Wine news carries little sparkle

BROWN BROTHERS 05 Cabernet Sauvignon Relevant offers News headlines around the world paint a pretty bleak economic picture but there's a bright spot that's positively sparkling.

Britain hasn't lost its thirst for Champagne and sparkling wine. This will be welcome news for Marlborough's wine producers who are working hard to find markets for an over-abundance of sauvignon blanc. If there's sparkling wine in the winery portfolio, it should do OK.

The results of latest consumer research in Britain will be presented at the first International Sparkling Wine Symposium. They are expected to provide an insight into why this category continues to beat the doldrums and thrive in the British, and other, downbeat markets. The symposium takes place on March 18 at Denbies Wine Estates, not far out of London.

The research was commissioned to give a greater understanding of the thought processes determining consumer preferences when it comes to sparkling wine and Champagne. It also highlights the greatest influences on buying decisions and the extent of knowledge, both in terms of production and taste, of these styles of wine.

Jane Hunter recently returned from Britain and says interesting things are happening as consumers of top-end wines make an effort to rein in any perceived extravagance. New Zealand wines are becoming the choice of those who want to be seen as having fine rather than extravagant tastes.

The management at the London Eye is anticipating this change in people's attitudes. The "Eye" does corporate Champagne or wine-tasting excursions and there's an expectation corporate clients will want to be seen to do the right thing; extravagance in the current economic climate is not likely to be well received. They believe that the wine-tasting option, now offering Hunter's Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, will be popular. The New Zealand wines are perceived as high quality, well priced and certainly not extravagant.

With the sterling and the euro almost equal in value for the first time, European wines are starting to look pricey to Britain's consumers whereas New Zealand wines represent fine quality at an increasingly reasonable price.

We live in interesting times.

We are still finding some excellent 2007 sauvignon blanc wines tucked away in the cellar, and no doubt there will still be some 2007 examples on retailer's shelves.

Don't ignore it; it's drinking really well.

FAIRHALL DOWNS SINGLE VINEYARD 07 SAUVIGNON BLANC

Aroma: Gentle hay and blackcurrant aromas with a whiff of something softer and sweeter.

Taste: Racy, intensely flavoured this wine still tastes fresh and new. It's quite intensely tropical; some lovely rich passionfruit flavour makes an appearance alongside those classic grassy, herbaceous notes.

Rich, rewarding. We enjoyed this wine.

Price: About $20.

CHURTON 07 MARLBOROUGH SAUVIGNON BLANC

Aroma: Very lifted; tomato-leaf and vegetative aromas with a dash of really ripe, sweet pineapple.

Taste: Still displays some brisk citrus acid that sits well with the blend of melon and grassy, herbaceous flavours. Some sweeter pineapple flavour shows up toward the back of the palate while the finish and aftertaste are herbaceous and laced with lemon.

Price: $23.

CHURCH ROAD 05 HAWKE'S BAY MERLOT CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Aroma: This dark ruby-red wine is full of rewarding aromas: plums, wood smoke, chocolate and leather, softened with some sweeter violet notes.

Taste: Firm, slightly grainy tannins and a brisk acid spine combine with chocolate, plum and smoke flavours in this nicely balanced wine. There's excellent depth of flavour, made more complex by some greener, slightly bitter notes at the back of the palate that soften in the savoury finish.

Plum, chocolate and smoke flavours re-introduce themselves in the aftertaste while the tannins become drying, almost dusty.

An excellent wine, complex, interesting with plenty of length. Perfect for sharing over a special dinner.

Price: About $26

BROWN BROTHERS 05 CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Victoria, Australia)

Garnet red with a tinge of terracotta brick at the meniscus, this wine is just beginning to show some signs of age.

Aroma: The aroma is all plums, leather and savoury, with herbal notes. A vigorous shake-up briefly delivers a floral whiff which soon dissipates.

Taste: Very berry fruit; the blackcurrant and blackberry flavours team with some spice and eucalypt notes in this vibrant wine with its fine tannins. There's a hint of liquorice in the herbal/plum finish and aftertaste.

Price: $18.95 and good value.