New Zealand Pinot Noir

The Pinot Noir varietal is finicky grape. It requires tender loving care, a cooler climate, and a long growing season in order to develop enough character. It originally grew only in France, most famously in Burgundy, where it can be made into some of the world’s most sublime and ethereal red wine. They can have a wonderful earthiness with subtle cherry and red berry flavors, along with other nuances. “Forest floor”, “tea leaves”, “tobacco”, even “barnyard”, are adjectives often associated with Pinot Noir. Unfortunately, some burgundies can be very expensive disappointments.

In the last few decades, Pinot Noir has been planted in a variety of locations. Initially, California led the way, with plantings in the same areas where Cabernet had been planted. Californian vintners soon discovered that there were better, cooler microclimates where Pinot might do better, such as Carneros, Alexander Valley, and the Central Coast. Oregon followed with plantings, primarily in the Willamette Valley.

The latest, and perhaps the most promising, region to enter the Pinot market is New Zealand. Many oenophiles are saying New Zealand is second only to Burgundy to making the best Pinot Noirs, and they certainly come at a much lower price tag.

The best New Zealand terroirs for Pinot are Marlborough, Central Otago, Canterbury, and Nelson on the South Island, and Martinborough on the North Island. These areas have cool maritime climates, lots of sunshine, and moderate evening temperatures.

Growers of Pinot are trying to stay true to their terroirs, and by doing so they are making Pinots that strike an excellent balance between earthiness and fruit. They are not over-extracted, like some California pinots, nor are they excessively “barnyardy”. Some New Zealand pinots are priced in the teens. Typically, I shy away from Pinot this inexpensive because they usually aren’t true to the varietal. Typically, it is fairly costly to produce Pinots that provide the characteristics that make them so “otherworldly”. I have found this not to be the case with many inexpensive New Zealand Pinots. While not profound, they provide plenty of Pinot satisfaction – they typically are earthy and silky, with good red fruit characteristics.

This spring, I will be featuring several New Zealand Pinot Noirs by the bottle, glass, and half glass. They should pair well with many of Chef Donovan’s new spring dishes. Come up to Log Haven in April to experience these wonderful, and affordable, Pinot Noirs.