Phil Parker takes wine tours around Auckland New Zealand.
Taking its name from a sly dig at the local American Waihopai electronic eavesdropping station, Spy Valley is a stylish modern winery owned by the Johnson family. The very modern two-storied bare timber and steel building is surrounded by tussock grasses planted in pebble gardens. The vineyards are located on the southern side of Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, nestled on the sunny terraces of the Omaka River. Eight varieties of grapes planted over 145 Ha (360acres) produce premium quality fruit which has in five short years, established the label as one of Marlborough’s leading new wineries.
I recently sampled their 2009 Gewurtztraminer - stunning Gewurz: a ripe and lush fruit bomb of lychee, rosewater, ginger in syrup and canned peach. With around 15 g/L of residual sugar it is a medium sweet wine which would go well with pork or ham, or even rich seafood like scallops.
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