New Zealand Revisited Not Just Sauvignon Blanc

New Zealand was one of the success stories of the late 20th Century. Starting in the late 70’s the New Zealand wine industry put itself on the map as a supplier of reliably good, quality wine. Interestingly, it took a unique approach. Less brash than their neighbours across the Tasman Sea, the New Zealanders almost snuck unnoticed onto the UK wine scene. The first wine I remember really noticing, in the early 80’s, was Ernie Hunter’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. I was impressed, but I never guessed that from such quiet, unassuming beginning this style would rapidly become a classic. Today, the green, mange-tout style of Sauvignon Blanc is emulated around the world, but remains synonomous with New Zealand.
Curiously, this phenomenal success story has proved to be a double edged sword. For a great many wine drinkers in the UK Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand wine. In reality, as I discovered on a recent visit to New Zealand, the country produces numerous styles of wine, which are similar only in their reassuringly uniform high quality.

My trip began on the North Island, at Kumeu River, half an hour north of Auckland. Kumeu River has been in the Brajkovich family since 1944, and the domaine is currently being expertly run by Michael Brajkovich MW, the first New Zealander to gain the title Master of Wine. Kumeu River is situated on the narrow isthmus north-west of Auckland. The prevailing winds come from the west, bringing considerable rain and humidity. It is also an area with relatively rich soils, and the first thing that strikes you on arrival that this is a fertile area, where the vines will need strict control in order to avoid excessive productivity. Mike controls this through the use of devigourating rootstocks and harsh pruning. The plantings are well spaced and the canopies are open, allowing the free flow of drying winds through their leaves. The other striking feature of these vineyards for the first-time visitor to New Zealand, is that every row is covered in dense netting, designed to keep marauding birds away from the precious fruit.

Mike is of Yugoslav descent, but his winemaking influences are distinctly Burgundian. This is very evident on his Chardonnays, which have a classic lightness and understated quality that belies their complexity. As the wines open in the glass they display beautiful, subtle nutty flavours, overlying a soft white peach character and delicate lemon citrus tones. In the finest Burgundian tradition Mike makes a range of Chardonnays, beginning with the most basic village appellation, before moving on to estate and single vineyard wines. Top of the range is the Mate’s, named after Mike’s father. For me the finest of these is the restrained Hunting Hill Chardonnay 2006.
This is not a “one-trick” estate, Mike can turn his hand to other varieties. He makes an excellent Sauvignon Blanc, made from fruit brought in from Marlborough. He also produces Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, but I was particularly impressed by his Merlot/Malbec blend, which goes under the name of Melba (Mum has to have a wine too). The Melba 2000 is an attractive melange of ripe plummy fruit, typical of Merlot, with underlying strains of darker, earthier flavours, contributed by the Malbec. The result is a complex, balanced wine, the opulent fruit countered by ripe, supple tannins and gentle spicy oak.

The problems of fertile soils and high humidity have deterred a lot of people from accepting Wet Auckland as a quality wine region, but the Brajkovichs are leading the way in establishing the region’s identity.

Many people say that a trip to New Zealand is like a trip back in time. Certainly life in Auckland is pretty laid back compared to London, New York, or even Cardiff, but to really see a difference catch a ferry out to Waiheke Island. What a difference a 40 minute ferry ride can make! This is like Britain in the fifties or early sixties. A community where everyone seems to know everyone else. You get the feeling that people here don’t bother locking their doors at night. There is also a slight hippy vibe here. The feeling that this is something of an alternative community, for people who find the excesses of Auckland just too much. There is a bit of a hippy vibe at our visit this morning. The deck at Stoneyridge is home to a stage with a number of huge speakers, and there is evidence that these have recently been blasting out some Hendrix and Grateful Dead numbers. If this leads you to expect “alternative”, freaky wines, forget it. This is a really serious operation, it just doesn’t take itself too seriously.

While enjoying stunning views over the vineyards, winemaker Summer Bell took us through a range of outstanding wines. The climate on Waiheke Island is significantly different to that of Auckland. This is another change visible throughout our 40 minute ferry ride. We had left Auckland in a fine drizzle, which cleared as we crossed the Hauraki Gulf. From the island we could see banks of cloud engulfing the city all day, while we sat in bright sun. This is because the prevailing westerly winds in Auckland blow off the warm, moist Tasman Sea, and therefore bring cloud and rain. The winds on Waiheke Island come from the south and are cooler and drier. Because these winds are cool, the best vineyard sites are in sheltered locations, ideally with a north-facing orientation. More...