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| Hunting,
fishing and gathering was the main purpose of our latest travel to the
extremes of New Zealand's wild southern Island -- otherwise known as "
The Mainland." But wine was certainly not out of our minds, especially
as we were travelling with the sumptuously illustrated Wine Atlas of New
Zealand by Michael Cooper (2003: Hodder Moa Beckett publishers). What
a highly recommended book it is, and well used while dining at Christchurch's
leading restaurant, Saggio di Vino. For this is more a wine bar cum restaurant,
than vice versa. |
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| "Pick
anything you like from the menu, in any order," said owner Lisa Scholz
when we sat down for our Saturday night spread. "You can share, whatever."
Such a refreshing attitude from a restaurateur, especially from a leading
light in that city's otherwise stultified food scene. But then this is
no ordinary restaurant. |
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| Scholz
came to NZ from her native Germany shortly after the Chernobyl crisis
in Europe. "You couldn't buy anything fresh from the market," she explained
about the nuclear fall out. "And since I had just returned that very day
from visiting New Zealand, I booked the next flight back. I stayed and
never looked back." |
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| Today
she is a leading advocate of New Zealand ingredients, yearly highlighting
new industries from Aotearoa's success cultivating the illusive black
truffle, to local saffron, not to mention the island's unctuous Pacific
salmon, venison and the like. |
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| "But
can we fine a drinkable New Zealand red," I queried mischievously. "Of
course, of course," she pooh-poohed in a Teutonic manner. But just to
be on the safe side, after a few dismal red failures, we stuck with bottle
after bottle of ambrosial New Zealand white, and nary a Sauvignon Blanc
amongst the lot. |
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| Sergio
de vino present an imminently practical tasting through their remarkably
extensive list of New Zealand wines. Order any wine from the entire list
variously by the 10 cl glass, a larger 500 ml sample, or as a whole bottle.
It's a great way to taste so many varieties as humanly possible, without
needing a tasting spittoon. |
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| The
land of the great white cloud has made great strides with wine over the
past couple of decades, and we were well off the beaten track, away from
the big names of New Zealand wines. South Canterbury and the nearby hinterlands
of Otago encompass Christchurch -- 310,000 population out of the entire
country's total of 3.8 million. This is a cold climate areas, with austere
wines reflecting the regions. Michael Cooper's pictorial Wine Atlas of
New Zealand helped us daily plan where to go, and what to drink. We waxed
lyrical over a sunny lunch in at Fleur's Place in Moeraki, savoring saut?ed
cod livers with a pinot gris from the quirky named "Good Times" vineyard.
And we never tired of Pegasus Bay sauvignon blanch semillon blends. |
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| My
parochial palate still has me largely restricting southern hemisphere
reds to Australia. Yet this gorgeously illustrated book allowed me more
than enough exceptions to test my "parochial palate." Despite its heavy
weight, it will be firmly packed in the suitcase for our next travels
to this south Pacific paradise. For the intrepid foodie, buy it there
in NZ, and lug it back home. The coffee table will approve. Also available
in Australia from Hodder Headline. Well recommended. |
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| Wine Atlas
of New Zealand |
 |
| by Michael
Cooper |
| Hodder
Moa Beckett publishers |
| $125 Aud
and NZ |
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|
| Saggio di
Vino |
|
| 185 Victoria
St. |
|
| Christchurch,
New Zealand |
|
| Tel (+64-3)
3794 006 |
|
| saggio@xtra.co.nz |
|
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