Until recently, I never considered Pinot Noir from New Zealand. My first was was the te Pa 2015 Pinot Noir from the Awatere Valley region, south of the Wairau Valley. I then tried the Mt. Beautiful 2015 Pinot Noir, harvested from the southern island’s coastal Canterbury/North Canterbury region. The difference between the two regions is remarkable. The Wairau River 2016 Pinot Noir offers yet a third variation, hailing from the heart of the Wairau Valley where the grapes are grown along the valley floor, influenced by the river’s soils, and the mountains protect the land from harsh weather conditions. Yes, the perfect place for the picky Pinot grape it seems — both on paper and in the glass…
Tag: Wairau River
Wairau River 2017 Sauvignon Blanc
It’s New Zealand’s success with Sauvignon Blanc that really gave the tiny country it’s winemaking “gravitas.” Nearly 70% of New Zealand’s vines are planted to the white grape, totaling about 200,000 tons harvested each year. And the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, home to Wairau River’s estate vineyards is no exception. “Its a very popular wine here – our number wine is Sauvignon Blanc followed by Pinot Gris and Rose,” says Lindsay from Wairau River. Let’s find out why… 