New Zealond Pinot Noir Kicks

Filed in archive New Zealand Wines on May 18, 2007

....well...it kicks you-know-what according to a new article on the latest update of Goldarths.com, where Ken Gargett wonders is it "Better than Burgandy?"

No wine on the planet so excites wine lovers as pinot noir. For years, Burgundy ruled. The New World offered creditable sparkling wines, cabernets, chardonnays, and almost every other wine style, but attempts to replicate Burgundy were dismissed with disdain. Try as they might, it seemed that nowhere else would ever approach what Burgundy could offer. The only other variety that could make a similar claim was Piedmont's nebbiolo and the great Barolos it makes.

When the New World finally realized that it could make great pinot noir, very different from great Burgundy, the contenders lined up. Oregon and parts of California, such as Russian River, were considered 'most likely to emulate'. Australia took its time, and has some serious wines that surprise, though Australian pinot is often under-appreciated, the focus being so much on its unique shiraz.

Then New Zealand entered the fray. Once a vinous giggle, New Zealand stunned many with its extraordinarily pungent sauvignon blanc. Pinot noir, though, was playing in the big leagues. Most were more than skeptical. Today, New Zealand pinot noir is considered by many as second only to the great wines of Burgundy.