Composed of two long main islands, plus numerous small offshore enclaves, New Zealand lies isolated in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. The nearest landmass, Australia, is 1,000 miles to the northwest.
Vines were first planted in New Zealand in 1819 by an Anglican missionary named Samuel Marsden… but it took more than 150 years to discover that the country’s cool, maritime climate was suitable for high-quality wine production. Until fairly recently, few wine drinkers, with the exception of the indigenous inhabitants, had ever tried a New Zealand wine. However, this changed abruptly in the mid-1980s, when a single wine, Sauvignon Blanc, put New Zealand on the international wine map.
Although wine production is small by world standards – about one-tenth of Australia’s relatively modest wine output – vines are now grown in nine viticulture regions, spanning 720 miles, almost the full length of the country’s North and South Islands.
2013 Mussel Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, $12.99 – New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs have no parallel anywhere in the world. Though they are often compared to the vibrant wines of Sancerre in France’s Loire Valley, their taste is quite different. Explosive yet taut, they are alive with an exotic grapefruit-y/lime/passion fruit intensity that is also refreshingly herbaceous on the palate. In addition, most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are made in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels. As a result, they possess a crisp, razor-sharp focus for which they are rightly revered.
The 2013 Mussel Bay is typical of this above-noted uniqueness. It is incredibly pungent on the nose, grassy & citrusy on the palate, and buttressed by a marvelously refreshing acidity. This is an incredibly delicious wine… and the price, approximately $13.00, is equally incredible.
Trust me, wines of this quality – at this price – do not come along every day… and this little beauty has literally been flying off retailers’ shelves. So if I were you, I’d strike while the iron is hot.
As an alternative, you might give the 2012 O’Dwyers Creek Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc a try. Priced at approx. $16.99, it is also quite good… though not AS good as the Mussel Bay. On the other hand, if you’re willing to up the ante, Cloudy Bay, often considered the crème de la crème of New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs, will set you back about $27.00.
2010 Astrolabe Pinot Noir Marlborough, $29.99 – Sauvignon Blanc may have put New Zealand on the international wine radar… but it is Pinot Noir that is destined to be the country’s ultimate claim-to-fame as a producer of world-class wines. Second only to Sauvignon Blanc in production volume, with major plantings in five key viticultural areas, this finicky red grape prima donna is alive and doing exceedingly well, indeed.
So well, in fact, that one could argue, as a number of wine writers already have, that, overall, New Zealand makes the best Pinot Noirs outside of Burgundy’s hallowed precincts. Since NZ is still a comparatively young wine producing country, that claim may be stretching the point just a bit… But the bottom line remains: This lovely land down under has done – and is doing – wonders with this notoriously fussy, difficult to grow and vinify varietal.
Created in 1996, Astrolabe Winery was named after the French explorer Dumont D’urville’s boat. Winemaker/owner Simon Waghorn enjoyed the connection between exploration and adventure that could just as easily be attributed to the pursuit of winemaking. For his part, Mr. Waghorn explores the potential of soil, vines, and climate to take all those who sample his wines on an exciting oenological adventure. His unswerving devotion to the region’s terroir and minimalist approach in the winery have not only yielded a stable of stylish & expressive wines but have also developed a loyal cult following.
… And the 2010 Astrolabe Pinot Noir certainly qualifies as Exhibit A of his winemaking wizardry. This is really a superb wine… one of the best Pinots I’ve tasted in quite some time; and I’m not the only one who feels this way, as just about every wine writer out there has bestowed his/her imprimatur. The Wine Spectator, for example, conferred 92 points (out of 100) and listed it as #60 in its top 100 wines of 2013.
In the glass, the wine displays a vibrant deep garnet color; a swirl or two and the aromatics take over, beguiling the olfactory senses with waves of ripe fruit and hints of spice. On the palate, the wine is supple and full bodied, balancing fruit & oak, and integrating silky tannins on the long, lingering finish. This is an elegant, sophisticated wine, sleek, sensuous, and downright sexy. Or, should you prefer wine writer Allen Meadows’ colloquially abbreviated version: “Lovely stuff.”
And, at approximately $30.00 a bottle, the price is pretty lovely, too. Because of their finicky nature, Pinot Noir grapes are notoriously difficult to grow and their vinification equally problematic; which, of course, makes the wines invariably expensive. And price is no guarantee of quality. You could very easily spend twice as much and still end up sipping Algerian bilge.
This 2010 Astrolabe Pinot Noir is a superlative wine, which, among its other above-mentioned enchanting endowments, also offers the consumer a quality/price ratio that’s hard to beat. It is marvelously drinkable right now and will only get better with age. I recommend it highly.
Cheers!
TAD
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