Wine guru recognises NZ wines
01 Dec 2008
Wine guru Robert Parker has accorded his top five-star recognition to five New Zealand wineries.
For the first time, the world's best known wine critic has selected 26 New Zealand wineries for mention in his latest wine guide - the 7th edition of Robert Parker's Wine Buyers guide.
Parker's writing team grades wineries, rather than individual wines, on their overall ability to deliver excellence consistently, regardless of vintage ups and downs.
Highest rating
Only a small number of wineries around the world achieve Parker's highest rating of '5 star: Outstanding' which is equivalent to a restaurant gaining three Michelin stars.
Five New Zealand wineries, from different regions in the North and South islands, have achieved this honour: Ata Rangi, Felton Road, Pegasus Bay, Rippon Vineyard and Winery, and Te Mata Estate. A further 21 wineries achieved the '4 star: Excellent' category.
World-class growers and producers
"Years of wine tasting have taught me many things but the more one tastes and assimilates the knowledge of the world's regions, the more one begins to isolate the handful of truly world-class growers and producers who seem to rise above the crowd in great as well as mediocre vintages," Parker writes in the latest guide.
"I always admonish consumers against blind faith in one grower or producer, or in one specific vintage. But the producers and growers rated 'outstanding' and 'excellent' are as close to a guarantee of high quality as you are likely to find.
"Those few growers / producers who have received five star ratings are those who make the world's finest wines, and they have been selected for this rating for two reasons: first, because they make the greatest wine of their particular viticultural region, and second, because they are remarkably consistent and reliable even in mediocre and poor vintages."
Record NZ wine exports
The latest international wine accolade came as New Zealand's boutique wine industry confirmed record export sales for September 2008 - 14.4 million bottles worth around NZ$100 million.
With similar results expected for October 2008, the industry is on track for its planned NZ$1 billion annual earnings by 2010.
Export income from NZ wine production has seen a phenomenal increase in the past decade. In 1998, exports for the entire year were $98 million; in 2008 this figure has been achieved in just one month.
New Zealand Winegrowers chief executive officer, Philip Gregan said the result reflected the continuing demand for quality New Zealand wine.
New World wines
A prominent 'New World' wine producer, New Zealand is best known for its sauvignon blanc but has a growing reputation for pinot noir, pinot gris and other varieties.
Most of the country's more than 500 winemakers are boutique, small scale operations producing low volumes of niche varieties.
Australia is New Zealand's biggest growth market with 3.5 million litres exported in September at a value of NZ$33.3 million. This is followed by the United Kingdom (3.4 million litres, NZ$27.4 million), and United States (2.3 million litres, NZ$22.5 million).
Exports to both Canada and Asia are also continuing to increase.
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