Nine amazing sustainable wines

At some point, someone started a strange myth. The myth that we need toxic chemicals to grow crops – particularly crops as tender and vulnerable as grapes.

How do we know it’s a myth? Because winemakers across New Zealand are now proving it wrong.

In a surge of enthusiasm, New Zealand’s organic wine industry has taken off in the last five years. Certified organic vineyard land nationwide has tripled in acreage since 2008. Nearly 50 wineries now make organic wines, with others already in the process of changing over.

Many winemakers have chosen this route in their quest for the ultimate grape. Nourishing organic vines with compost and other natural fertilisers can make for robust, flavourful fruit. “The fruit has tougher and riper skins, so the wines seem to be more complex,” says Miranda Brown of Muddy Water, whose Canterbury vineyards have been certified organic since 2010.

But perhaps as important as what’s in organic wine, is what’s not in it. No synthetic pesticide or herbicide sprays or chemical fertilisers are allowed in the vineyard. Considering that grapes are one of the most-sprayed crops in New Zealand – they recently made the Safe Food Campaign’s “Dirty Dozen” list – this is no small difference.

Organic wines are made without synthetic chemical agents in the winery, too. Sulphur is allowed, at lower levels than standard wines; but these sulphites are not a problem for most people, except those with allergies.

Some deep green organic growers have also adopted the quasi-mystical practices of biodynamic farming. They time vineyard activities to lunar cycles, and age their manure as attentively as their wines, before sprinkling it on to the land. Advocates swear by the results. Australian wine critic Max Allen, a big fan, puts it this way: “Drinking great BD [biodynamic] wines is like listening to live music: the best conventional wines are like a standout performance on CD, played on the smartest audio equipment. Listening to the CD can be deeply enjoyable, even moving – but not as profound, memorable or rewarding as being in the audience at a concert, experiencing the moment with all your senses.”

Of course, a glass of wine reflects both the vineyard and the winemaker; so organic or biodynamic does not automatically guarantee quality. But it’s safe to say those grapes have at least had a great start.

What’s in a name?

Not all green marketing claims are equal!

Organic

Only natural inputs and processes in the vineyard and winery. No synthetic chemicals. With New Zealand wines look for reputable certification from a group such as AsureQuality or BioGro.

Biodynamic

Special all-natural practices used in addition to standard organics. Certified vineyards are independently audited by Demeter New Zealand.

Sustainable Winegrowing NZ

A New Zealand industry programme; members report their environmental and socioeconomic practices. However, chemical pesticides and the like are allowed.

carboNZero

A handful of wineries now carry this certification, meaning they’ve offset all their greenhouse gas emissions. Although this doesn’t affect the wine itself, it affects our climate, so hopefully we can keep a liveable planet to enjoy all this excellent wine on.

Sauvignon blanc

Yealands Single Vineyard Marlborough, 2012

Certification: carboNZero
Additives: None, other than a minimal level of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220)
$19.95

Peter Yealands has thrown his considerable energy into sustainable winemaking after a career in marine and stud deer farming. The grapes for this wine were sourced from five select sauvignon blanc vineyard parcels in Marlborough’s Awatere Valley, and made by chief winemaker Tamra Washington. Yealands has a commitment to sustainable winemaking with initiatives such as wetland planting and biodiversity in the vineyard, carboNZero certification, energy efficiency, recycling and using lightweight plastic bottles to reduce transport emissions.

The wine: Passion fruit, blackcurrant, green capsicum and grapefruit aromas. Ripe flavours of the above with a crisp citrus finish.
You might also like: Clos Henri $35, Murdoch James $13.50

Gewürztraminer

Huia Marlborough, 2010

Certification: BioGro and Demeter Biodynamic
Additives: Minimal level of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220), may contain traces of fish products
$25

In 1996 Mike and Claire Allan started Huia Vineyards to make small quantities of premium wines. Before setting up Huia, Mike and Claire both worked in wineries in Marlborough: Mike at Cloudy Bay and Vavasour, Claire at Corbans and Lawson’s Dry Hills. The style of their wines is dry, subtle and elegant with the emphasis on mainly white aromatic grapes: gewürztraminer, riesling and pinot gris. The grapes for this wine were grown on Huia’s organic Winsome vineyard on the seaward side of the Wairau Valley.

The wine: Aromas of rose petal and candied fruit. Full and soft mouth-filling flavours of Turkish delight and lychee, with a long finish.
You might also like: Seresin $30, Te Whare Ra $32

Riesling

Te Whara Ra ‘M’ Marlborough, 2012

Certification: BioGro
Additives: None, other than a minimal level of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220)
$27

Te Whare Ra is Maori for ‘The House in the Sun.’ Owners Jason and Anna Flowerday took over in 2003. The 11 hectare vineyard, which was originally planted in 1979, has a mixture of varieties: gewürztraminer, riesling, sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and chardonnay. Yields are kept low, and the vineyard is managed with a combination of organic and biodynamic practices. The wines are made with minimal intervention in a small winery which has been specifically set up for small-batch winemaking.

The wine: Aromas of citrus blossom. In the mouth – medium-sweet, mineral and stone fruit flavours with balanced, crisp mouth-watering acidity.
You might also like: Huia $27

Pinot gris

Odyssey Salmond Marlborough, 2011

Certification: BioGro
Additives: Bentonite, sulphur dioxide (preservative 220), may contain traces of fish products
$26

Odyssey’s Marlborough vineyard has been managed organically for several years and has just achieved BioGro organic certification. The ten hectare vineyard is located in the Brancott Valley where they grow sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and pinot noir. Rebecca Salmond launched Odyssey in 1994 after travelling and working in some of the world’s finest wine and culinary regions, including Burgundy, Bordeaux and Cote Rotie in France; plus Alto Adige and Sicily in Italy. All the wines are sourced from single vineyards. Odyssey Wines has garnered a number of accolades and awards. They also export under the Salmond label.

The wine: Handpicked from the vineyard in the Brancott Valley, the aromas are delicate – with hints of honeysuckle and white peach. In the mouth – pear, quince and pineapple with a dry lengthy palate.
You might also like: Isabel $24, Northburn $33

Chardonnay

Seresin Estate Marlborough, 2010

Certification: Demeter Biodynamic
Additives: None, other than a minimal level of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220)
$22

Founded in 1992 by UK-based Kiwi film director Michael Seresin, the focus here is on high quality winemaking practices – such as biodynamic grape growing, hand harvesting and low cropping levels. A large sentinel stone marks the entrance to the winery – with the signature handprint logo – to represent the Seresin’s gentle ‘hands-on’ approach to winemaking. The grapes were hand-sorted before being whole-bunch pressed (reducing green stemmy flavours) and then sent straight to French oak barrels to age for 11 months. The wine was then lightly filtered and bottled without further intervention.

The wine: Aromas of toasted almond and apple sauce. Flavours of peach and nectarine with a hint of grapefruit citrus.
You might also like: Isabel $30, Kaimira $20

Methode traditionelle

Quartz Reef Brut Central Otago

Certification: Demeter Biodynamic
Additives: A tiny amount of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220) at a maximum of 15 parts per million
$29

Rudi Bauer makes wine in an unpretentious building in a Cromwell industrial estate. He qualified in viticulture and winemaking in Austria and Germany prior to moving to New Zealand and later setting up Quartz Reef in 1996. The winery is named after New Zealand’s largest quartz deposit which lies beneath their vineyards at Bendigo. Bauer adheres to the Rudolph Steiner principles of vineyard management which include planting according to a lunar calendar. There are 30 hectares under biodynamic cultivation including pinot gris, pinot noir and chardonnay – plus a tiny amount of Austrian grape variety grüner veltliner. Pinot noir (crushed and used as a clear juice) and chardonnay go into the mix that is their signature traditional bottle-fermented bubbly.

The wine: Yeasty bread aromas, fine persistent bubbles and flavours of stone fruit, with a dry crisp, clean finish.
You might also like: Huia $38

Pinot noir

Felton Road Cornish Point Central Otago, 2012

Certification: Demeter Biodynamic
Additives: None, other than a minimal level of sulphur dioxide (preservative 220)
$79

Felton Road has become one of Central Otago’s star producers with their wines rated highly by influential international magazines including Wine Spectator. Winemaker Blair Walter began the journey to biodynamics with a philosophy of gravity-fed minimal grape and juice handling technology. Now they are Demeter certified, and use the biodynamic Steiner methods, including planting cover crops and wild flowers within the vineyard. The hillsides behind the vines are home to a herd of goats, which keep the briar under control (also providing organic meat!).

The wine: Savoury, seductively soft and generously fruity. Flavours and aromas of ripe black berry fruits, with a spicy richness on the palate.
You might also like: Fancrest Estate $42, Mahi $30

Merlot

Villa Maria Joseph Soler Hawke’s Bay, 2011 (value pick)

Certification: BioGro
Additives: Sulphur dioxide (preservative 220), may contain traces of free-range egg white
$16

The fruit for this wine was sourced from vineyard parcels in Villa Maria’s Joseph Soler Vineyard, bordering the renowned Gimblett Gravels Hawke’s Bay winegrowing region. The vineyard has operated on organic principles since 2001, and the Soler vineyard has 21 hectares certified organic by BioGro New Zealand. Viticulture (vineyard management) is by Jonathan Hamlet. Jonathan completed a university degree majoring in conservation ecology and – motivated by his love of wine – moved on to complete a postgraduate diploma in Viticulture and Wine Studies.

The wine: Deep crimson colour, with aromas of spice and black berry fruits. Soft tannins and a hint of oak influence from barrel age.
You might also like: William Murdoch $40

Syrah/shiraz

William Murdoch Hawke’s Bay, 2009

Certification: BioGro
Additives: Sulphur dioxide (preservative 220); egg whites were used to fine the wine although at low rates (10 grams per 100 litres)
$35

Brett Murdoch’s handcrafted wines were certified organic in 2010. His wines are made using natural ferments (i.e. wild vineyard yeasts are used rather than commercial yeast) and there is minimal intervention in the winemaking process. The vineyard also has the Gimblett Gravels appellation. Hayden Penney, a local boy, is the chief winemaker, having gained a Bachelor of Wine Science and a Bachelor of Viticulture at Hawke’s Bay’s Eastern Institute of Technology. The label is named after Brett’s grandfather who served as a guardsman in the legendary Coldstream regiment at Buckingham Palace.

The wine: Smoky and black pepper aromas typical of syrah/shiraz, plus flavours of ripe dark berries, dried fruit and spice. Medium tannins indicate it would cellar well for another three to four years.
You may also like: Kennedy Point $95

Tip

New company Green Drop is a good one-stop shop for organic wines from New Zealand and abroad – and stocks organic beers and spirits too. See www.greendrop.co.nz.