Wine: Fresh fields

Omori Estate Lake Taupo Pinot Gris 2009, $25. Photo / Babiche Martens

From the high volcanic plateau surrounding Lake Taupo to South Canterbury's harsh Hakataramea Valley, and even on the chilly coast of Dunedin, vineyards have been popping up in some surprising places. Marlborough may have been the focus of the recent planting rush, but there are some doughty souls who have dared to boldly go where no man has grown grapes before.

Though it's water pursuits rather than wine that spring to mind when one thinks of Lake Taupo, the region also boasts a small but increasingly proactive group of winegrowers. Italians working on the lake's hydro project in the 1960s made the first tiny plantings in the region, but it wasn't until the late-90s, with the establishment of the Pukawa Vineyard, that its current wine industry started to take shape.

Its cool elevated position and relatively high rainfall doesn't make the region the most obvious place to grow grapes. But after research into the climate, Martin Watt - whose vineyard is the region's largest and possibly the country's highest at over 400m - was convinced by data that suggested it had similar sunshine hours to Burgundy.

"There are frost issues, but the slopes provide natural defence against this," says Watt, who thinks that his own estate might even be getting added protection by the hot air puffed up from the thermal area directly beneath it.

"Rainfall is quite high, but is naturally combated by free-draining pumice soil," he explains, saying that it's this volcanic soil that creates the main point of difference for the region's wines.

With just 11 vineyards and five wineries, Lake Taupo's production is small, but the few whites that are produced show promise in particular.

Pinot gris and pinot noir are the grapes of choice for most vineyards, but the quality of the only riesling being produced, suggests this is another grape suited to its cool climes.

Even cooler is Waitati, on the coast just north of Dunedin. Here viticulturalist Helena Sims has planted the region's only commercial vineyard on a steep north-facing slope overlooking Blueskin Bay. It's this position that protects from frost the riesling, pinot gris, gewurztraminer and chenin blanc from which she plans to make her first wines next year.

"Dunedin's weather is not as bad as people would believe," states Sims. Although, as with many cool regions, flowering can be an issue, she maintains that every region has it drawbacks, be they frosts in Canterbury or cloud and rain in Auckland.

"Dunedin doesn't have extremes in temperature, but has the long autumns that are so good for riesling, which could result in some complex flavours from here," says Sims.

Still in super-cool territory but further northwest on the northern banks of the Waitaki River, Italian philosopher Antonio Pasquale has been trialling a wide variety of grapes on the limestone-rich soils of the Hakataramea Valley.

Since 2002 he's planted a mix that includes more eclectic Italian varie-ies such as arneis and dolcetto along with classic cool climate grapes such as riesling, gewurztraminer and pinot noir.

Though he now also owns vineyards on the other side of the river in the Waitaki Valley, which has been taking off as a wine region in recent years, he remains the pioneer and sole producer of wines in the Haka. With its dry climate and extreme temperatures - which in the summer can range from five degrees at night to over 30 in the day - this terrain may be too challenging for some, but he feels its unique conditions are worth working with due to the distinctive wines that result.

If it wasn't for pioneers brave enough to go against popular wisdom and plant in terra incognita, there would be no Marlborough sauvignon blanc or Central Otago pinot noir. The wine industry needs its risk takers which, when successful, add to the country's rich treasure trove of individual wine styles.

FROM THE NEW FRONTIERS

SHORE THING
Omori Estate Lake Taupo Pinot Gris 2009 $25
From the southwest corner of Lake Taupo comes this gratifying gris with its quince, stonefruit and spice, supported by a fusion of fresh grapefruit zest and mineral. (From Merchant of Taupo, Scenic Cellars, Liquorland, Omori Store.)

WATERFRONT WINE
Martin Watt Pukawa Vineyard Lake Taupo Riesling 2008 $30
Lake Taupo's impressive and only riesling is taut and limey with hints of white peach and a vibrant minerally finish. (From Scenic Cellars, Liquorland Taupo, Liquor King Taupo.)

PIONEERING PINOT
Pasquale Hakataramea Valley Pinot Noir 2008 $49.95
Its fresh leafy character is testament to the cool terrain on which this pinot is grown, but it is underpinned by ripe and concentrated elegant cherry and plum fruit, and fine tannins over nuances of spice, mineral and pretty florals. (From pasquale.co.nz)