The Auswine Forum

We all know New Zealand has the best wine

So is Petrus from the North or South Island??

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

And, increasingly, some of the most expensive?

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

I know you can BYO NZ - six bottles through Customs is the limit. And I do every visit when staying with relatives in Queenstown!

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

NZ wine mirrors their ski-fields, incredibly well marketed but at the end of the day, a fair way behind their Aussie equivalents. Still, they manage to suck in a lot of wine-loving and ski-loving consumers!!!!
PS, I spent a season as a ski instructor at the Unremarkables and Treble cone, both are no-where near as good as Thredbo, Falls or Hotham.

dave vino wrote:So is Petrus from the North or South Island??

Wow you do need educating! North Island of course!

Mahmoud Ali wrote:

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

And, increasingly, some of the most expensive?

Yes. I could name at least 20 wines over $200 now

felixp21 wrote:

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

NZ wine mirrors their ski-fields, incredibly well marketed but at the end of the day, a fair way behind their Aussie equivalents. Still, they manage to suck in a lot of wine-loving and ski-loving consumers!!!!
PS, I spent a season as a ski instructor at the Unremarkables and Treble cone, both are no-where near as good as Thredbo, Falls or Hotham.

Never been skiing even once in my life. Alpine hiking and climbing though I think you would struggle to find anyone that says Australia is better than NZ. How did we get on to that topic. I am happy to talk cricket (for a change)

felixp21 wrote:

Craig(NZ) wrote:We all know New Zealand has the best wine

NZ wine mirrors their ski-fields, incredibly well marketed but at the end of the day, a fair way behind their Aussie equivalents. .

NZ wine being "far beyond their Aussie equivalents" is a comment that may have had merit in the 1970's and 1980's, but no one worth their salt can seriously argue this today.

I also have the feeling (not scientifically tested) that New Zealand wine enthusiasts have tasted Australia's top wines more widely and deeply than Australian wine enthusiasts have tasted top NZ wines. Much of this surely would have to do with production volumes and availability, but I think also Australian wine drinkers are also more parochial. Comparisons of cellar make ups I have seen in the past on here vs the makeup of cellars of friends in NZ would add weight to that argument

FWIW, broadly speaking (and yes there will be a few exceptions/ outliers)

Aussie does better:
Shiraz
Semillon
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry Riesling

I'd share the honours for:
Chardonnay
Left Bank bdx blends

NZ does better:
Sauvignon Blanc
Off dry/ sweet riesling
Pinot Noir
Right Bank Bordeaux blends
Gerwurtztraminer (and probably other aromatics though I am light on experience here in terms of Aus)
Syrah