KIWI IMPORT FOR THE SUNDAY ROAST

A more-ish new release just making its appearance on our liquor store shelves is New Zealand’s 2006 Secret Stone Marlborough Pinot Noir, and it’s quickly being snapped up by those with a penchant for the variety.

Its launch in Australia follows the runaway success of the Secret Stone label’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc that hit our market in 2004, a success that’s prompted the company to now release both a 2005 Chardonnay and the 2006 Pinot Noir here in the hope they’ll repeat the Sauvignon Blanc’s good fortune.

The Pinot Noir was sourced totally from the Marlborough region near the top of New Zealand’s South Island, a premier cool climate region that whilst enjoying long sunshine hours, has quite low average maximum temperatures in summer, and cool nights that allow grapes to ripen slowly and retain many fruit characters that can sometimes be lost at higher temperatures.

It’s a rich, soft, dark-fruit flavoured wine, with the fruit characteristics coming through in the obvious cherry on the nose, and sweet oak.

Well-priced at $19.99, there’s no better way to enjoy this New Zealand drop than with another New Zealand staple, a good Sunday lamb roast.