Syrah to become New Zealand’s third grape

Syrah is to become the third most important grape variety in New Zealand after Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, according to Brancott Estate’s chief winemaker Patrick Materman.

“In the past Hawkes Bay was all about Bordeaux blends, with a lot of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot plantings, but those vines are being uprooted and replaced with Syrah”, Materman told the drinks business.

“Syrah is going to become more and more dominant in New Zealand”, Materman added, while singling out Riesling as another grape variety to watch.

“I would love to see Riesling do better in New Zealand,” he said. “We make some of the absolute best in the world, but it’s always a hard sell; it’s a winemaker’s wine.”

An impressive 18 Syrahs were on show at the New Zealand Annual Trade Tasting at Lord’s cricket ground yesterday, including Trinity Hill Homage Syrah 2007, with an RRP of £70 per bottle.

Other wineries demonstrating what New Zealand can do with Syrah included Craggy Range, Man O’War and Te Mata Estate.

While Syrah is slowly forging a name for itself in New Zealand, the country is also embracing other European varieties.

“Chardonnay and Riesling are extremely underrated in New Zealand, when we’re producing some fantastic examples”, Graywacke chief winemaker Kevin Judd told the drinks business.

Despite having worked as chief winemaker for Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc benchmark Cloudy Bay for 25 years, Judd conceded that Chardonnay was his favourite grape variety: “If I had to drink one style for the rest of my life it would be Chardonnay.”

Click here to watch the interview with Patrick Materman

Lucy Shaw, 12.01.2011