Worth the wait?

Tinpot Hut Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008. Photo / Greg Bowker

With A few notable exceptions, most New Zealand restaurant wine lists carry wines of the current vintage and those going back a few years. You'll look in vain though for anything from the early vintages of the 21st century and a bottle from the 1990s will be regarded as a collector's item. Fair enough, it's a weighty overhead to hold on to a large portfolio of options. Look at your own collection of wines at home.

Chances are, of the one or two dozen wines you may have resting gently in the rack or the cupboard under the stairs, few will be more than 4 years old. Okay, there's that 1986 Australian red Uncle George gave you at your 21st with the promise it'll be perfect at your 50th. Maybe.

Generally reds can be held on to longer than whites, but for those discerning drinkers who wish to optimise the time to enjoy local wines, it's not an exact science. Drink too early and the wine hasn't evolved as it should. Drink too late and it has fallen over. New Zealand white wines are not universally regarded as "keepers".

In last week's column I tested two local reds, one 12 years old and the other 13. Verdict? No problems, although the pinot from a 1997 vintage was unlikely to be with us much longer. This week, two white wines. I opened the 2002 Peregrine riesling with calculated confidence. An excellent Central Otago producer from a fine vintage with a white varietal that can really benefit from age. And it was. Rich lemon and lime flavours wrapped in that piercing spiciness often found in southern rieslings. A classic, big style with a dry finish. Still plenty of life in this beauty.

The 1998 chardonnay looked fine in the bottle. A top-tier wine from one of New Zealand's most revered chardonnay producers, it is not cheap - its current vintage sells for more than $50. Initially I had a half-dozen of this fine wine but all but one had long since been drunk. Very lovely they were, too.

Somehow this last remaining bottle had fallen through the cracks and, in all probability, should have been opened a lot sooner. While not exactly dead, it had a flatness and distinct lack of flavour. In a nutshell, it was tired. My fault, not the wine's.

Drink early - avoid the tears.

Recommended

2007 Peregrine Riesling
From an excellent vintage for a Central Otago Riesling. Very mouth-filling. A perfect balance of fruit, sweetness and acidity. Tending dry. Excellent buying.
Price: $22

2008 Tinpot Hut Sauvignon Blanc
Beautiful drinking now but will be at its optimum over the next two years. Gooseberry, crushed herbs and mineral notes. Well-balanced with a crisp finish.
Price: about $20