Three days of tasting Italian Varietals in the Hawkes Bay wine region in New Zealand. Why would one go looking for Italian varietals in NZ? There is more to the New Zealand wine scene than Sav Blanc. See what we found.
With my passion for all things Italian, why not, it was a point of difference, and to be fair how many Chardonnay’s & Sav Blanc’s can one try.
We started with some research at the NZ Wine Centre in Napier, which was time well spent, after a couple of hours with Abby at the centre, we had funnelled down our list to those who produced Italian varietals and we were set up with visits to 4 wineries each day for 3 days. Its worthwhile checking before heading off to any of the seven sub regions to make sure they are open, many open only by appointment during the week, (they do have other things to do like producing incredible wines and tending vineyards). It’s a very easy place to drive through with another picture-perfect postcard opportunity round every corner.
The 2017 harvest should have commenced when we were there (last week of February) however the harvest had been delayed due to excessive rain, with winemakers on tender hooks watching the skies and waiting for the right time to start.
There were 2 stand out wineries, in my humble opinion, committed to doing it differently, and we will get to them later. Ironically, both these guys worked for the same winery in this region for many years before heading out to establish their own wineries.
The most common Italian varietal in Hawkes Bay is one that has morphed into an Italian name ** Pinot Gris. There are some excellent examples including;
Mills Reef 2015 Reserve Pinot Gris
BackBarn 2013 Pinot Gris
Vidal 2016 Pinot Gris
A couple of standout Montepulciano wines were;
Trinity Hill Montepulciano 2015 (was sold out but from all reports a cracker of a wine for the next release, get in early for the next vintage)
Beach House Wines Montepulciano 2013 superb, soft, buttery and very drinkable now.
The 2 stand outs by way of commitment, quality and selection of Italian Varietals were, drum roll…………………
De La Terre
Established by Kaye & Tony Prichard out behind Taradale with the logo “Hand crafted with Passion” which says it all about these guys. Tony has more than 30 years’ experience in the world of wine,originally with Montana and then 15 years at Church Rd.
He is absolutely passionate about his wines , and interestingly , for me, was the selection of varietals he has, the most prominent white being Viognier, 2014 & 2015 (both stunning) , and then the others , two Italian Varietals, a 2014 Montepulciano,( 1736 bottles produced, a labour of love, very drinkable now but as Tony says , “it’s still a baby give it 15 years”)
& a 2014 Barbera, soft and delicious, and not what I was expecting from this varietal. Then there is the very big red with French origins, the Reserve Tannat.
All his wines are individually hand numbered and labelled. If there is a distributor from Australia reading this, and you want a unique new line of wines, Tony tells me he is looking for a specialist
The second winery with Italian Crafted Artisan Wines is Dolce Vista
Founded in 2004 by Gary Wood, who also spent many years at Church Road Wines, he specialises in Italian varietals such as Marzemino, Fresia, Teroldego, Arneis, & Pinot Gris. Gary is a life member of the Hawkes Bay Winegrowers Association.
All of his wines have age, even the whites like the Arneis which is 2009 .
Gary proudly showing off his range of Italian varietals, interesting that there is an EXIT sign above my head.
In summary, exploring this amazing food bowl that is Hawkes Bay, with a focus on Italian Varietals, has been a wonderful experience, yes, we tasted some other wines that one would expect to find in this region and we also had some superb dining experiences which I will cover in my next story.
Now we head to Martinborough, but that’s another story.
**In Italy, Pinot Gris became Pinot Grigio and the wine found wide success in the regions of North Eastern Italy: Lombardy, the Veneto, Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige. From its footing in northern Italy, the wine grew to become the most popular white wine in all of Italy.
About the author: Since 1999, Bruce White has been traveling Italy, returning every year to a different region with pre-planned wine and food experiences. Some have been with food and wine tour operators in small groups, some planned directly with local specialists to ensure something very local and very special. With this network of contacts and a desire to return as often as possible, Bruce launched Wine and Food Traveller to share experiences with those who share the same passion for the Italian Lifestyle.
**In Italy, Pinot Gris became Pinot Grigio and the wine found wide success in the regions of North Eastern Italy: Lombardy, the Veneto, Friuli, Trentino and Alto Adige. From its footing in northern Italy, the wine grew to become the most popular white wine in all of Italy