Top 100 wines of South Island - Page 3
Discover the top 100 best wines of South Island as well as the best winemakers in the region. Explore the varietals of the wines that are popular of South Island and the best vintages to taste in this region.
New Zealand's southern island, cradle of the country's great wines. Sauvignon Blanc signature in Marlborough (~80% of national vineyard): explosive and tropical with grapefruit, passion fruit, boxwood, cut grass and mineral touch — global benchmark. Pinot Noir star in Central Otago (among the most southerly) and Waipara: airy with cherry, raspberry, undergrowth, thyme. Taut Riesling, precise Chardonnay, floral Pinot Gris.
Aromatic, chiselled style.
Whites with many faces: mineral and taut at Chablis (lemon, green apple, flint), opulent and buttery at Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet (hazelnut, brioche, yellow fruits), tense and chalky in Champagne (Blanc de Blancs). Also vinified sparkling and widely exported (Sonoma, Margaret River, Casablanca). A Burgundian variety, a cross of Pinot Noir × Gouais Blanc, half-sibling of Aligoté.
wines from the region of South Island go well with generally quite well with dishes of pork, shellfish or spicy food such as recipes of andouillette with mustard sauce, mussels with curry or spanish paella.