From an idea that bubbled away to proper fizz in the bottle
If timing is everything, then the newest sparkling wine from Marlborough is destined for success but its journey began in a far less confident moment with winemaker Jules Taylor asking herself, "What if people don't like it? And what if I don't like it?"
The “it” being her first ever sparkling wine, which triggered a nerve-racking reaction as she contemplated it, but she pushed forward and the wine was released on Saturday 12 October; this week, in other words.
It's obviously a good time to launch a new sparkling wine, what with the festive season nearly here and, in the Southern Hemisphere, summer also on the way. When better to drink good bubbles?
Wine production in New Zealand is growing - here are the brand new stats
This week also sees the publication of the 2026 New Zealand Winegrowers Inc Annual Report, within its pages containing a rise in plantings nationwide over the past year, defying the constant refrain that wine is in the doldrums, wine drinkers are not drinking and so on and so on.
So, where is that growth?
Here's one of the promising sides to wine in New Zealand right now: the country's national vineyard area has grown by 802 hectares over the past year from 42,250 hectares to 43,322 hectares overall. Marlborough is leading the charge. It gets complicated because some regions have shrunk while others have grown by minuscule amounts, except for Marlborough which had the biggest gain by far from 30,469 to 31,603 hectares in the last 12 months.
Which brings me back to Jules Taylor; one of that region's most experienced white wine and Pinot Noir producers.
New Blanc de Blancs
One of Marlborough's great wine promises is Chardonnay, which is the heart and soul of Marlborough winemaker Jules Taylor's new Blanc de Blancs.
The wine is made from a single vineyard in Marlborough's Wairau Valley and it represents a significant departure from Taylor's long history of still winemaking.
Why now?
Taylor says her inspiration came partly from summers spent working vintages in Italy, where wine was less about ceremony and more about bringing people together. That influence is evident in this wine but its taste also suggests something a lot more serious too - it's a high quality first release and at a (relatively) affordable price.
Marlborough's newest bubbly - my tasting note
Jules Taylor Marlborough Blanc de Blancs NV Marlborough RRP $39.95
This is a polished inaugural release that highlights another side of Marlborough Chardonnay, which takes on an elegant, subtly powerful, superbly fresh sparkling wine made in the traditional method - the same way of champagne, in other words. Commanding aromas of crisp citrus and white stone fruit flavours are wrapped around a creamy texture, derived from 20 months ageing on lees which brings texture and flavour complexity without overwhelming the wine's freshness. Long, linear and focused. And it's a great price.
Available at Glengarry's and also from Jules Taylor Wines.
