For several years Central Otago winemakers were so focused on pinot noir - the clones, the viticulture, the crop levels, the winemaking - that they tended to overlook the white wines, according to Mt Difficulty winemaker Matt Dicey.
At the annual Central Otago winemakers roadshow in Dunedin last week, he led a tutored tasting for members of the trade, highlighting some of the different styles of the region's whites and rosés.
White varieties might make up only 15% of the region's plantings, but some winemakers have been paying more attention to them in the past few years, making the most of the crisp, fresh acidity on the aftertaste that is characteristic of the region, he says.
Pinot gris is the most common white variety in the region, but riesling also has a presence, and there are also small plantings of Chardonnay, gewurztraminer and sauvignon blanc, and some experimental plots of Austrian gruner veltliner and French chenin blanc.
While pinot gris can sometimes produce dull wines, those from Central tend to be more fresh, lively and fragrant.
They can be simple and aromatic with a little sweetness like Mt Difficulty Roaring Meg 2008, or intense, textural and mouth-filling like Peregrine 2008.
Riesling, like pinot noir, reflects the characteristics of the site and soil it is grown in, but it can also run the gamut from bone dry to lusciously sweet.
Central rieslings retain a zesty, flinty backbone, like the Carrick 2008 or the medium-style Felton Road 2008.
The best have a tension between the sweetness and the steely acidity, which makes them exciting.
They also age well.
Rosés, varying in shade from pale to almost shocking pink, are made from pinot noir in Central.
They can range from soft, floral and strawberryish to more savoury and textural, with darker fruit flavours like the Domain Road 2008 or the Olssens 2008.
Lighter ones make ideal summer drinking, although some of the darker, more structured ones are good any time of year.
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