The flavor of tamarind in wine of South Island

Discover the of South Island wines revealing the of tamarind flavor during the olphactive analysis (nose) and during the gustative analysis (mouth).

More information on of South Island flavors

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.

News on wine flavors

Colombia for wine lovers

Think of Colombia, think of balmy evenings dancing to salsa, fuelled by shots of aguardiente and arepas. But there’s plenty more than the anise-based spirit and cornmeal cakes to sample in the South American country. Chefs have stepped up their game to put gastronomy on the map, with sommeliers and bartenders following suit. Not just appreciating local ingredients and distilling spirits, they also seek out wines from around the world to accompany fine-dining experiences. Their endeavours have pa ...

Hitting the right note

Last year, there was much mirth on wine Twitter about a particularly excruciating tasting note. You’re right. The wine trade needs to get out more. But still… this one was a beauty. It began well enough – really quite beautiful, in fact. But before long the imaginative descriptions were getting more ornate and strained. It moved from poetic to meaningless before finishing with a reference to Burnt Norton – the first of TS Eliot’s Four Quartets – that put it firmly in Private Eye magazine’s ...

Andrew Jefford: ‘A wine’s visual cues shout, stamp, whistle and roar’

Disconcerting: I couldn’t forget this bottle for days afterwards. Still can’t. Back in August, wine critic Lin Liu MW (together with her partner Philippe Lejeune of Château de Chambert in Cahors) came to dinner, en route to a short holiday in Provence. One of the bottles Lin brought for us to try together was the 2018 Les Rocheuses, Parcelles No 5 et 6, from Château Le Rey in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux. It came in a slope-shouldered bottle, not a classic Bordeaux bottle. We tried it with some R ...