Wine a Day

New Zealand has an unusual landscape, foreign enough to the observer to believe it is middle earth. Parts of it are fiord scared and look like parts of Scandinavia. Other areas are snow covered all year round. There are volcanic areas, large forests and great open plains. This diversity of the land brings the opportunity for vineyards producing a wide range grapes and styles of wine making. In the north island of New Zealand, the moderate climate similar to northern Spain or Southern France provides conditions to make Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah/Shiraz and Chardonnay in a similar style to that of southern Europe. In the South island, the cooler conditions similar to northern European regions like Rhineland, Alsace and Burgundy, wine production focuses on Pinot Noir, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

In the last decade the white wines of New Zealand have become renowned for their quality. The Sauvignon Blanc variety has become the flagship of the country’s wine industry. Considered by many the best example of the variety in the world, Sauvignon Blanc production has expanded rapidly since the first vines were planted in the 1970s. In the south island of New Zealand, the Marlborough region has become the pinnacle area for Sauvignon Blanc production. On the back of Marlborough’s reputation, other regions in New Zealand are experimenting with Sauvignon Blanc production. However, the unique terroir of this region still produces the finest examples, in my opinion, in the world.

This week’s Wine of the Week is the Saint Clair Family Estate 2008 Sauvignon Blanc. The wine makers have identified a small section in their vineyard as ideal for the production of the grapes for the top examples of their most important wine. Similar to traditional French estates, these small sections are carefully tended to make sure that the finest grapes are available for the top wines from the vineyard. This care to detail makes the wine special and personalized to winery. This wine is crisp, filled with fruity notes, like passion fruit, lime and even blackberry in the finish. It goes very well with seafood, or a fresh salad.

Having given you an idea of quality of this wine, you may expect the price tag to be similar to that of fine grand cru wines of Alsace or Burgundy. This wine however is around €10, which makes it accessible for everyday enjoyment if you can find it at your local wine seller. If you are looking for a special white wine, you do not need to blow the budget. With the money you save on this purchase, you can go and get the best quality seafood or fish to match the wine with.