Central Otago, near the bottom of New Zealand's South Island, vies for the title of world's most southerly wine region. Vineyards cling to the sides of mountains and high above river gorges in this dramatic landscape. Pinot Noir has proven itself in this challenging Terroir, and takes up nearly three-quarters of the region's vineyard area. The typical Central Otago Pinot Noir is intense and deeply colored, with flavors of doris plum, Sweet spice and bramble.
Two Paddocks, owned by actor Sam Neill, had thought the Last Chance vineyard was the world's most southerly (at 45°15'). But several major Patagonian projects are underway at around 45 to 46°, and Argentina can currently claim the honor for Alejandro Bulgheroni's new vineyard at Sarmiento (45°60').
The viticultural zone covers the mountainous area around the tourist resort town of Queenstown on the eastern side of the Southern Alps. The exact boundaries and sub-regional divisions are not official, but a geographic indication is in the pipeline.
Wineries are scattered around several distinct sub-regions: Gibbston, Alexandra, Wanaka and the Cromwell Basin, itself home to Bendigo, Bannockburn and Lowburn. Lakes Dunstan, Wakatipu and Wanaka all contribute to the terroir as well, along with the Kawarau and Clutha Rivers.
Gold brought the first settlers to the region in the 1860s, and most of the towns in this Part of Otago have a Rich gold-mining history. The first vines were planted during this time by a French migrant but, unlike in the Sierra Foothills region of California where the European settlers provided a steady demand for wines, the tough, transient Otago miners had no interest in drinking wine, preferring beer and spirits.
Originally from Bordeaux, Sauvignon, or Sauvignon Blanc, is reputed to be one of the best French grape varieties for white wine. It is a white grape variety, not to be confused with Sauvignon Gris and its pale yellow color, or with Cabernet Sauvignon which produces red wines. Particularly famous thanks to Sancerre, Sauvignon Blanc is cultivated as far as New Zealand, where it produces great wines whose reputation is well established.
red wines from the region of South Island go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, veal or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of hungarian goulash, calf's head with sauce ravigote or duck parmentier with ceps.
On the nose in the region of South Island often reveals types of flavors of cherry, tree fruit or coffee and sometimes also flavors of black cherries, jam or wild strawberries. In the mouth in the region of South Island is a with a nice freshness.
Club dVIN, which launched earlier this year as a global NFT wine club, said members will be given the chance to sign up for a series of trips to Bhutan from late July to late September 2023. Those flying out will be able to ‘snip grapes’ and break ground on the Ser Kem Winery, alongside experiences like river rafting and visiting monasteries, Club dVIN said. ‘If you love wine and adventure, this is an unmatched opportunity to fill your cup with both while taking in the breathtaking beauty of Bhu ...
Artelium clinched the Newcomer of the Year award, and then went on to win trophies for the best Blanc de Blancs and the Top Sparkling Wine of 2022. It was finally crowned Supreme Champion at the WineGB Awards for its Blanc de Blancs 2015. Mark Collins and Julie Bretland, a husband-and-wife team, launched Artelium after quitting their jobs to follow their passion for wine. They started out by purchasing grapes from growers, but they now have 85,000 vines spread across an 18ha estate in Sussex. Ar ...
Part of the auction house’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, the sale runs until next Tuesday, 14 June, and also includes one-off collaborations with artist Ini Archibong and photographer Trey Ratcliff. The two refill American oak hogshead casks, supplied from Diageo’s Casks of Distinction VIP private cask purchase programme, both have pre-sale estimates of £700,000-1.2m. The Port Ellen cask was filled on 15 February 1979, has a current strength of 52.9% abv and is estimated to hold 102 bottles. T ...
