EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Well-known overseas, some newto-us varietals are making inroads with winemakers and wine drinkers here, says MARY-THERESE BLAIR.

THE ADDITION OF an ‘other reds’ class to the Cuisine wine-tasting repertoire is a reflection of a couple of things happening in the wine world. Kiwi wine lovers are increasingly enjoying wines that have traditionally come from outside our borders. Sometimes this is as a result of previous overseas experiences and the desire to reminisce about a time when the only impediment to international travel was your passport expiry date. The other element at play here is that more New Zealand wine producers are looking beyond our core varieties and trying something new. Our wine industry is young and we still have so much to learn about what grows well in our environment. Seeing a montepulciano from Waiheke take second place in our top five is a reflection of the success of that experimentation which will ultimately reward the Kiwi consumer with more choice and that’s got to be a good thing.