Thanks to our wine expert, Neil Hodgson for sharing his favourite picks of organic New Zealand wines in this week’s blog.
The New Zealand wine industry is world-leading when it comes to sustainability. Ninety-eight percent of New Zealand vineyards are Sustainable Wine Growing NZ certified, and according to the 2017Wine NZ annual report more than 92,000 cubic metres of waste was diverted from landfill, and 2,500 hectares of land were set aside for biodiversity planting.
On a recent visit to New Zealand, Canadian wine consultant, writer and sommelier, Sara d’Amato, said, “The innate sense of respect for place was evident everywhere we travelled.”
Troy Smith, a sommelier from the USA, said, “I’m impressed with the almost single-minded commitment to sustainability that nearly all producers demonstrated. Maybe it’s just another aspect of the Kiwi ethos, but it is rarely encountered in similar scope in other countries.”
As we become more aware of the things we put into our bodies each day, organic products continue to grow in popularity. When it comes to wine, there are more than sixty certified organic wine producers in New Zealand. While many more are in the process of either converting to certified production, (a process that takes three years), or are operating their vineyards as organic, without being certified.
You can discover many organic New Zealand wines at Fresh Choice Nelson. From as little as $14.99 you can buy the excellent Brightside range from Kaimira Estate. From between $20 and $30, you can try wines from a couple of New Zealand’s pioneering certified organic producers… Seresin from Marlborough and Richmond Plains from Nelson.
Even the big players are getting in on the act of producing organic New Zealand wines. Villa Maria intend to have about twenty-five percent of all their vineyards converted to organic production within the next few years. Their 2013 “The Attorney” Pinot Noir, priced at $62.99, (a saving of $10), is an outstanding example of just how good organic New Zealand wines can be.
The New Zealand wine industry is embracing sustainable and organic production, you can encourage further growth by selecting organic New Zealand wines next time you shop at Fresh Choice Nelson.
