Marlborough, New Zealand
Stepping away from the lab and into the cellar was the most important transition I have ever done, and the best decision I have made. Without taking that leap of faith and pursuing a craft that I deeply enjoy, I would never have traveled to New Zealand. I could not tell you why I chose to travel to New Zealand verses any other wine region, other than I love Lord of the Rings. I accepted a job and took a 48hour + flight to the under side of the world to start, what I didn’t know at the time, was my life’s adventure into wine.
Blenheim, a little town on the South Island in the Marlborough wine region, was my home base. This town, quiet most of the year, is bustling between the months of March and April with people from all over the world. Some were there to make wine in a serious manner, others had a more causal approach. I met many people from every walk of life, and we exchanged stories of our lives, discussed methods of winemaking, and showed each other what our countries have to offer in wine bottles. They made New Zealand one of the most memorable places I have ever been. This was my first push past the generic way of looking at wine. Instead of seeing it as a value product, I began to see it as a cultural connection to its people. It is where I began to explore my senses and expand my capacity to smell, taste, and feel wine. I am fortunate enough to be able to share my life with some of these people who opened my eyes to my new perspective on wine.
Marlborough is known for its bright, refreshing, and sometimes herbaceous sauvignon blancs. The grapes expression depends on many things, but starts in its sub-regional origin of either Awatare, Wairau, or Southern valley (yes it took me awhile to pronounce the former two.) These three areas split the region into sub regions which have distinct varietal expressions based on the topography and soil composition of the valley they are from. Awatare grapes tend to be more crisp, minerally and express more herbaceous notes , while Wairau grapes tend to be more tropical with passion-fruit and grapefruit that keeps in check the more green pepper in sauvingon blanc. Sometimes you find bottles from a single vineyard site from a sub-region or a bottle with a blend of vineyards from the different sub-regions. A fun exercise to do is taste a sauvignon blanc and try to distinguish the sub-regions through the aromas and flavors expressed.
In both Awatare Valley and the Wairau Valley sauvignon blanc reigns king in the production, although you can find some truly unique and wondrous pinot noirs, rieslings, and chardonnays. Two of my favorite wines from here happen to be a pinot noir, that has an ever changing aroma, and a riesling, that is comparable to Germany. Southern Valley tends to be a bit warmer than the other two regions and has more plantings of pinot noir. Although, sauvignon blanc is still the main grape here. This sub-region is not highlighted as much, or at least while I was there. One day, I will go back and try more wines from this region.
Marlborough, New Zealand is a hidden gem. Its sauvignon blanc wine is more than just a zesty, tropical, acid bomb. It has a range of minerality and depth that unfortunately is overlooked sometimes in the US market. Perhaps this will change soon. Whatever the case, this region is one for the books!
Cheers to you New Zealand!
