Waiheke Island Syrah A Stand Out In Cuisine NZ Reds Tasting
Cuisine magazine has just announced the results of its annual NZ Reds* tasting. This tasting is one of the largest each
year and includes the increasingly fashionable Syrah variety and Bordeaux-style reds from Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Malbec and Cabernet Franc.
Passage Rock, a small Waiheke Island producer, took the two top awards for Syrah with its Passage Rock Syrah 2005 and
Passage Rock Reserve Syrah 2005.
Owner of Passage Rock, David Evans, attributes their success to terroir and an ideal climate. Their seven-hectare estate
vineyard has a red-clay soil base and a very sunny site sheltered by low hills to the north, east and west. Sunshine
reflected off the sea also adds warmth during the growing season. In the summer temperatures often reach 30°C, but
autumn mist from the sea reduces night temperatures.
Northland’s Omata Estate Reserve Syrah 2004 was also rated in the top five, indicating that this variety also has an
exciting future in the upper North Island.
New Zealand’s largest Syrah plantings are in the Hawke’s Bay. Two wines from this region, Te Awa Syrah 2004 and Bridge
Pa Vineyard Louis Syrah 2004 were also amongst the top five Syrah of the tasting.
The top Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine of the tasting was Craggy Range The Quarry 2004 and the top Merlot was Thornbury
Hawke’s Bay Merlot 2004.
Taste these New Zealand Reds at selected fine-wine stores throughout the country. Tasting dates and contact details are
listed below.
* Cuisine NZ Reds tasting does not include Pinot Noir tasting which is featured in the November 2006 issue of Cuisine.
FINE WINE STORE TASTINGS
Auckland
First Glass Wines & Spirits
www.first-glass.co.nz
Wed 6 Sept 7pm
La Barrique
www.labarrique.co.nz
Wed 30 August 7pm
Glengarry Victoria Park
www.glengarry.co.nz
Sat 2 Sept 10am-4pm (free)
Waiheke Wine Centre
www.waihekewinecentre.co.nz
Thurs 7 Sept 7pm
Hamilton Napier
Hamilton Wine Company
Upstairs at The Bank, Victoria St,
Tues 5 Sept 7pm
Swig
www.swig.co.nz
Fri 8 Sept 4pm-7pm
Wellington Nelson
Glengarry Thorndon Quay
www.glengarry.co.nz
Sat 2 Sept 10am-4pm (free)
Casa del Vino
www.casadelvino.co.nz
Wed 30 August 6pm
Christchurch Arrowtown
Vino Fino
www.vinofino.co.nz
Tues 5 Sept 6pm
Allan Hamilton Wine Cellars
Thurs 14 Sept 5pm-7pm (free)
Wanaka
Wanaka Fine Wines
Tues 12 Sept 6pm
On sale from 28 August, the September issue of Cuisine retails at $8.95 inc. GST and is available from all supermarkets
and good bookstores throughout New Zealand.
ENDS