Throwing out the rule book
It wasn’t long ago that a winemaker deemed to be ‘‘experimental’’ was one who planted a new grape variety. If the variety’s name was suitably evocative (eg Albarino), the producer wasn’t just experimental, but a rebellious pathfinder.
It’s always interesting to see how a new variety adapts to life in Aotearoa. However, that’s no longer the cool laboratory. The best experiments today are all about method, in the vineyard and winery, no matter what variety you’re dealing with.
Much of this exploration involves departing from the orthodoxy that governed winemaking in this country for around 30 years. That regime could best be described as the Roseworthy Rules, after the venerable South Australian institution where many of our winemakers learned their craft during the 1980s and 1990s.
This approach is standard, modern new-world winemaking – chemical-prone in the vineyard followed by standover, manipulative tactics in the winery. It’s partly to iron out the ups and downs that nature can serve up. The resulting wines are glossy and well-behaved and deliver a consistent experience, regardless of vineyard and vintage.
For many people, that’s how wine should be, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But some started to think otherwise. They worked in other places, picked up ideas, discussed things, and tasted different wines. Many decided the Roseworthy Rules were a) a recipe for making boring wines, and b) masking rather than revealing the true character of their sites. They set about unlearning what they’d been taught.
So now we have, in effect, two New Zealand wine worlds. In the vineyard, these alternative producers often embrace organic and biodynamic principles, out of respect for the land but also because they believe their wines will have more authenticity and taste better.
During the winemaking process, they are laissez-faire – wild ferments, no additives, lowsulphur regimes, giving nature her head. But most importantly, they’re trying new things. They’re looking at what their vines give them and adapting methods accordingly. We’re seeing some exciting wines as a result.
At the recent Cuisine pinot noir tasting (see its next issue), our top wine was organically farmed and made using practices that are not commonplace. The winemaker took those paths because she wanted to see what awaited her on the other side. And because she was bold enough to have a go. Few winemakers are as experimental as Michael Glover at Mahana. This sauvignon, with nectarine, leafiness, jalapeno, and high-revving acidity, gives your palate a right talking to. It’s dry, bold, mouthwatering and singular.