Mike Taylor has over 20 years of history working in the wine industry as a Financier, Consultant and Company Director.
This history has principally been a business journey, but has also provided a rich opportunity to try wines from a vast number of producers (both NZ and global) at all manner of price points, ranging from very expensive to cheap.
This article captures independent thinking on wines that consumers can enjoy this summer, affordable and approachable wines with character that won’t empty your wallet. I also touch on wine/food pairings to complement your dining experience whether that be in a restaurant, lunch on your balcony, a BBQ or friends over for an afternoon tipple.
I will concentrate on NZ white wines but also explore my favourite red variety, shiraz. NZ wines are renowned for crisp lighter fruit-driven styles with punch and balanced acidity. NZ’s cool maritime climate and fertile soils are highly conducive to quality wine production. In particular, sauvignon blanc from Marlborough is a global star, very sought after throughout the world. This regional variety best emphasises NZ’s point of difference with cool climate whites.
The first thing I like to remind people is not to confuse price with quality. The supermarket shelves are packed with wines at $20 that punch way above alternatives at $50 plus. I look beyond the romance of labels and so called iconic brands, focusing purely on what my palate actually enjoys irrespective of brand or price point. Drinking wine you like should always be the objective. Reflecting on my own wine appreciation journey, a big milestone was learning to put aside snobbery about price and prestigious brands, getting far greater enjoyment from simple commercial wine styles which are not excessively big or rich – thereby enabling a second glass!
This summer I have identified some wines which you should be able to source locally:
- Lunchtime with Pinot Gris or Rosé
The Ned Pinot Gris is an affordable wine with tons of character and generous fruit. I prefer darker rosé and Seifried from the Nelson region is affordable, matching easily with salads or light meals of most kinds. A lighter style rosé I drink regularly is Esk Valley. Rosé is best drunk young, it’s advisable not to age it. (Rosé tends to be lower alcohol than pinot gris, so bear in mind the impact of volume consumed).
- Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with your seafood choices
This wine is strongly aromatic and races out of the glass, followed by an array of crisp herbaceous and tropical fruit flavours. Sauvignon blanc is also generally best drunk young so purchase a current year wine. Age will often deteriorate this variety faster than others. Two well-priced wines from the 2024 vintage are Allan Scott and Villa Maria. The Scott is herbaceous and dry (good with food) and the Villa is fatter and fruitier/sweeter but lovely easy drinking.
- My favourite wine variety: Chardonnay
This year, I have been drinking Tohu from Marlborough at a very sharp price. This wine is weighty and has some complexity with stone-fruit flavours and nice texture. It pairs well with white meat, seafood and salads. Hawkes Bay is the chardonnay region I respect most in NZ. Try something from Sacred Hill which I am confident will consistently deliver value and quality.
- A great companion with your barbequed red meats: Shiraz
I love shiraz from South Australia, particularly McLaren Vale or Barossa. These regions normally produce dense wines with dark fruit flavours and none of the ‘green’ unripe characters that can make reds taste bitter. Try Sandpiper from Barossa or McLaren Vale Ink by Grant Burge. These are staples for me, very affordable but stylish wines. Note that these wines are high in alcohol content.
- Is your preference low alcohol? Give Riesling a go
Try Giesen Riesling from Marlborough as a classy wine carrying limited alcohol content. Giesen have done an outstanding job with this particular variety for over three decades.
I hope these ideas bring some extra joy to your table and provide helpful guidance to those seeking good value quality drinking.
Words by Mike Taylor
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