KEY POINTS:
"We made this for Robert Parker," an Australian winemaker declared proudly as he poured me something closer to a port than the shiraz it purported to be. It was a motivation as difficult for me to digest as the monstrous wine in my glass, and an indirect result of the ultra-influential American wine critic's inaugural visit to Australia earlier that decade.
Now with Parker's journal, the Wine Advocate, having just published its first comprehensive report on New Zealand, are our winemakers set to sell firstly their souls to gain high Parker points, and then their wines for the similarly silly prices that followed his visit across the ditch?
Despite the marketing spin currently emanating from our wineries and retailers using the Wine Advocate's highly positive assessment of New Zealand's wines, it's not Parker who penned the report. It's his UK-based writer, Neal Martin, who traversed our winegrowing regions earlier this year, leaving more than 1500 wines tasted in his wake.
Historically, Parker has not held our wines in high esteem. Indeed, some years back he famously described them as "atrociously vegetal", "overly processed and too expensive for the quality they deliver". New Zealand has made staggering progress since then and despite Parker tending to favour the bolder styles of wine New Zealand's climate will never allow the country to make, I'd wager he would have found far less to fault had he come here himself this year.
Martin, however, was perhaps a fortuitous envoy from the Wine Advocate. With a different palate to his boss's and less personal sway, his complimentary but measured report should safeguard against wineries attempting to tailor their styles to suit the penchants of Parker. Unlike the Aussie winemaker with whom I took exception, they're more likely to stick to their guns and make wines with a character dictated by where they're grown.
Martin was impressed by what he found in New Zealand, stating that he was "convinced that there is enormous potential for the country to compete on the global stage, not only for their feted pinot noirs, but for the wider variety of styles being produced".
In his balanced overview, he made the valid observation that many of our sauvignons were "correct, commercial but anodyne", but praised the many handcrafted examples he'd seen. He also gave Hawkes Bay _ too often overlooked given the country's focus on sauvignon and pinot noir _ a big boost through the high proportion of wines he awarded 90 points or more out of 100.
Although there were high marks aplenty awarded across the country, unlike Parker's Australian assessments, Martin only awarded a handful of wines the 95 points or over that can send demand, and then prices, sky-high. His reason being that New Zealand's wines still need to prove themselves in terms of longevity.
Vinoptima's Nick Nobilo for one, whose noble late harvest gewurztraminer at 97 points gained the highest New Zealand rating, has no plans to put his prices up.
"Certainly the report has created interest in Vinoptima," he says, "but I don't plan to increase prices as a result."
I managed to catch up with Martin when he was in Marlborough. Over a tasting we discovered that we'd both grown up in the same British vinous wasteland in Essex and spent our formative drinking years at an alternative dive called the Pink Toothbrush, sculling a noxious concoction of lager, cider and blackcurrant cordial called snakebite and black. Ah, how palates develop and improve with time.
The same too can be said of winegrowing countries, whose growing maturity should also bring confidence in its winemakers to pursue their own direction rather than pandering to the critics.
Anointed kiwis
THE PRELATE'S PINOT
Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir 2007 $19.95-$20.95
For those looking for one of the best value pinot noirs, you can trust the Vicar's Choice. Its juicy and bright cherry and berry fruit seasoned with spice are supported by an earthy savouriness rare at this price.
From Foodtown, Woolworths, New World, Point Wines, Fine Wine Delivery Company
LOCAL FLAVOUR
Farmgate Hawkes Bay Gewurztraminer 2007 $24.95
Farmgate is a new venture by Hawkes Bay's Ngatarawa winery, celebrating the region's foods and the people behind them. Sporting sauce-maker Noel Crawford on its label, the fresh and exotically performed gewurztraminer in the range has layers of rose petal, lychee and subtle musky spice.
Mail order from www.farmgatewines.co.nz.
Roccia Waipara Valley Pinot Gris 2007 $30-32
This collaboration between veteran winemaker Alan McCorkindale and Greystone's Thomas family grew from a desire to showcase pinot gris grown on the Thomas' limestone hillside vineyard. The result is an impressive drier-style gris with intense, oily textured pear and apple fruit infused with cinnamon and nutmeg spice and hazelnut. On special this month at $26.
From Glengarrys
