+- WineBoard (https://www.wines.com/wineboard)
+-- Forum: GENERAL (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-100.html)
+--- Forum: Rants & Raves (https://www.wines.com/wineboard/forum-12.html)
+--- Thread: New Zealand at the Crossroads (/thread-12985.html)
- Innkeeper - 06-24-2004
Dan Berger had a very, very interesting article in his “Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences†today, June 24, 2004. On the one hand he points out that the Kiwi’s are now producing a lot more than Sauvignon Blanc that smells like cat pee. In addition to the Rieslings, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir that many of us are familiar with, they are also cranking out Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztraminer, Syrah (spelt that way), and others. That‘s the good news.
The bad news is that the number of producers has increased astronomically as has the number of vineyards. The latter, along with a number of very favorable harvests have produced a wine glut at the same time as similar conditions in Australia and California. At a recent New Zealand tasting in San Francisco Dan tasted a number of ’03 & ’04 Sauvignon Blancs that were “a bit muted and understated, some lacking the acid I’ve come to expect. Also, some of the wines seemed a bit flat in terms of fruit, a fact I could chalk up to vintage variation. But the general lack of vivacity concerns me.â€
In consult with New Zealand wine writer and Master of Wine Bob Campbell, he concludes that the country is indeed at a crossroads in regards to wine production. What concerns Campbell is that those producers who can’t compete at the top with fall back to producing wines that would “be vulnerable to irrational pricing by overseas competitors.†This would relegate a portion of the Kiwi production to “commodity†status where virtually all of it now is considered premium wine.
I guess we will have to wait and see. Personally I only wish the best for the folks down there, and hope to be enjoying their “fruits’ for years to come.
- Bucko - 06-24-2004
I cannot argue too much with Dan. While the 2003 Lawson's, Goldwater, and Crawford SBs have been delightful in 2003, the Huia (who I have loved in the past) was not up to standards.
I do think this may be some fodder for a story. NZ SB is still riding a well deserved high and we literally go thru 15-20 cases a year.