O Romeo, Romeo
Claudine Earley2/09/2009 12:00:00 a.m.
ONE hundred years ago, an Italian investigated New Zealand’s winemaking potential.
Romeo Bragato’s legacy to the industry is celebrated every year at a conference named after him. Winemakers, students and enthusiasts gathered in the Hawke’s Bay last weekend to debate hot topics and rate wines at the 15th meeting in his memory.
Bragato came here in the late 1800s and took up the post of Government Viticulturalist in 1902. The pioneering wine-lover famously recognised Central Otago and Hawke’s Bay as prime grape-growing spots and imported vines resistant to the phylloxera aphid, including the first sauvignon blanc.
But Bragato became frustrated with the Temperance Movement, and according to Wikipedia, abandoned Godzone for Italy where he committed suicide.
Bragato’s recommendations on pruning to grape growing regions influence our viticulture practices.
One of this year’s Bragato award winners is the Craggy Range “Te Kahu” 2007 ($21.90). This merlot cabernet won the trophy for champion red-other-than-cab/merlot-or-pinot. Bready yeast aromas mingle with cedary oak, violet, cassis and a smidgen of bacon. Mouthfilling red fruits are balanced by smooth fine-grained tannins.
Wine of the week: Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($20.95) has a passion fruit nose and sweaty guava and tropical fruit flavours.
Romeo Bragato’s legacy to the industry is celebrated every year at a conference named after him. Winemakers, students and enthusiasts gathered in the Hawke’s Bay last weekend to debate hot topics and rate wines at the 15th meeting in his memory.
Bragato came here in the late 1800s and took up the post of Government Viticulturalist in 1902. The pioneering wine-lover famously recognised Central Otago and Hawke’s Bay as prime grape-growing spots and imported vines resistant to the phylloxera aphid, including the first sauvignon blanc.
But Bragato became frustrated with the Temperance Movement, and according to Wikipedia, abandoned Godzone for Italy where he committed suicide.
Bragato’s recommendations on pruning to grape growing regions influence our viticulture practices.
One of this year’s Bragato award winners is the Craggy Range “Te Kahu” 2007 ($21.90). This merlot cabernet won the trophy for champion red-other-than-cab/merlot-or-pinot. Bready yeast aromas mingle with cedary oak, violet, cassis and a smidgen of bacon. Mouthfilling red fruits are balanced by smooth fine-grained tannins.
Wine of the week: Saint Clair Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($20.95) has a passion fruit nose and sweaty guava and tropical fruit flavours.
