Do you drink mostly New Zealand or imported wine? New Zealand Winegrowers’ Annual Report for the 2022-23 financial year says domestic sales of local wine were an estimated 42.9 million litres – slightly below the 43.3 million litres imported, mostly (more than 70%) from Australia.
Vintners NZ, which distributes wine nationwide, traces its origin to 1980, when “a group of Auckland businessmen, decrying the lack of quality imported wine to drink, decided to form a consortium to source their own wines”. Today, Vintners is promoting these freshly arrived wines from Europe, including a chardonnay with “Chablis style and quality, but without the hefty price-tag”.
Alba Martin Rias Baixas Albarino 2022
From Galicia, on the Atlantic coast of northwest Spain, this is a punchy albarino, medium-bodied and invigoratingly crisp, with strong, citrusy, spicy, vaguely salty flavours, fresh, vibrant and aromatic. (12.5% alc/vol) $26-$35
★★★★½
Nivarius Rioja Tempranillo Blanco 2022
This distinctive, generous dry white is from a white mutation of tempranillo, the famous red-wine grape of Rioja, in Spain. Grown at high altitude and handled in tanks and French oak barrels, it is full-bodied, fresh and dry, with strong, peachy, citrusy, spicy flavours, full of youthful vigour. (13.5% alc/vol) $25-$28
★★★★½
Adega de Penalva Dao Indigena Rosé 2022
Drinking well now, this Portuguese rosé is based mostly on touriga nacional, the key grape of port, now often used for table wines. Pale pink, it is medium-bodied and sweet-fruited, with fresh acidity and very good depth of peach, strawberry and spice flavours, dry and smooth. (12.5% alc/vol) $18-$20
★★★★
Domaine Maire Grand Minéral Côtes du Jura Pinot Noir 2021
This perfumed red from the Côtes du Jura was hand-picked and barrel-aged. Ruby hued, it is a moderately youthful, clearly varietal wine, medium-bodied, savoury and supple, with ripe, cherryish, spicy, slightly nutty flavours. (12.5% alc/vol) $33-$37
★★★★
Adega de Penelva Dao 2021
★★★★
This good value Portuguese red was blended from touriga nacional and other grapes, handled in stainless steel tanks rather than oak barrels, and closed with a screwcap. It has deep, bright colour and fresh, spicy aromas. Strong and lively on the palate, it has vibrant, red berry and spice flavours, in a slightly syrah-like style. Enjoyable now. (12.5% alc/vol) $18-$20
Wine of the week
Domaine Maire Grand Minéral Côtes du Jura Chardonnay 2021
★★★★½
The cool, elevated Jura region, in eastern France between Burgundy and Switzerland, has limestone soils that yield vigorous chardonnay with a crisp, “mineral” thread. Well worth discovering, this fragrant, medium-bodied wine has good intensity of vibrant, ripe peachy flavours showing considerable complexity and appetising acidity. It’s delicious now. (12.5% alc/vol) $33-$37
