Published NZME Regional Papers Tue 12 April 2016
I’ve been spending a lot of time on vineyards around the country over the last few weeks. Harvest is in full swing and it’s an intense time for anyone involved in the wine industry. Winemakers and grape growers are glued to weather forecasting apps on their smartphones, trying to make those crucial calls. One forecast might say its going to rain heavily in the near future, so a winemaker may want to bring the fruit in while it’s still dry and healthy. However another forecast might say that it’s only going to be a bit of drizzle. So if the winemaker wants the fruit to get a bit riper, then they may be tempted to leave it on the vine for a few more days. But if it does rain heavily then they’re stuck. You can’t harvest in the rain, watery bunches are a no-no. Plus there’s the danger that if those showers are followed by warm days, then all sorts of nasty rot action can occur. It’s not a good idea to spray anything on the fruit this close to harvest to try and prevent infection; so if botrytis occurs, then many wine producers have no choice but to hire workers to carefully snip out any patches from the bunches so that the fruit is clean enough to be harvested. That’s an expensive exercise.
Once upon a time the idea of ‘machine harvesting’ was met with the same facial expression you can imagine Nigella Lawson pulling if she was served a well-done steak. These days the technology at play in modern harvesting machines is like the stuff of sorcery. Massive machines, with price tags around the $500,000 mark, sweep up and down rows, rapidly, but oh-so-gently extracting every last berry. Leaving intact the stalks, pedicels, brushes and some of the central vascular bundle tissue behind, still attached to the vine. The only grapes that escape are the ones the machine deems too soft and overripe. They fall squishily (not a real word, but you get the idea) to the ground.
Nga Waka Martinborough Chardonnay 2015 $30 ★★★½
It’s been an age since I’ve tasted Roger Parkinson’s chardonnays from his Nga Waka label, so it’s a great thing to get amongst his new releases. The 2015 estate is a tangy, linear yet altogether luscious wine that’s golden in the glass and offers creamy, spicy, roast peach characters from the get-go. It’s also got excellent ‘palate cling’ which makes the flavours linger long. It’s a young wine and another 12 months in bottle will really boost its complexity. www.ngawaka.co.nz
Nga Waka ‘Lease Block’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2014 $50 ★★★★½
I fell in love with the concentration and intensity of this wine from the very first sip. With so much lush, ripe red fruit and vibrant spices on the nose, you think it’s going to taste over the top and flouncy. However the cocoa, cherry and soft, dried herb notes that join it’s smooth, velvety texture give it freshness and lift, and the youthful tannins leave just the right amount of ‘furry feeling’ on your gums with every sip. Very nice indeed. www.ngawaka.co.nz
Ka Tahi Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $15 ★★★
Wow! Super-fruity and loaded with lemon, peach, passionfruit and lime, this is a snappy sauvignon that will really please the crowds. It’s not an intellectual wine by any stretch, it’s just a Make sure you serve it chilled down to enhance the tangy texture. For stockists near you contact wayne@katahiwines.com
Neudorf Maggies Block Nelson Pinot Gris 2015 $26 ★★★★
The thing that really impressed me was the immediate aromatic hit of baked apple, crushed sea-shells and spice. It’s a lean, dry, ultra-clean style of pinot gris that has tightwire acidity on the palate and a long, chalky finish. I’d be sipping this with slowcooked pork belly with apple sauce. Delish. www.neudorf.co.nz
Greystone Waipara Sauvignon Blanc 2015 $22 ★★★★½
This is one seriously tropical, juicy, succulent sauvignon blanc from the nor-wester buffetted, limestone-laden slopes of North Canterbury. Deeply textural, powdery and mineral-edged, there’s a wildly tasty wave of nectarine, preserved lemon and crushed green herbs in every mouthful too. Winemaker Dom Maxwell is an evil genius and I’ll definitely be buying more of this wine. www.greystone.co.nz
