jamie goode's wine blog: Leaving New Zealand

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Leaving New Zealand

So I'm on my way home. Two weeks on the road is probably enough: I'm missing home. Still, it has been a great trip. I'm pictured above flanked by Andrew and Katharine, with whom I have spent two very enjoyable days. I wish we lived nearer to them.

I'm now sitting in the lounge at Auckland airport, sipping a very precise Man O'War Sauvignon Blanc 2008. Next time I come here, I'm going to have to visit Waiheke Island. Their Syrah was one of the high spots of the Syrah symposium last week.

New Zealand Syrah and Pinot Noir have a bright future. The future of New Zealand's fine wine dimension is very much in the hands of producers such as Pyramid Valley, Dry River, Bell Hill, Rippon, Felton Road and Ata Rangi (this is just a short list...there are many more) who focus on quality to the point of obsession. And two star turns are cool climate Syrah and Pinot Noir.

Interestingly, some of the warmer-climate Pinot Noirs and the cooler climate Syrahs share a certain style. It was interesting to try a Syrah/Pinot Noir blend from Cambridge Road (Martinborough) that was far from the disaster it sounds: it was actually pretty good.

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