Best wine choices for 2015

For various reasons the wines I’ve chosen are the ones that have stuck in my memory during 2014. They cover a wide geographical spread, even one from Italy just for a bit of variation. 

Some of them may be a bit difficult to find but I managed to find them all and they are certainly worth seeking out.

Marsden Black Rocks Chardonnay 2013. $35
It shows how many diverse wine regions New Zealand has when this stunning Chardonnay comes from the relatively obscure Keri Keri region in the Far North.  With the more “modern” style of Chardonnay becoming increasingly popular,it is pleasing to find a classical, traditionåal style of Chardonnay of this quality. It has all of the creamy, nutty, citrus, vanilla and stone-fruit characters one expects from this style of ‘chard”. Full bodied and delicious.

Villa Maria Cellar Selection Gisborne Albarino 2014.  $20
As a young wine country, producers are always experimenting with new varieties. Unfortunately educating the public to drink these can be a challenge. Probably the most exciting of the new varieties are Gruner Veltliner and Albarino. Albarino originates from Rias Baixas in Spain and the New Zealand examples are looking as promising as those grown anywhere in the world. The first role of any new variety planted in a new region is to display some distinctive varietal character; this wine certainly does that.  It has very elegant, floral and stone-fruit aromas and a palate with all of the minerality, acidity, fleshiness, stone-fruit, citrus and pears associated with its counterparts in Spain. And it’s a bargain at this price.

Coney “The Ritz” Martinborough Riesling  2014.  $23
Interestingly, like most of the regions associated with Pinot Noir, Martinborough also excels with Riesling. This has a spritzy, effervescent character that sets it apart from its fellows. With only 9% alcohol, about 30g residual sugar, a hint of botrytis influence and lashings of apple and citrus character, it is the ideal lunchtime wine. Almost impossible to dislike, even for die-hard Riesling haters.

Framingham F-Series Sauvignon Blanc 2013. Marlborough. $35
At a time when Sauvignon Blanc has gone out of favour with some wine-drinkers, it is ironic that there has probably never been as many interesting and high quality examples than now. This is from one of Marlborough’s most consistent producers and fits nicely between the more classical “cats pee” and gooseberry style and the sometimes heavily worked, oaked styles. From low cropped, hand-picked fruit, a portion of this wine spent time in old oak and had regular lees stirring. This treatment, and the use of wild yeasts, has produced a very textural and structured, rather than fruit driven, wine. Not as over-the-top as some examples, but certainly not Sauvignon Blanc as we know it. Quite exciting really.

Greystone Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2013.  $39
One of the most impressive of the newer Waipara wineries, Greystone is producing a wild range of good quality and fairly priced wines across numerous styles and varieties. The 2013 vintage was exceptional in most parts and it certainly shows here. The rich velvet colour gives a hint what to expect. Pinot Noir is all about the delicate, perfumed, floral aromatics and that is all there on the nose, along with spicy, herbal and cherry notes. The palate is rich and complex with dark berries, cherries and fine grained tannins. Like many good New Zealand Pinots, this should age for many years.

Brennan Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir 2009. $50
One of the quiet achievers in Central Otago, Brennan is a great place to visit as it usually has three vintages of suitably aged Pinot Noir available to taste and purchase: something that is quite rare. The other thing that is quite rare is the remarkable consistency between vintages, which is not easy to achieve with Gibbston fruit. I tried the 2008, 2009 and 2010 and it was difficult to choose between them. My slight preference was for the 2009. Its four years advantage over most current releases has allowed it to gain considerable complexity while still displaying a delightful freshness. It is deep and rich in colour, perfumed on the nose and the palate displays dark cherries, herbs and spices with warm tannins. It should age for many more years.

Tiberio Pecorino Abruzzo 2013. $31
And now for something completely different to impress your wine-geek friends. Italy has many interesting grape varieties and the white wines tend to be more delicate and minerally focussed than the fruit-driven New Zealand styles. They can make a nice alternative to local wines and go particularly well with food. This delightful wine made from the Pecorino grape is elegantly perfumed with lovely refined citrus and floral aromas. On the palate it has citrus, mineral and stone-fruit characters, well balanced acidity and a clean lingering finish. The best place to find it is probably Caros in Auckland.

Kevin Courtney is marketing manager of Riverby Estate, Marlborough, whose Noble Riesling 2013 was a gold medallist in the 2014 Air New Zealand Wine Awards