Hunter’s of bubbles…
If you stopped someone random in the street and asked them to name New Zealand’s top sparkling wine brands in ten seconds flat –I reckon they’d be able to rattle off the big commercial names, the Lindauer’s, Morton’s, Daniel Le Brun’s, maybe Deutz and Cloudy Bay and then they’d probably begin to struggle. Hunter’s may not even occur to them at all, and that’s actually ok with Jane Hunter and her team, because over the years they’ve just quietly gotten on with the job of making massive inroads into markets much bigger than our own. Inroads that are now paved in gold since Hunter’s claimed the trophy for Best New Zealand Sparkling Wine at the London-based, Champagne and Sparkling Wine World Championships for the third year running.
The trophy was taken out by their MiruMiru™ Reserve 2013, and its little sister, the MiruMiru™ Brut NV scooped the only other gold medal awarded to a New Zealand producer. “Miru miru” translates to ‘bubbles’ in Maori, so it’s very clever branding. “MiruMiru™ is the jewel in our crown” says Jane Hunter, owner of the company that was established back in 1979. Production of sparkling wines has increased sharply over the past years, and the Hunter’s range has also expanded to include a beautiful sparkling rosé. “New Zealand sparkling wines are hugely underrated and we need to work to ensure that they are recognized on the world stage” she adds. Our little country has been producing high quality sparkling wine since before car-less days and that was aeons ago. New Zealand now exports around 1.4 million litres of fine fizz. Gone are the days when the best bubbles we could hope for were boring, sweet, flabby and decidedly unfabulous – today New Zealand sparkling wines represent cool-climate sophistication at its best. And that’s thanks to the decades of hard work from highly skilled winemakers like Gary Duke (who recently retired from Hunter’s), his long-term sparkling wine consultant Tony Jordan (Australia’s leading expert on Champagne and sparkling wine production) alongside the younger Hunter’s winemakers Inus van der Westhuizen and James Macdonald. “I really only bark orders down the phone at these guys now” says Jordan at a recent Hunter’s sparkling tasting in Auckland. “But we are doing a far better job now with the fruit that we’ve been getting access to. There’s better clonal material out there, more site diversity available, and while new technology helps, mostly it’s just good old experience coming into play”.
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Hunter’s MiruMiru Reserve 2013 $49.90 (5stars)
I adore the biscuit-like aromas of this absolute aristocrat. The almond meal, rising dough notes and serious mid-palate richness in every sip make this a hugely satisfying wine that’s not only long and flavoursome, but also shows real finesse and delicacy. There’s a creamy cashew and lemon-like complexity in this 60% pinot noir 40% chardonnay blend that offers generosity, texture and incredible precision and class in every glass.
Gorgeous stuff with tempura-battered oysters.
www.hunters.co.nz
Hunter’s MiruMiru Methode Traditionelle Brut NV $28.90 (5stars)
From the first sniff and sip, you’ll completely understand why this is one of the most highly awarded sparkling wines in the country and a much-loved favourite of mine. Generous and lush, with rising dough and smoky aromatics, stonefruit and citrus wash across the palate leaving a rich creamy, textural finish. It’s fresh, stylish and soothing to sip, in fact it’ll leave your tongue feeling like it’s been at the spa.
Enjoy with scallop sashimi or something equally decadent.
www.hunters.co.nz
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Here’s a triple treat for your sippers this week…
Rockburn Stolen Kiss Rosé 2017 $29 (4.5 stars)
If alien beings arrived from outer space, held weapons to your head and demanded know in 5 seconds flat what New Zealand’s most famous rosé was, you’d best yell out “Stolen Kiss” or you’re custard. It’s a sweetly fruity pink treat with a creaming soda, candy floss, raspberry, nectarine and toffee apple tone to it. Winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis reckons it has a “flirtatious, simmering strawberry palate smeared with cherry lip gloss” – and I totally agree.
www.rockburn.co.nz
Veuve Laperrière Brut Rose NV $17 (4stars)
If you prefer your rosé to froth and fizz, then this is going to seriously float your boat. Created in France’s Loire (“loo-aah”) Valley, this is a super-smooth, berries-and-cream-crammed wine that has really seductive mouthfeel. There’s a squeak of sweetness and spice, alongside a rich, slightly nutty finish. Richly structured, it’s a real crowd-pleaser and wow-inducing value for money.
www.thegoodwine.co.nz
Black Stilt Waitaki Valley Riesling 2014 $22 (3.5 stars)
Waitaki sits on the border of North Otago and South Canterbury, and it’s one of the most remote and raw parts of the country. It has a kind of other-worldly feel to it, and the quality of the wines that come from the lime-laden soils of Richie McCaw country have power, purity and personality to burn. At a demure 11% alc, Black Stilt’s riesling boasts natural sweetness and layers of crunchy green apple, strudel spices alongside a light lick of lime on the finish. Proceeds from sales assist regenerating the upper river reaches, that provide the habitat of the Black Stilt, the worlds rarest wading bird.
www.blackstilt.co.nz
