It is extremely pleasing to see the latest issue of
Cuisine magazine, September 2010, No. 142, endorse quality New Zealand reds made from Merlot
and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is
understandable how the focus for winegrowers as well as winedrinkers is on
Pinot Noir. After all, it is our most
widely planted red variety by far – and the best examples are very, very
good. Also, the excitement with Syrah as
it emerges from nowhere is newsworthy to say the least. Poor old Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon seems
to be forgotten, even maligned. For
until just recently, Cabernet Sauvignon was berated for not ripening
sufficiently, and Merlot was not being made in a drinkable fashion. The last five years has seen a significant
change in the wines from the Bordeaux
varietals in this country. Merlot and
Merlot-based wines have attained balance between fruit sweetness and extraction
levels. And Cabernet Sauvignon is
expressed with real ripeness, the result of superior site selection and cutting
edge viticulture.
Cuisine’s featured tastings report on wines made from
these two varieties. Ralph Kyte-Powell
discusses how Merlot seems to range in style from the light and juicy
internationally preferred examples to the more substantial Bordeaux
look-alikes and concludes that New
Zealand succeeds in both of these styles,
recommending as 5 star wines, the Vidal Merlot/Cabernet 2008, Wild Rock ‘Gravel
Pit Red’ Merlot.Malbec 2008 and the Church Road Merlot/Cabernet 2008. All three top wines are extremely affordable,
at well under the $30.00 mark (the Vidal now being sold out).
Mr Kyte-Powell sees how well Cabernet Sauvignon is
performing these days, especially in Hawke’s Bay, and rates the best wines as
world-class, the 5 star wines being the Church Road ‘Cuve’ Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 in first place, with the Paritua Red 2007, Mission ‘Jewelstone’ Cabernet
Sauvignon 2008 and Villa Maria Reserve Cabernet/Merlot 2008 just behind.
Cuisine reinforces the concept that the Bordeaux
varietal wines are particularly suited to lamb, but also suggests matches with
beef, game food, spicy Middle Eastern chicken, roasted chicken, pasta dishes,
rich duck dishes and rabbit. We
agree!