All About New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
http://www.foodndrinks.net/articles/5694/1/All-About-New-Zealand-Sauvignon-Blanc/Page1.html
Dominic Donaldson
Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the catering industry.
Find out more about hot dog machines for a healthy way of cooking a fast food at Ascot Wholesale. By Dominic Donaldson
Published on 03/9/2010
New Zealand Sauvignon blanc has something of a good reputation, with many critics deeming it to be the best Sauvignin blanc in the world.
New Zealand Sauvignon blanc has something of a good reputation, with many critics deeming it to be the best Sauvignin blanc in the world.
The wine was grown first in Aukland in the 1970s and first great NZ Sauv was produced around 1977, with real commercial quantities emerging in 1980, and the wine today represents over 70 per cent of NZ's wine production. A quarter of this production is for the US market.
There are two broad divisions of wine styles due to the regions in which they are produced: northern and southern. Northern Sauvignons, from Hawkes Bay and further north tend to be ripe and rich, and flavour notes include fruits like nectarine and melon. Sauvs from the southern areas; South Island and Wellington areas, tend to be lighter, crisper, and have pungent fruity flavours, red pepper characters, and gooseberry and herbal notes.
It's the differences in climate that result in the different wine flavours. Wine from the south has more acidity due to the cooler, longer growing conditions, which impart more vibrant fruit flavours. Two thirds of the vines for this wine are in Marlborough. The regions Nelson and Canterbury also devote a lot of space to the vines. Marlborough has low rainfall in relation to other areas during ripening time which protects thin-skinned, tight-clustered Sauv grapes against the development of fungal diseases like botrytis.
Three broad styles of winemaking generally apply to NZ Sauv blanc. These are oak-matured, tank-fermented and blended. The biggest percentage of the wine is cold-fermented in tanks made of stainless steel, which helps to optimise the freshness and fruit flavours.
Riper styles of wine, like those from the northern regions, are better suited to oak fermentation, which gives the wine richness, complexity and longevity.
Some wineries blend the grape with Semillon, and this also enhances structure, complexity and flavour length. Common viticulture practise includes shoot thinking and leaf-plucking which helps control the vigour of the vine, and give ripe flavour and intense fruit.
Food pairing
The flavours of New Zealand Sauvignon blanc are fresh and vibrant, and therefore they enhance freshness of fresh seafood, including white fish served in a citrus or even garlic-based sauce.
Serve the wine with a lovely crunchy salad in summer, with high acidity food like tomatoes and a vinegar-based dressing.
While these are predominantly seafood wines, they can also match well with veal and poultry, light pastas as well as pan-Pacific cuisine.
These are guidelines only; taste is personal and you should enjoy your wine with whatever works bvest for you!
The wine was grown first in Aukland in the 1970s and first great NZ Sauv was produced around 1977, with real commercial quantities emerging in 1980, and the wine today represents over 70 per cent of NZ's wine production. A quarter of this production is for the US market.
There are two broad divisions of wine styles due to the regions in which they are produced: northern and southern. Northern Sauvignons, from Hawkes Bay and further north tend to be ripe and rich, and flavour notes include fruits like nectarine and melon. Sauvs from the southern areas; South Island and Wellington areas, tend to be lighter, crisper, and have pungent fruity flavours, red pepper characters, and gooseberry and herbal notes.
It's the differences in climate that result in the different wine flavours. Wine from the south has more acidity due to the cooler, longer growing conditions, which impart more vibrant fruit flavours. Two thirds of the vines for this wine are in Marlborough. The regions Nelson and Canterbury also devote a lot of space to the vines. Marlborough has low rainfall in relation to other areas during ripening time which protects thin-skinned, tight-clustered Sauv grapes against the development of fungal diseases like botrytis.
Three broad styles of winemaking generally apply to NZ Sauv blanc. These are oak-matured, tank-fermented and blended. The biggest percentage of the wine is cold-fermented in tanks made of stainless steel, which helps to optimise the freshness and fruit flavours.
Riper styles of wine, like those from the northern regions, are better suited to oak fermentation, which gives the wine richness, complexity and longevity.
Some wineries blend the grape with Semillon, and this also enhances structure, complexity and flavour length. Common viticulture practise includes shoot thinking and leaf-plucking which helps control the vigour of the vine, and give ripe flavour and intense fruit.
Food pairing
The flavours of New Zealand Sauvignon blanc are fresh and vibrant, and therefore they enhance freshness of fresh seafood, including white fish served in a citrus or even garlic-based sauce.
Serve the wine with a lovely crunchy salad in summer, with high acidity food like tomatoes and a vinegar-based dressing.
While these are predominantly seafood wines, they can also match well with veal and poultry, light pastas as well as pan-Pacific cuisine.
These are guidelines only; taste is personal and you should enjoy your wine with whatever works bvest for you!