New Zealand has an astonishing presence and reputation within the wine world compared to the volume of wine it produces. Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is one of the strongest regional brands of the New World, and the country – particularly Central Otago – is synonymous with Pinot Noir. There are roughly 5,500 hectares of Pinot Noir planted in New Zealand (compared to over 20,000 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc), with a large proportion intended for sparkling wine. To compare, the hectares-under-vine are 10,000 in Burgundy, 12,500 in Oregon, and nearly 20,000 in California. Despite the relatively small plantings of Pinot Noir, New Zealand is considered one of the most important areas for the variety. That is, in part, because New Zealand’s wine production has always looked to high quality and premium prices. The climate, too, plays a significant role in the potential here. Though the region is still in relative infancy compared to the Old World, vines are now starting to mature, reaching deep into soils and producing world-class wines that can stand up to Pinot produced anywhere in the world – including Burgundy itself.
At a recent tasting, we were lucky to have Andrew Donaldson over from Central Otago to discuss Akitu. The wines are produced from 12 hectares of vines. Akitu is a relatively young project, established in 2001, with 2012 the first vintage released commercially. The vineyards and plant material are superb and matched by expertise in the vineyard and winery. The wines are going from strength to strength and the latest vintage we tasted – 2019 – is superb for both the A1 and A2. We tasted the wines against the 2016 A1, and it was intriguing to see the evolving and improving style. Finesse, precision and a lightness of touch have only served to increase the quality here; you can see the notes below. The A2 offers a moreish, approachable introduction to Akitu – just 10% new oak with a lower percentage of wholebunch than the A1, it is soft, succulent Pinot Noir. A1 is more intense and though the texture is airy, there is clear and persistent grip for ageing. Over half the production comes from a single clone in a single plot. The A1 in particular crosses the divide between New World and Old, with a delicacy and precision in recent vintages that would have any blind taster second-guessing the wines.
After the tasting, we decided to pitch three other New Zealand Pinot Noirs against stiff competition from three other countries. The tasting notes are below, but the quality of all three wines was outstanding. In the past, New Zealand - and particularly Central Otago - Pinot Noir was pigeon-holed into one style: deeper coloured, darker fruited yet fresh in acidity, and always fruit driven with a squeaky clean precision. One of the biggest takeaways from the lunch was the unique style of each wine – these were not three carbon copies, each demonstrating a different side of Pinot Noir. From the wild and complex Pyramid Valley, to the bold and structured Felton Road, and finally a precise, refined Kusuda, each producer has a clear and different definition of the style they are trying to create. Their competition also performed well and the Fourrier, unsurprisingly, was the pick of the bunch. Calls for wine of the day were split between the Kusuda and the Fourrier - both were very expressive and finely balanced. Personally, the Kusuda edged it due to its purity, but those looking for savoury depth should look to the Burgundy that hit so many umami notes despite its youth.
We began the lunch with a bottle of Bollinger’s 2008 Grande Annee. What a wine. Intended just to kick off proceedings, it made everyone stand to attention. Great now, with a very promising future, it would be no surprise to see this gain a series of 100-point scores as it matures.
