New kids on the block

Four classic French varieties – sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, chardonnay and pinot gris – dominate this country’s wine output, but three relatively recent arrivals are attracting fast-growing interest. Albariño, a fashionable variety in the coastal cafes of Spain and Portugal, yields appetisingly crisp, flavour-packed white wines; grüner veltliner (“gru-vee”) is Austria’s major white-wine variety; tempranillo is the star red-wine variety of Rioja, in Spain. Now cultivated in New Zealand, these highly regarded European varieties are winning new fans.

ALBARIÑO

Astrolabe Kekerengu Coast Sleepers Vineyard Marlborough Albariño 2019

Hand-picked north of Kaikōura and fermented in an even split of tanks and old French oak casks, this wine has a real sense of youthful drive, with strong, lively, citrusy, slightly appley flavours, fresh acidity and a dry finish. (12% alc/vol) $27

Babich Family Estates Single