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Winery
Opawa
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir grapes have been cultivated in and around the Burgundy region of France for centuries, where they have long been favored by vintners for their wide range of flavors, their thin skins and for producing wines which have light, smooth tannins, and a beautiful garnet red color Whilst they remain one of the flagship varietals of this special region, their wide popularity and recent status as a fashionable 'romantic' varietal has led to them being planted in almost every wine producing country in the world. However, the Pinot Noir demands a huge amount of care and attention from the wineries that wish to grow it, as this varietal is particularly susceptible to various forms of mildew and rot. Despite this, the grape is otherwise a favorite with wineries for the fact that it requires little extra effort once it begins fermentation. Pinot Noir is also widely known for producing some of the world's most famous sparkling wines, being one of two key grapes for the production of Champagne, and several other sparkling varieties.
Region: Marlborough
The beautiful region of Marlborough in the north east of New Zealand's South Island is home to over fifty percent of the country's vineyards, and is most commonly associated with the production of fine white wines, the majority of which are made with the Sauvignon Blanc grape varietal. Since the 1970s, New Zealand has consistently proved that the Marlborough region is one of the most suitable places on earth for the production of high quality white wines, where the hot days and cold nights allow wineries to extend the ripening period for their fine grapes and get far more expression of flavor and terroir from their fruit. The region itself is ideal in other ways, too – the mineral rich soils and oceanic breezes assist in the health of the vineyards, and Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietal grapes all manage to thrive there.
Country: New Zealand
When it comes to New World wines, few countries can compete with Europe quite as well as New Zealand, where modern techniques and technologies are allowing wineries to get the very best results from the wide range of imported grape varieties which flourish there. The warm, sunny climate coupled with brisk oceanic winds and remarkably fertile volcanic soils produce grapes of exceptional quality, and New Zealand wines are notable for their ability to carry the terroir they are grown on into the bottle. Whilst the Sauvignon Blanc wines are probably the most widely exported and popular to come out of new Zealand, fantastic results have been produced from the Bordeaux style wines made in the Auckland region, and the Pinot Noir wines of Central Otago. These Pinot Noir wines are far more fleshy than their Burgundy counterparts, and are probably best enjoyed when young, and bursting with the fruit flavors they carry so well.