middle of the Sahara. Caves Imesch formed in 1898, three generations of Imesch family have been at its head. Own 15% of their vineyards and buy rest from about 100 growers in the Sierre region. Labels are a creation of graphic artist Charles-Albert Lathion. Colours recall soft gleams of emerging day. Accent on quality – fine acidity, extracted with mineral floral aspects and intriguing nose.
Charles Bonvin (Valais)
Based in Sion, established in 1858 and family run (name Bonvin happens to mean good wine in French). Owns 22 hectares of property in centre of Valais. Classic whites are the fresh and elegant Fendant Sans Culotte and the fuller, perfumed Domaine Brûlefer.
Rouvinez (Valais)
Marie-Paule Rouvinez-Laurans and her husband actually live in Montreal and her two brothers tend to their 35 hectares vineyards in the middle of the Upper Rhone valley near the city of Sierre. Recently they enlarged the family business by buying Caves Orsat, one of the biggest cooperatives in Switzerland. Their Fendant de Sierre has good structure, length, balance and a nice flinty, minerally flavour. Their Dôle (a pinot noir/gamay blend) has been selected this year to be served on all Swiss Air flights.
Other Producers We May Expect
ABC Wine Producers (various regions)
A group of five Swiss wine growing cooperatives which have joined forces for export. Comprise five wine growing regions. All members of the coops are independent producers farming their own land – product is excellent quality.
Bon Père Germanier Balavaud (Valais)
Winemaker Gilles Besse-Germanier, founder’s great-grandson, is a former saxophonist who married a beautiful black American he met at a club in New York. They live now at the winery in Vétroz in the canton Valais. While his fendant is good, it’s his late harvest, botrytis affected sweet white from the rare varietal Amigne de Vétroz that’s outstanding.
Louis Bovard (Vaud)
Have a charmingly pretty cellar on the shores of Lake Geneva. Produce mainly Dézaley, St-Saphorin and Epesses appellations and supplement production by purchasing from various growers. Their Dézaley Médinette has that interesting firestone taste and a nice fullness so that it’s racy and pretty.
Domaine Kurt und Josy Nussbaumer (Eastern Switzerland)
Family started winery in 1935. Have 9 hectares. Expressed direct interest in knowing more about Canada. Their fendant was fresh, easy – a light, fun summer wine.
Luc Massy Vins (Vaud)
Three generations of Massy Family have produced chasselas from their 17th century manor in Epesses above Lake Geneva. Their Dézaley Chemin de Fer has macho style, grip and full, rich intensity. St.-Saphorin Sous les Rocs is the preferred choice of women being elegant, balanced and lively.
by Margaret Swaine | May 22, 1999
It’s no secret or surprise that the favourite region for many in the wine business is Tuscany. Where else is such a combo of idyllic countryside, beautiful historic buildings, art, food and wine. John Matta, owner and winemaker at the Chianti Classico estate of Castello Vicchiomaggio, has all this as part of his property.
Matta’s a Londoner of Italian parentage whose father was the first to bring Italian wines and liqueurs to England in the fifties. Now household names they included Bolla, Corvo, Campari, Galliano and Strega. Timing was perfect. Frederico Secondo Matta hit London when it was swinging. Italian restaurants grew from three to three thousand, says the son. Dad became the biggest importer of Italian wines in the U.K. and one of the biggest importers of wine. A one man operation became 100 with a listing on the stock exchange.
What do you do if you have it all? Sell and buy a castle in Tuscany. Frederico bought Vicchiomaggio in 1964, an ancient estate circa AD 957 set atop a high, craggy hill dominating the Greve Valley about 20 kilometres from Florence. The property was rebuilt and greatly expanded during the Renaissance period by the Medici family. As the biggest castle south of Florence, it was used during the Renaissance for all major state festivities. Now fully restored, retaining its Renaissance exterior colours and structure (it’s listed as a national monument), with interior modern amenities, it’s busier than ever. There’s a 220 seat restaurant run by Matta’s wife Paola, a cooking school under chef Francesco Lagi, and ten holiday apartments for rent in the castle. The Matta’s live 100 yards away in a converted farm house.
As well as wine, the property produces its own high quality olive oil. It would be unusual in Tuscany not to, says Matta. “Of the 300 estates who produce Chianti Classico, all do some oil, maybe 100 produce it [in saleable quantity],” he explains. With this kind of a life, it would be tempting to just enjoy. But Matta, an only child, now fifty and in charge, is also a serious, dedicated winemaker.
He studied oenology and viticulture in Piedmont and worked at a burgundian winery in Nuits-St-Georges for a year. Since running Vicchiomaggio, he has been very involved with developing not only his own wines, but the improving standards and quality of all Chianti. Chianti has been changing for the better for several decades now. Matta, who explains things carefully and meticulously, feels this is not only the result of improved methods, but also parallels changes in consumer tastes.
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“Back in the seventies, Chianti was fresh, fruity, even fizzy with CO² and light in colour. White grapes were used in the blend and more of the fresh fruity red canaiolo,” he said. “People used to drink them because they liked the style.” The fuller, riper New World wines have created a different demand, and a different consumer. Chianti has been changing to match these modern tastes. “It’s a process that’s been happening for 25 years,” he adds.
“First there was a reduction of the minimum white grape requirement from 8% to 2% and then two years ago it was made optional,” explains Matta. Chianti Classico can now be 100% sangiovese or have up to 15% of other previously banned, yet good varietals such as cabernet sauvignon. Because of the desire for fuller bodied wines, the quantity of wine produced from each vine has been reduced as well. “We saw what the consumer wanted and so slowly we went in that direction by voluntarily reducing the hectolitre per hectare.” Quantity produced per vine can be lowered in several ways. With a green harvest, grape bunches are pruned off before they ripen. A more expensive way is to replant a vineyard with a much heavier density of vines. This is the way of the future.
The use of small oak barrels has come back into favor, a return to an 18th century practice which had been abandoned in preference to large barrels. Wood is still optional by law however. Which brings up another important element in Italian winemaking. The laws. They are always slower to change than the wines themselves. So as the wineries press on, often innovators have their wine designated “vino da tavola” or table wine rather than a wine with a recognized denomination. As the laws catch up with what the wineries are doing, the formerly outlaw wines become legit again. Hence, the super Tuscans, a breed of wines with great taste, high prices, but no pedigree because they used cabernet sauvignon, 100% sangiovese or did something else not yet approved, are coming back into accredited status.
According to Matta, however, the most exciting development in Chianti is the research into clones of sangiovese. The Chianti Classico Project 2000 determined there were 30 to 35 clones of sangiovese in the area when they started the research in 1986. Through experimentation they have narrowed this down to five with really good characteristics: faster ripening, fewer and smaller grapes per bunch to give higher resistance to disease and more skin, and higher sugar content. These clones are just now being made available from the nursery and Vicchiomaggio started their planting last year, putting 4,000 vines per hectare to decrease yield per vine, instead of the common 2,400. “Benefits of the 2,000 research will be seen in four to five years,” enthused Matta. “I’ve tasted wine from these clones and quite honestly they are good, very, very good.”
by Margaret Swaine | May 1, 1999
Until recently New Zealand to me meant great rack of lamb, fine wool but not quality wines. Then skiing in Whistler last year, I stayed with a friend who’s condo was next to New Zealanders John and Alison Coney. Upon learning that I wrote about wine John insisted on asking us over to sample a few bottles from his Kiwi winery. I was awestruck at both the chardonnay and the pinot noir he opened. Turned out that the winery that Coney, a financier and property developer, bought in 1995 is gold medal winning Morton Estate. Their Morton Estate Black Label Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, barrel fermented and lees aged in new oak, has been a much celebrated bench mark wine that has inspired many Kiwi wineries to try their hand at this impressive style of winemaking. The pinot certainly was no slouch either.
This chance meeting was my clear indicator of how good New Zealand wine has become. And it’s boom time for wines there. The country which almost tanked back in 1984 when their debt hit crisis levels, has now a blossoming new farm economy. Part of getting out of hock meant selling off government run industries (Air New Zealand to the Aussie’s, the telephone company to Atlantic Bell), ending farm subsidies, and making most everything pay for itself. CTV’s W5 excellent one hour special in ’93 on Kiwi land rebirth, talked of the demise of many sheep farms, once proudly protected. Well guess what’s been taking their place? It was time to do some investigating down under.
Fast forward to the Fall of ’98, after my Whistler encounter, where I’m in LA catching a flight to New Zealand, chatting with a Kiwi doctor. Taking my notebook in hand, he scribbled out his prescription on the wineries I must visit. In Otago see Chard Farm for its Bragato Reserve Pinot Noir and Judge and Jury champagne method bubbly, and Gibbston Valley for pinot noir. In Christchurch visit Pegasus Bay and Geisen Brothers and in Napier Te Mata Estate. That he could select some exemplary wineries out of the hundreds, and knew their winemaker’s names, didn’t surprise me after I got understand the country. It’s like a step back in time to small town living.
The inward focus has some great merits. Total annual production is not more than the output of a single Gallo vineyard (according to the Wine Institute of New Zealand that’s 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes). However gung-ho belief in themselves has projected their wines onto the world stage, especially for their most popular varietals, sauvignon blanc and chardonnay. Riding on an image of clean, green land, success has propelled them to plant, plant, plant. Bye, bye sheep, hello vineyards.
It’s quite a sight to see the kilometres of newly planted vines carpeting valleys throughout the land. Since 1990, New Zealand has jumped from 107 wineries to a projected 350 by June of this year. But this is only part of the story, as 75% of the wine production is controlled by the top four – Villa Maria, Nobilio, Montana and Corbans. Much of the new plantings are by these giants. They have the money to experiment with locations and varietals on special plots where greatness is attempted. But they also have a thirsty market to feed. Then there’s the small guys with stars in their eyes. Lawyers, journalists, pilots, builders, psychologists, wine critics even, have succumbed to the lure of owning a winery. I worry a bit about lakes of lousy wine that’s watery (from overcropping, too much irrigation, roots reaching underground rivers etc) and grassy green bell pepper tasting (from not enough heat, sunshine hours or growing season). Luckily there are a great many excellent wines being made to counter the occasional terrible plonk.
My search for good drink started on Waiheke Island, a beautiful spot that serves as both a weekend retreat, and a 40 minute away by ferry, commuter community for Aucklanders. Famed writer and Oz vineyard owner, James Halliday had told me not to miss Stonyridge, Goldwater and Peninsula Estate. He too was right of course. Goldwater’s Esslin Merlot 1997 was one of my favourites of the trip. Rounded, elegant, with a ripe fleshy richness and cedary notes, it was similar to a top Pomerol. Stonyridge with cabernet sauvignon vineyards facing magnetic north, surrounded by lavender, bay, eucalyptus and other aromatic plants, produces intense reds that can be ravishing when aged.
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The vast majority, over 93%, of New Zealand wine is however from the regions of Hawkes Bay and Gisborne on North Island and Marlborough on South. Plantings and gold medals show clearly which varietals do best in these areas. For Gisborne it’s chardonnay. Awards are an important part of how a country fairly new to wine sorts out the winners among wannabes. The Air New Zealand Wine Awards are the most important with 1,133 wines from 165 wineries entered in 1998. Among the big trophy winners, Kim Crawford Gisborne Chardonnay ’98 was particularly deserving. However Gisbourne itself, a fairly plain small town, with thankfully one good asset, the gorgeous historic Acton House (a memorable place to eat and overnight) has an image of quantity not quality to overcome. Montana and Corbans pump out some of their simple entry level labels from here. Fortunately now they have an increasing array of better ones to show as well. And then there’s a few wineries that are gems. The Millton Vineyard in Poverty Bay impressed me with their dedication to organic, biodynamic farming, tied into the horoscope of the plants. Their Chenin Blanc 1997 was made in a steely, tart quince style, like a fine vouvray.
Hawkes Bay, the centre of the earliest commercial winemaking, has a charmed reputation. It’s cabernet and merlot are especially revered. It also has magnificent dwellings like the Mangapapa Lodge (get the booklet on these exclusive retreats and sporting lodges if you plan to do some touring yourself). A standout winery in the area is Trinity Hill, a pretty property, known for their chardonnay, but making great reds on their Gimblett Road property. Merlot ’97 had none of the nasty green vegetal tastes prevalent in many underripe Kiwi reds. Gimblett Road Cabernet Sauvignon ’97 was big, deep, tannic but with lots of fruit back in the palate. While none of the Corbans family are still with the winery they created, they haven’t left the wine scene. Alwyn Corban is winemaker and part owner at Ngatarawa winery, based in a converted stables in Hawkes Bay area. His wines are reserved and gentle, reflective of his own personality. Their quality and depth don’t clobber, they seduce. At Esk Valley, part of Villa Maria group, the “Terraces” are one of only about five vineyards in the country planted on steep slopes. Getting little tonnage per acre, gives lots of extract to their wines. Reserve merlot/malbec/cabernet sauvignon ’95 is peppery, deep, young with good fruit and balance.
South Island’s Marlborough is the country’s most heavily planted region and considered by many to be the top spot for sauvignon blanc, followed by riesling. Corban’s, a two million case a year company with properties all over the island, has revived its quality after a lengthy period of no investment, during which it was milked by its mother conglomerate, I politely won’t name. Twenty million New Zealand dollars have been pumped into it recently and winemakers for the prestige brand Cottage Block in Marlborough have unlimited means to do what they must to make the best. Vavasour, Cloudy Bay, Montana Renwick Estate and others are also here. However I was completely seduced by Seresin Winery. Too bad the owner, the gorgeous international cinematographer Michael Seresin (Midnight Express, Sleeping Dogs, Mercury Rising), wasn’t around when I was visiting. The wines however drew their own applause. Sauvignon Blanc ’98 has lovely integrated fruit, Chardonnay Reserve ’97 is nutty, oaky but elegant, Chardonnay Reserve ’96 is layers of oak, vanilla and fruit, well structured and mellow. Also in the region, Saint Clair hired Kim Crawford to make sure their wines shine. The sauvignon blancs are bright and pretty, while the Merlot ’98 is plummy with fruit and the ’97 silky, cedary and nicely earthy.
Pinot noir, my favourite varietal gets the most acclaim in the smaller regions. Tucked in the southeast corner of North Island, through the mountains southwest of Wellington is Wairarapa region and the tiny town of Martinborough (and another oh so pretty lodge called Aylstone with the best collection of international wines in the country). This fifth region in size, has been making waves with its pinot. On my visit to Martinborough vineyard, winemaker Larry McKenna poured a vertical of pinot noirs going back to ’88. The earthy, barnyard aspects which I love, came out nicely in the ’89, ’96 Reserve and ’97. Hopping across the water to South Island’s Nelson region landed me in the pretty blue-green Upper Moutere hills. While this area accounts for only 1.6% of the country’s wine production, some of the wineries are most impressive. Neudorf makes standout concentrated, intense chardonnay and riesling from their Moutere district vineyards and a Pinot Noir Reserve ’97 with great blackberry fruit and good savoury intensity.
Near the centre of South Island, is Canterbury, the country’s fourth largest region, also known for pinot noir, as well as chardonnay. Pegasus Bay and Torlesse make fine wines in the Waipara district of this region, as does Geisen from Christchurch area.
The cool, craggy Central Otago near the south end, however is cited by pundits as the greatest red pinot hope. So I end the trip in the stunning capital of adventure sport, Queenstown. Hang gliders and paraflyers leap off mountains here. Jet boaters shoot over the rapids in canyon rivers and luge riders hurtle down winding tracks high above the town. Sampling the wines of Chard Farm, Gibbston, Judge and Jury brings me full circle to my airport meeting with the doctor. I’m inspired to take the final plunge into Kiwi culture when I site the Kawarau River from Chard Farm’s vineyard location. I sign up with Hackett’s, celebrating their 10th anniversary of jumping, and leap from the world’s first bungy bridge.
