Wine with Leslie: Ireland’s in love with Kiwi wines

Sauvignon Blanc is still by far the best-selling wine from New Zealand making up over 90% of sales in Ireland

Ireland has a strong connection with New Zealand with lots of Irish blood in their population.

Fri, 20 Jan, 2023 - 02:00

Leslie Williams

Every January the Irish wine world looks to New Zealand, as the first wine tasting of the year is always the New Zealand wine fair.

I’m going to miss this year’s event as I’m off to Venice on a weekend away but if you find yourself near Dublin on January 30 there is a consumer event in the evening, details below. There will be 25 producers to talk to and more than 100 wines to try.

I confess I approach the New Zealand Fair with a bit of trepidation as the prospect of tasting 40-50 Sauvignon Blancs is rarely something I relish. However, I must also confirm that I have never been disappointed as New Zealand’s quality standards are always high. I might not like the asparagus and green bean flavours that some winemakers favour but I always find plenty of wines tasting of passionfruit and lime essence mixed with stony minerality, flavours I adore.

Sauvignon Blanc is still by far the best-selling wine from New Zealand making up over 90% of sales in Ireland. I believe the official export figures for NZ Sauvignon are not quite 90% but in Ireland it is almost all we drink.

This is a pity as New Zealand makes excellent Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, solid Pinot Gris, very tasty Syrah and top notch, Burgundy level, Pinot Noir. Unfortunately to taste the Burgundy style Pinot you sometimes need to pay Burgundy prices, but that is fair enough.

New Zealand wine sales did take a bit of a dip during the lockdowns due to logistics problems, not helped by smaller harvests in 2020 and 2021. Thankfully 2022 was a big vintage so there will be no shortage this year.

Ireland has a strong connection with New Zealand with lots of Irish blood in their population and both countries share a strong farming tradition and a similar size population, not to mention a larger neighbour that threatens to overshadow us. So say Kia Ora (hello) to some of these wines; you won’t be disappointed.

For the Diary

New Zealand Wine Fair Consumer Tasting, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm, Monday, January 30 2023.

Venue: Grafton Suite, Westbury Hotel, Dublin 2, Tickets: €20.00 from Eventbrite.com. More info on jeansmullen.com

Wines Under €15

Rapaura Springs Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand - €10.00

Stockist: Dunnes Stores Nationwide.

Dunnes Stores have this wine exclusively and it is consistently good — brilliant quality for a tenner. A push up to the single vineyard Rapaura wines is also recommended. Bright lime and apple on the nose, tangy, citrusy and pure with textured apple fruits and a crisp finish.

Villa Maria Private Bin Riesling, New Zealand - €13.99-15.99

Stockist: Dunnes Stores; SuperValu; Tesco; Castle Tralee; Winesoftheworld.ie.

Villa Maria may be big and regularly on special in the supermarkets but quality is consistent. Bright tart lemon and lime aromas with floral touches, clean pure ripe apple fruits on the palate with tropical edges, lime and kiwi. A touch of residual sugar is balanced by zingy acidity.

Yealands Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand - €13.99-14.99

Stockists: J.J. O’Driscolls Superstore Cork; Ardkeen Stores; Jus de Vine; JC Savages; Joyces Galway; Independents.

One of the very best New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs under €15. I also rate the Estate Pinot Noir (c. €20 for its Yealand’s wines are consistently good and if you like extra ripeness spend a little more for the Estate version. I would still pick this however as I like its crisp linear flavours with bright apple fruits and gooseberry freshness.

Wines Over €15

Tohu Awatere Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2021, Marlborough - €21-22.99

Stockists: 1601; JJ O’Driscolls; Worldwide Wines; Vintry; Martins; Drink Store; WineOnline.ie

Toho and sister brand Kono were the first Maori owned wineries in New Zealand and it is about time I featured them here. From the Southern Awatere Valley this has passionfruit and tropical aromas mixed with apple and lemongrass, fruity and layered with good length and balance. Mauri Ora!

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir, Waipara Valley, New Zealand - €44.99

Stockists: 64 Wine; World Wide Wines www.worldwidewines.ie; The Corkscrew www.thecorkscrew.ie Donnybrook Fair; La Touche Wines; D-Six wines.

Waipara Valley is a hilly sheltered region around 40 miles up the coast from Christchurch suited to Riesling, aromatic whites and Pinot. Ripe red fruit aromas cut through with earthy notes, weighty and ripe with mouth-filling cherry and red plum fruit flavours and a bitter cherry kick on the finish.

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2020, Marlborough, New Zealand - €50-55.00

Stockists: O’Briens; Wine Centre; Donnybrook Fair; Wineonline.ie.

Grapes are sourced from the cooler alluvial clay soils from the north-facing slopes of Marlborough’s Southern Valleys. This has lots of dark cherry fruit aromas, a focused fruit-driven palate with dark berry fruits mingling with pulped strawberries — fine balance and juiciness and a taut finish. One of the best Cloudy Bay Pinots I’ve tasted.

Busker Single Malt Irish Whiskey, 44.3% ABV, 70cl - €39.99

Stockists: SuperValu; Carry Out Off-Licences; Independents.

Busker is a bit of a new boy on the block and was created by Disaronno in the Royal Oak Distillery in Carlow. There are four variations including a good value 40% Triple Cask blend (€29.99) that slips down easily and works well in an Old Fashioned thanks to a hint of tangerine.

The Single Grain (€40) has pleasing sweetness and weight while the Pot Still (€40) has spice and good complexity with lingering toffee. The Single Malt (pictured) has lively herb, citrus and honey aromas with a bonus creamy milk chocolate finish enlivened by spiky black pepper infused lemon zest .

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