Written By Treve Ring Libations / Red Wine May 4, 2011 Akarua Reserve Pinot Noir 2009 SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestAkaruaReserve Pinot Noir 2009Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand$55-60www.akarua.com This week’s New Zealand Wine Fair in Vancouver was an excellent snap shot of where the industry is at right now. Presented by New Zealand Winegrowers and the New Zealand Consulate General, the trade tasting featured a few dozen NZ wineries, each with a handful of products, and many not available on this market. In addition, numerous winemakers flew over to talk terroir with the knowledgeable crowd. A few key Kiwi facts:1 – NZ is much more than Sauvignon Blanc. Though overshadowing other varietals with 63% of the plantings, the temperate maritime climate and long, dry autumns provide a happy home to Burgundian styled Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. I also tried an impressive Auslese Riesling from Marlborough’s Staete Landt Vineyard.2 – NZ is working towards being 100% sustainable by 2012. Already a pioneering leader in sustainable practices, the goal is to have every winery and vineyard in accordance with an audited program by next year’s vintage. They’re already 94% there, and the leader of the pack is Marlborough’s Yealands Estate – a carboNZero certified winery. Their 2010 Sauvignon Blanc is piercing citrus and dusty minerality – readily available on this market in the $18 range.3 – NZ wine comes from places other than Marlborough. Absolutely Marlborough, on the northern tip of the South Island, has the greatest producing vineyard area. However there is wine coming from the top of the North Island almost to the bottom of the South Island, with distinctly differing soils and microclimates. I was very impressed by the whites and reds coming out of Central Otago, the Southernmost region, near Queenstown.And it was Central Otago where I alighted on my fave wine of the tasting – Akarua Reserve Pinot Noir. Central Otago isn’t just New Zealand’s southernmost wine region – it is the world’s most southerly wine region. Grapes do love a challenge, and the harder you can push them and the more extreme the conditions, the greater the reward. I was fortunate to taste some of the reward in this reserve Pinot Noir. Vibrant black cherry, dark fruit and earth, with veins of savory meat crisscrossing mineral and herbs. Bright acid and firm tannins over deeply seeded sweet spice, most likely resulting from time in French barriques. Full of finesse and motion, but retaining Pinot’s grace. Pair with duck or wild mushroom risotto.Rating: (click here to see what our wine ratings mean) EATrecommendsAkarua Reserve Pinot Noir 2009Central Otago isn’t just New Zealand’s southernmost wine region – it is the world’s most southerly wine region. Grapes do love a challenge, and the harder you can push them and the more extreme the conditions, the greater the reward. I was fortunate to taste some of the reward in this reserve Pinot Noir. Vibrant black cherry, dark fruit and earth, with veins of savory meat crisscrossing mineral and herbs. Bright acid and firm tannins over deeply seeded sweet spice, most likely resulting from time in French barriques. Full of finesse and motion, but retaining Pinot’s grace. Pair with duck or wild mushroom risotto. New ZealandRed WineWine Reviews SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Treve Ring Treve Ring is a wine writer, editor, judge, consultant and certified sommelier, and has been with EAT Magazine for over a decade.\r\n\r\nIn addition to her work with EAT, she is a Wine Critic and National Judge for ... Read More You may also like Beer / Beer & Cider / Drink / Events / Victoria March 24, 2019 A New Beer Society in Town Victoria Beer Week launched its sixth annual festival earlier this month, which ran from March 1-9. In addition to the festival returning for another ... Read More Beer / Wineries & Breweries February 4, 2019 Vancouver Island Brewery’s New Porter and New Re-Rebrand Vancouver Island Brewery unveils new porter along with their new re-rebrand Vancouver Island Brewery held a flight night last week, in part to ... Read More Causes / Events January 25, 2019 Blue Monday Pop-Up Bar – 100 Proof Blues January can be tough around these parts. 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