WINE ATLAS OF NEW ZEALAND
Michael Cooper
Hodder Moa, hbk, $125
Wine - good wine that is - is essentially about place. In Europe wines are known by the place they come from rather than grape variety and in New Zealand the best wines also have a turangawaewae.
Marlborough sauvignon blanc is known around the world, and Central Otago pinot noir, Martinborough pinot noir and Hawkes Bay syrah are making their mark.
But beyond such large regions, many smaller subregions, individual vineyards and even parts of vineyards can each reveal a different character in the wines made from grapes grown there, even from the same varieties - that is what makes wine so endlessly fascinating.
Maps and photographs are essential to help understand this fascination, even if you can visit the regions yourself.
A new edition of Michael Cooper's Wine Atlas of New Zealand, first published in 2003, is essential reading and reference for anyone interested in New Zealand wine.
Beautifully illustrated with photographs by John McDermott and stunning maps by GeographX, it is substantially larger than the earlier edition, which is not surprising given the growth in the numbers of wineries ( 398 in 2002 to 582 in 2008) and production (89 million litres in 2002 to an estimated 200 million in 2008).
New regions are developing - the Waitaki Valley, and Clevedon, near Auckland, Waikari inland from Waipara, which he includes, and even Cheviot in North Canterbury.
Studying the maps which show the major areas of vineyard is eye-opening. There is little of the Wairau Plains in Marlborough unplanted, and vineyards are creeping up the hillsides.
The map of the Cromwell Basin shows how far up the valley, on both sides of the lake and beyond, vineyards have spread, Otago now being the fourth-largest vineyard region in the country.
Cooper, New Zealand's most thoughtful and analytical wine writer, profiles major wineries and winemakers of distinction and includes briefs about others, and the introductory chapters include a history of wine in this country, information about grape varieties, and up-to-date essays on overseas investment and New Zealand wine in a global market.
An essential book for anyone interested in New Zealand wine, here or overseas.
