No wine on the planet so excites wine lovers as pinot noir.
For years, Burgundy ruled. The New World offered creditable sparkling
wines, cabernets, chardonnays, and almost every other wine style, but
attempts to replicate Burgundy were dismissed with disdain. Try as they
might, it seemed that nowhere else would ever approach what Burgundy could
offer. The only other variety that could make a similar claim was Piedmont’s
nebbiolo and the great Barolos it makes.
When the New World finally realized that it could make great
pinot noir, very different from great Burgundy, the contenders lined up.
Oregon and parts of California, such as Russian River, were considered
‘most likely to emulate’. Australia took its time, and has
some serious wines that surprise, though Australian pinot is often under-appreciated,
the focus being so much on its unique shiraz.
Then New Zealand entered the fray. Once a vinous giggle,
New Zealand stunned many with its extraordinarily pungent sauvignon blanc.
Pinot noir, though, was playing in the big leagues. Most were more than
skeptical. Today, New Zealand pinot noir is considered by many as second
only to the great wines of Burgundy.
New Zealand's regional differences were as significant as
those found throughout the Côte d’Or. Marlborough offered
delicious, pretty wines while Martinborough led the way with wonderfully
concentrated and complex pinots. Then a few years ago, stories of some
special wines from the south began to emerge. Pinot lovers are always
keen to try the next new thing, and equally quick to dismiss it. This
time, they took notice. Central Otago took its first tentative steps on
the world stage and has never left.
A few wineries made tiny quantities during the 1970s and
1980s, but it wasn’t until the 1990s that the trickle turned into
a flow. From eleven wineries in 1996, there are now over 80 (with 50 grape
growers), making some of the world’s most sought after wines. In
1998, it was New Zealand’s eighth largest region. Now, it is fourth
with a bullet, though the massive plantings of sauvignon blanc in Marlborough
leave everything else in their wake.
