Hunter’s Wine: Some Of New Zealand’s Finest
Everyone has heard of and tried Australian wines, one of the big success stories in growing a wine region. But not as many people are familiar with the neighboring area of New Zealand, blessed with varied, mountainous terrain and a suitable climate for many of the best-loved varietals. In fact, some of the best Sauvignon Blancs that we have tried are from the country, and we've seen Pinot Noirs that compete favorably with those from anywhere else (including Napa and Sonoma).
That may set expectations a bit high, but Hunter's Wines meet the mark, especially considering the reasonable price point. We've been enjoying two of their recent vintages, both from Marlborough, and both winners of Double Gold medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition. We'll start with the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc.
Sweet, crisp, and with a little bit of bouncy citrus and notes of your grandparent's garden, this one pairs as easily as it drinks. Offering a bit of bite and a memorable nose, not everyone selected it as their favorite recent bottle, but most everyone found it "lovely to sip at a concert in the park", and praised the "surprisingly lengthy finish". We wouldn't term this one subtle- but it is satisfying for those in the mood to try something a bit exotic and fairly sour. At $12.50 or so per bottle, it's also quite affordable.
Their 2009 Pinot Noir is similar in a way- pretty intense, a tight and bursting wine that can be overwhelming to those looking for smooth leather or balanced tannins. Instead, prepare your tongue for a bit of cranberry instead of the more normal cherry, and a nose with a bit of spice and coffee. Again, it's a pleasant wine that works well with foods, anything rich and hearty, though doesn't quite stand up to recent top-notch American Pinot Noir standards. We recommend giving this one a bit of time in the glass or running it through an aerator and drinking ever-so-slightly chilled, as it definitely helped meld the wine a bit. Priced around $16, it's a good value for a solid red.
About the Author
Greg Greg dreamed up the idea for the Truly Network while living in Hawaii, which began with a single site called TrulyObscure. In 2010, when advertisers and readers were requesting coverage beyond the scope of that site, TrulyNet was launched, reaching a broader audience over a variety of niche sites. Formerly the head technology correspondent for the Des Moines Register at age 16, he has since lived and worked in five states and two countries, helping a list of organizations and companies that includes the United States Census Bureau, TripAdvisor, Events Photo Group, Berlitz, and Computer Geeks. He also served as the Content Strategy Manager for HearPlanet, a multi-platform app that has reached over a million users and has been featured in the New York Times, Hemispheres Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Fox Business News, PC Magazine, and even Apple’s own iPhone ads. Greg has written as a restaurant critic and feature journalist for a number of national and international publications, including City Weekend Magazine, Red Egg Magazine, the Newton Daily News, Capital Change Magazine, and an arm of China Daily, Beijing Weekend. In addition, he has served as a consulting editor for the Foreign Language Press of Beijing, as well as a writer and editor for the George Washington University Hatchet, the school newspaper of his alma mater. Originally from Iowa, Greg is currently living in the West Village of Manhattan.
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