Awesome aromatics

Astrolabe Marlborough Pinot Gris. Photo / Babiche Martens

Next month some of the world's wine authorities will descend on New Zealand to talk and taste at the Nelson Aromatics Symposium. It's the second time the international showcase event has been held here and highlights the importance these fragrant white varieties have in the country's grape mix.

Because these grapes tend to need cooler climates to retain their aromatic intensity, New Zealand is a place that is well suited to their cultivation. Conditions here seem to favour super-scented styles with wonderfully pure fruit.

Other places where aromatics thrive are in the more northerly wine regions of the Northern hemisphere, such as those of Germany and Austria, and France's Loire, and Alsace - the world's aromatics capital. If you like our versions, it's well worth trying some alternatives from these regions as well.

Blackenbrook Vineyard Nelson Reserve Gewurztraminer 2008 $31

Although Nelson produces a wide range of varieties very well, in hosting this February's symposium it's hanging its hat on its aromatics. Blackenbrook is a relatively new Nelson estate that has swiftly established itself as one of the most exciting producers of these in the region. Made by Daniel Schwarzenbach, an ex-medical chemist and microbiologist whose wine experience spans work in Europe to time as chief winemaker at Nelson's Seifried Estate, his gewurztraminer is a soft, richly textured wine with subtle notes of the variety's Turkish delight character, as well as aniseed and Middle Eastern spice.
(From Caro's.)

Spy Valley Envoy Marlborough Riesling 2007 $28.90

Although arguably one of the less aromatic varieties, when it comes to the dizzying heights in quality that can be reached by the best, riesling is still king of this category. Made in a wide variety of styles, this one from Spy Valley's top Envoy range, may clock in at a modest 9 per cent alcohol, but has an abundance of flavour in its rich, slaty, spicy and slightly honeyed palate in which its not inconsiderable sweetness is beautifully counterpoised with a fresh limey acid.
(From La Vino, Artisan Wines.)

Mud House Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc $19.90

It was the powerfully pungent wines made from New Zealand's leading variety, sauvignon blanc, that switched the world on to the potential of our other aromatics. These may be on the up, but we still make far more sauvignon blanc then any another variety. This is a classic and classy example from Mud House that's an explosion of vibrant gooseberry, passionfruit and fresh Mediterranean herbs propelled by zingy citrus.
(Widely available from stockists including Liquorland, Countdown, New World.)

Astrolabe Discovery Kekerengu Coast Marlborough Pinot Gris 2009 $25.95

In under a decade pinot gris has grown from having a negligible presence in New Zealand's vineyards to become its fourth most widely planted grape variety and the country's most popular aromatic after sauvignon. This alluring number from aromatics supremo Astrolabe comes from the limestone soils of Kekerengu, a tiny sub-region that has recently sprung up south of Marlborough's Awatere Valley. Superseding the winery's Awatere Pinot Gris in its Discovery range, it's an intense and relatively oily textured wine in which ripe nectarine fuses with sweet exotic spice over a fresh citrus and minerally core. Powerful but poised. (From Caro's, Hamilton Wines.)

Salomon Hochterrassen Gruner Veltliner, Austria, 2007 $24

This variety makes intense minerally wines that can often exhibit a distinctive white pepper note. With wineries in New Zealand now growing the variety you can expect to see more homegrown gruner on the market from the 2010 vintage. However, for now most hail from Austria, such as this affordable example with its light and dry tangy citrus palate, hints of river stones and peppery spice. (From First Glass, Hamilton Wine Company, Wine Direct, The Wine Vault.)

Montana Showcase Series Marlborough Sauvignon Gris 2009 $24.95

You'll be forgiven if you've never heard of sauvignon gris, as this is the first from New Zealand that I've come across and it's pretty rare elsewhere in the world. It's an ancient grape variety native to France's Bordeaux region, that's a pink-skinned relation of sauvignon blanc. However, it makes fuller-bodied, less herbaceous wines than its illustrious cousin, as illustrated by Montana's debut with its juicy, fleshy greengage and stone fruit overlaid with restrained notes of nettle and blackcurrant leaf. There's a small but growing trend in planting the variety internationally, in places such as Bordeaux, the Loire and Chile, and looking at the promise of Marlborough's first, we may well see some more in New Zealand.
(From Fine Wine Delivery Company.)

Cypress Terrace Hawkes Bay Viognier 2008 $30

Viognier is another up-and-coming aromatic variety, whose finest wines come from the slopes of Condrieu in France's Northern Rhone region. This voluptuous barrel-fermented viognier is the first fruit of a local hillside vineyard in the Gimblett Gravels planted by Te Awa Farm founder, Gus Lawson. Grown on a small, steep, north-facing terraced site, it exudes ripe apricots and cream underpinned by nutmeg spice and a fresh note of citrus peel. (From www.cypresswines.co.nz.)

Willm Cuvee Emile Gewurztraminer, Alsace 2006 $35

Another great gewurz, this time from its heartland of Alsace where it's considered one of the region's noble varieties. This has a beguilingly perfumed nose redolent of spice and honey and an opulent and viscous palate of stone fruit and lychee, infused with carnations and clove. Delicious.
(From First Glass, Cambridge Fine Wine.)

Framingham Dry Riesling Marlborough 2004 $40

The most long lived of aromatics, riesling can evolve from something citrussy and fruit driven in its youth into a more mellow and toasty wine with age, like this excellent older example from Framingham. One of the few producers to release a riesling after considerable time in bottle, Framingham's 2004 vintage is starting to develop gorgeous mature honeyed toasty character around its exhilarating spine of grapefruit and mineral.
(From Liquorland.)

Te Whare Ra Toru Marlborough 2009 $22

A softly seductive blend of gewurztraminer, riesling and pinot gris from Marlborough aromatics specialists, Te Whare Ra. Toru combines the fleshier texture and sweet spice of gewurztraminer and pinot gris with the minerality and zesty acid of riesling, whose touch of sweetness is nicely offset by the blend's underlying freshness.
(From Glengarry.)

If this has whet your appetite for aromatics, more information about the Nelson Aromatics Symposium and details on how to book can be found at: wineart.co.nz