Spring Reloads

After a draining winter, now is the time to reassess your wine stocks, pick out ones that are ready to drink and find some worthy replacements.

Through the months of March to July my wine stocks were noticeably reduced. It’s not that anything bad happened to the wine or storage conditions, but the depletion of stocks meant a campaign to select some replacements – as well as earlier drinking options – was required. You may be faced with the same challenge.

Recently released wines from the 2016 through 2018 vintage offer some excellent cellar-worthy options. Te Whare Ra Clayvin Pinot Noir 2017, TOM Merlot Cabernet 2016 and Pegasus Bay ‘Aged Release’ 2010 Riesling are three examples of wines for a spring cellar reload. It’s also a time when some older wines need to be moved to the ‘drink now’ space. While there are exceptions, these should include any sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and gewürztraminer 2018 or older. Restock your cellar with 2019 and 2020 examples – many are fantastic.

Riesling is a wine that often benefits from time in your cellar so check with the producer for the right timeline. As a general guide though, anything older than 2007 is likely past its best. Reload from the 2016 vintage and younger, especially the 2019. NZ pinots noir older than 2009 should now be moved to the drink-now section as well. While I have enjoyed some exceptional older wines, it is becoming harder to find examples that have not already reached an optimal drinking window. Reload with 2017 and 2019 examples. NZ syrah is becoming a lot more popular as a short-term cellar wine. Perfectly stored syrah can develop and last 10 to 15 years – Trinity Hill Homage is an excellent example – but wines older than 2009 are likely ready to drink. Reload with 2017 and 2019 wines. Merlot, cabernet and full-bodied red blends are a group of wines that depend entirely on the vintage and producer as to whether they should be enjoyed sooner or left alone.