The Newest Of The New World Issue
Me, doing what I do best, in Niagara's Twenty Valley.
Dearest Subscribers, one of the first concepts one learns in wine school is that the wine world is, essentially, divided into two camps; that of the Old and the New World.
The Old World is defined, primarily, by what we know as the classic European wine-producing countries like Italy, France, Germany, Austria, etc., regions with centuries of experience in winemaking, regions steeped in tradition, and in many cases, with very rigid wine laws that aim to keep these traditions alive and to perpetuate a sense of typicity – a reliable taste of a given wine from a given place. As a very sweeping generality, Old World wines have traditionally been described as more gritty, more earthy, and more likely to use French oak barrels for aging. These parameters are, of course, by no means exclusive to Old World wines, but, alas, this is what, classically, wine students have been taught.
New World wine regions like Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada too have their typical grape varieties and wine laws – think VQA wines and the AVA’s of the American viticultural system but they have historically been more open to innovation, more flexible in their selection of grape varieties. Less bound by their history and traditions, rather, vintners of the New World are the writers of it. The general ‘taste’ of New World wines was classically said to be clean, more youthful, and more likely to use stainless steel during fermentation and aging. Again, this is a sweeping generality with so many exceptions one would wonder if it still holds water… or in this case, wine!
In this issue, I want to highlight some of the Newest of the New World; emerging varietals in New Zealand, new countries of origin, like England, and a happening new sub-region of New South Wales Australia.
And yes, I know what you’re thinking, England is, of course, an Old World European country but, they have classically been known as wine merchants, not producers. Their foray into wine production and what winemakers there are doing now with sparkling wines is truly à la New World.
More so than any previous issue, I encourage you to view these reviews as recommendations for their categories on the whole rather than strictly the specific bottles I mention here.
It’s a brave new world baby, allow me to be at your service for the voyage!
New Zealand, and Marlboruough more specifically, has traditionally been known - and either loved or hated - the world over for Sauvignon Blanc with its unmistakable, and incredibly pungent aroma of fresh cut grass.
For too long one would think Kim Crawford really had her work cut out for her as the only producer of wine in the country. Now we are starting to see more and more producers from all over the Country - Hawke's Bay, Gisborne, Central Otago, and Martinborough. And they're doing more than just Sauv. Blanc. A one grape wonder no longer, NZ is gaining in reputation globally for its production of Pinots Noir and Gris as well as Chardonnay. And, lucky for us, we're finally starting to see the fruits of this labour on LCBO store shelves.
In NZ, plantings of Pinot Noir were virtually unheard of until about 20 years ago. So, in fairness, with vines still quite young, (it takes upwards of 7 years for a vine to bear fruit suitable for wine production) it makes sense that we're really only starting to see this varietal, in very young vintages, now.
Mount Riley is a family run winery from Marlborough and while they too produce a Sauvignon Blanc, it's their Pinot Noir that I will be reviewing for this issue.
This 2017 Vintage is a primarily fruit-driven Pinot Noir with notes of red and black plum, blackberry, ripe red cherry, and blueberry. What little there is in the way of earthy notes comes in the form of turned earth and black tea. There's a touch of French oak which gives the wine further dimension. I think this wine is still developing but wouldn't necessarily age it any further. This is a nice every day drinking wine that would pair beautifully with turkey burgers, beet and goat cheese salad or baked brie with dried cranberries and walnuts.
Beyond this wine, I would encourage you to keep your eyes open, specifically, for Pinot Noir from any producer in Central Otago.
As a sommelier, I have been hearing for years about the impending boom and widespread popularization of English sparkling wine. This, Balfour Classic Cuvee is from Hush Heath Estates and is the first bottle of UK bubbles I have ever seen on Ontario store shelves.
This is a bottle-fermented blend of traditional grape varieties, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier, and Chardonnay. It has lovely, vigorous bubbles that persist long after the pour. I noted yellow apple and bartlett pear on the nose and palate. This wine is dry with a lovely mouse and a soft finish but, for me, it lacks the acid structure and biscuit/brioche notes of Champagne.
Sparkling wine from the UK, on a commercial scale, is indeed, a very new thing and I'll be excited to try other Balfour wines as well as bubbles from other producers in the UK. While I wouldn't recommend this as a direct swap for Champagne I would suggest it as an alternative to Cava or Prosecco in a mimosa or other sparkling wine cocktail. For a little extra kick, try adding a half ounce of vodka and an ounce of St. Germain Elderflower liqueur to your mimosa!
As with the NZ Pinot Noir above - and all the reviews in this issue for that matter - if you really want to explore, I encourage you to look for these styles in general, not necessarily these exact wines or producers. Next time you are in the sparkling wine section, just take a peek and see if there's anything from England. It's always fun to try something new.
I'd pair this with a fresh fruit sponge cake or eggs benedict with hollandaise.
Not to be confused with orange wine, which is a style of winemaking whereby white wines are given extended time in contact with their skins, Orange is perhaps the hottest new wine region in New South Wales, Australia.
This Chardonnay from Pepper Tree is from the wine region of Orange and is one of my favourite new wine discoveries of the year so far. It's a full-bodied white with wonderfully high acid, notes of lemon, white florals, and white peach float on the nose while the very well integrated vain of oak that runs through it grounds the wine, giving it structure and a wonderfully full - yet lively, mouthfeel.
The cool climate of Orange with its high altitude and volcanic soils is said also to produce great Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. While this Chardonnay is literally the only wine from Orange currently available at the LCBO, as global interest and esteem for the region continue to grow that might soon change. There are roughly 40 wine producers now making wine in the region, keep your eyes open for them next time you find your self shopping the Aussie section of the LCBO.
I would serve this wine cool but not super chilled and I'd pair it with chicken pot pie.
Washington State is the second largest region for premium wine production in the United States, second, of course, to California. While the wine industry is still quite young - only about three generations, Washington State is now home to over 1,000 wineries producing a combined total of over 200,000 tons of grapes each year.
Chateau Ste. Michelle was the first winery established in Washington State and is known for their award-winning Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.
For this issue, I am reviewing their 2016 Columbia Valley Syrah which retails for $21.95 in Ontario. Columbia Valley is the largest AVA (American Viticultural Area) or appellation of Washington State, this AVA is home to 53 wineries and is known for its sandy soils and generous sunlight during the growing season when it receives about two hours more sunlight per day than California. This, combined with limited rainfall allows the region to successfully grow late-ripening grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
I tasted this wine with a group of friends the weekend before last, as a group, we agreed it was a very fruit-forward wine with that distinct note of black pepper typical of the Syrah variety. I also noted flavours of black cherry, dark chocolate and baking spice most likely imparted by the use of oak - a mix of French and American for this blend.
This is a fresh, easy drinking red wine that would be suitable for roast beef and roasted root vegetables. We had it alongside bbq'd sausages with sautéed onion and arugula salad - the peppery note of the arugula complimented the wine quite nicely.
