In the second in our Tour of the World wine classes, instructor Brad Cowan took us “down under” to explore the wines of Australia and New Zealand – both of which are wine regions that have truly come into their own over the past couple of decades. During the course of an evening spent munching on mini quiche, cheese, fresh veggies and fruit, (did we mention Brick Oven Bistro hummus?), we sampled five different wines: Chasing Venus Sauvignon Blanc and Walnut Block Collectables Pinot Noir from the land of the Kiwis, and Pillar Box White, Yard Dog Red, and Hentley Farm Fools Bay Dusty’s Desire.
It may be hard to believe, but Australia is currently the fourth largest exporter of wine in the world – even making inroads in “old world” wine-producing countries such as France, Italy, and Spain. And if you can trust a chef that likes his/her own food, then it should tell you something that the Aussies consume just as much wine (400 million liters a year) as they export!
Vine cuttings from the Cape of Good Hope were first brought to the penal colony of New South Wales in the late 1700s, and despite a challenging climate for vine cultivation the first Australian made wine available for sale domestically was in the 1820s. Not long after, Australia began its first wine exports. Half a century later, an Australian wine won a gold medal in the 1882 Bordeaux International Exhibition, followed by yet another gold medal at the 1889 Paris International Exhibition.
The wine industry in Australia was all but destroyed by the phylloxera epidemic, and it wasn’t until just a few decades ago that Australia regained its earlier reputation as an exporter of quality wines. Exports to the US rose from 578,000 cases in 1990 to 20 million cases in 2004!
There are about 130 different grape varieties used by commercial winemakers in Australia, with the major varieties being Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Riesling. A crowd pleaser at our wine class was definitely Dustys Desire, a big, bold Shiraz from Hentley Farm Fools Bay. Australia’s success with Shiraz is underscored by its most famous wine, Penfolds Grange – whose 1971 vintage won first prize in Syrah/Shiraz at the Wine Olympics in Paris. Wine Spectator named the 1990 vintage “Red Wine of the Year”, and awarded the 1998 vintage 99 points out of a possible 100. Good on ya, mate!
Like Australia, New Zealand’s wine history also goes back to colonial times, with its oldest winery having been established by the Roman Catholic Church in 1851. It wasn’t however, until the late 1960s and early 1970s that the wine industry really took off, and today New Zealand is home to what many wine critics consider the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. Oz Clarke, a well-known British wine critic, wrote in the 1990s that New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc was “arguably the best in the world.” During our class we imbibed a Sauvignon Blanc from Chasing Venus…and we were mighty glad to have “caught up” with it. At less then $12 a bottle, it’s a heckuva deal, and while modesty forbids us from going the full length of what one critic described as the experience of drinking ones first New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc (“like having sex for the first time”), we do have to admit that it was good for us too.
New Zealand’s wine regions are mostly located in free draining alluvial valleys. One of these, Marlborough, has been called “the best place in the world to grow Sauvignon Blanc grapes”. We sampled a pinot noir from the Marlborough-based winery Walnut Block – so named for an old walnut tree in the vineyard dating back to 1898. Pinot noir is described by Brad as a “fickle grape” that is especially problematic in hot weather areas. In general, New Zealand red wine tends to be forward and early maturing, fruit-driven and with restrained oak – and Marlborough Pinot Noirs are notable for their ripeness and fruitiness, which was certainly the case with our Walnut Block pinot.
With spring almost behind us, we hope you’ll join us on June 29th as we roar full-throttle into summer with our “Summer Whites” class. At $15, it’s a screamin’ deal, and a great way to spend a summer evening. We’ll see you on the patio!