Forgive the use of the word 'mad' in the heading above, which is used purely to describe the frenzied rise in volume, both of vineyards planted and wines produced, in New Zealand's biggest wine region. There is precious little madness (other than fast and furious growth) to be found in Marlborough and the last Friday in March every year is reason to taste, learn and enjoy the region's sparkling wines, whose producers are slowly but steadily growing the awareness of a formal wine body they have created and named Methodé Marlborough. There are 12 member wineries in the group, who adhere to rules they modelled on those from the Champagne region in France. This means they only use grapes grown in their region of origin, in this case 100% Marlborough grown grapes. Their sparkling wines spend at least 18 months ageing on lees in bottle prior to disgorgement, among strict guidlines they have agreed to (which can all be found here www.methodemarlborough.org
The members of Méthode Marlborough are Esses Wines, Hunter's Wines, Johanneshof Cellars, LV Wines, Nautilus Estate, No 1 Family Estate, Pernod Ricard, Saint Claire Family Estate, Spy Valley Wines, Tohu Wines, Whitehaven Wines and Wither Hills.
Every year, this still relatively new organisation has an informal Methodé Marlborough Day. It's always held on the last Friday in March and is a celebration, if you like, or (if you're more formal in mindset), a day to mark the seriousness of sparkling wine production in New Zealand's biggest wine region. And while Marlborough is best known for high volume, highly aromatic white wine (made mostly from the Sauvignon Blanc grape), its bubblies are growing in volume and price, with some producers (such as Hunter's Wines) unable to keep supply in tandem with demand for the sparkling wines they made. That's no mean feat for such a young wine region, whose producers are modelling their bubblies on the best in the world. This is a euphemism for saying that sparkling wine is made using the same winemaking methods as used in the Champagne region in France, in the Franciacorta DOCG in Lombard in northern central Italy; in Tasmania, Australia and in a growing number of other cool climate wine regions around the world. Marlborough's sparkling wine industry began in the mid 1980s when Jane Hunter employed the late sparkling wine expert Dr Tony Jordan, who encouraged adherence to high quality winemaking, which has been followed ever since. A young Frenchman called Daniel le Brun moved to Marlborough in 1980 with his New Zealand wine, Adele, and they spear headed sparkling winemaking along traditional French lines, founding Daniel le Brun Wines (now under different ownership) and then No 1 Family Estate.
The rest is history and it's still history in the making.
The great thing about great wine is that it takes time. Not only to make, but to age, to evolve and even, for those of us who savour the flavour, to enjoy.
These two wines of the week offer an exceptional insight into the quality, style and youthful possibilities in New Zealand's wine industry.
Méthode Marlborough has 12 member wineries who adhere to using 100% Marlborough grown grapes and at least 18 months ageing on lees in bottle prior to disgorgement, among other strict rules they have agreed to - all of which are inspired by traditional sparkling winemaking methods fine tuned most famously in the Champagne region in France. The members are Esses Wines, Hunter's Wines, Johanneshof Cellars, LV Wines, Nautilus Estate, No 1 Family Estate, Pernod Ricard, Saint Claire Family Estate, Spy Valley Wines, Tohu Wines, Whitehaven Wines and Wither Hills.
Wines of the week, 30 March 2024 - two Marlborough sparkling wines
Hunter's MiruMiru RRP $29.99
MiruMiru means bubbles in Te Reo Māori and has been trademarked as the name for Jane Hunter's sparkling wine, which is characterised by fresh crisp flavours of ripe lemons, a touch of grapefruit zest and a creamy underlying medium bodied style. This is made from a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and a smidgeon of Pinot Meunier; the three classic Champagne grapes, which combine in a deliciously zesty bubbly. Demand currently exceeds supply, so snap it up. hunters.co.nz
No 1 Family Estate Reserve RRP $96
Every year the le Brun winemaking team holds back a portion of its sparkling Chardonnay and ages it on lees (following its second fermentation in bottle) for significantly longer than the standard two to three years. This extended contact time with lees provides greater depth of richness in taste and body; as the lees decompose into the wine, they offer protection from oxidation and release gorgeous yeasty flavours into the wine.
Great drinking now and it makes a great match with seafood and chicken. www.no1familyestate.co.nz
