New Year’s resolutions may be on your mind, and the phrase ‘‘turning over a new leaf’’ will be apt as resolutions are commonly either modification of existing behaviours (cutting back on pastries and getting into the gym maybe?) or the determination to try something new (pickleball, or the new craze padel perhaps?).
Fig leaf wearers may well find turning over a new leaf in public inadvisable, as it’s likely to get you arrested, but for wine lovers that leaf may represent the leaves on a new grapevine and the exploration of flavours you haven’t dabbled in before?
Perhaps it’s time to delve into Blanc de Noir/s? You may be thinking “Blanc de what?” but this is simply a white (blanc) wine made from black/red (noir) grapes. The grape pulp or flesh itself is white; the colour comes from the grape skins so if the skins are removed once the grapes have been crushed, then one is left with white juice.
One could fairly say that what is old is new again as the technique of vinifying white wine from red grapes is an ancient one and a key facet in the production of champagne where the red grapes Pinot Noir and/or Pinot Meunier are utilised along with Chardonnay to craft still base wines which will be blended and then become champagne.
Champagne made purely from Chardonnay is labelled Blanc de Blancs (white of whites) while one produced solely from red grapes will be labelled Blanc de Noirs.
The mists of time blurred my recollection but Steve Farquharson confirmed that nearly two decades ago Central’s own Wooing Tree released its Blondie, a clever option as it only had pinot noir planted, giving it an opportunity for a new wine to extend its range, one which became wildly popular.
At a similar time Felton Road Wines had an occasional Vin Gris release which I believe may have been cellar door only? Some years later Akitu and Te Kano crafted their own versions while in recent years there have been a veritable rush of releases including Rabbit Ranch, Rockburn, Judge Rock, Mora (with its Albi, from the Latin for white), Domaine Thomson, Terra Sancta and Matt Connell. These labels spring to my mind. There are likely to be a number of others I’ve overlooked, along with a slew from other regions.
While Central pinot noir offers cherry, raspberry or plum notes, the blancs tend more to the stonefruit spectrum, sometimes pear, peach or berryfruit and often with a sense of minerality. Invariably they have a rich and textural mouthfeel with generosity of flavour and are mostly (though not necessarily exclusively) dry.
They are a rewarding wine style equally at home with food or by themselves and given that they seem to be ‘‘on trend’’, are definitely worthy of further exploration.
2025 Dancing Water
Bannockburn Blanc de Noir
Price: RRP $28
Rating: Excellent
Ripe stonefruits, white flowers florality, wet stone, fine fragrance emanating from the glass.
In the mouth the textural richness and palate weight is evident yet this remains nimble, again stone fruits, red apple skin, moving to an almost caramel-like note, a bittersweet almond driven close.
The mouthfeel is so engaging you can lose sight of the other characters.
Just so darn drinkable.
2024 Rabbit Ranch Bright Eyes
Central Otago White Pinot Noir
Price: RRP $23
Rating: Very Good
to Excellent
Initially a tangy element, shifting to nutty aspects, a mineral quality, stone fruits in support.
Another wine that feels to be more about the textural qualities and the whole of the wine, rather than trying to divine the individual fruits etc.
There’s a creamy richness to this. I can see this working equally well with food, or simply enjoyed by itself with friends.
2025 Domaine Thomson
Aspiring Blanc de Noir
Price: RRP $35
Rating: Very Good to Excellent
Fragrant nose with jasmine, fruit pastille, summer berries dusted with icing sugar, red apple as it takes on air.
Carries those characters on to the palate evolving to apple and apricot, a whisper of fruit pithy phenolics adding to the texture.
That lovely refreshing tartness you get from just-ripe summer fruits. Good length, a rather enticing package that will be hard to put down.
