In the second of our winemaker interviews, we have one of the movers and shakers of the New Zealand wine industry talking exclusively to Curious Wines - Brent Marris of The Ned. If you’re still playing catch up, click here for a little about the man himself.

1. Apart from Sauvignon Blanc, which grapes excite you to work with? Are you experimenting with any new varietals at the Ned?

For me the search for the “holy grail” is all about Pinot Noir. It would have to be the most exciting variety to work with, dream about and drink!! It is often considered the prince of all the classic varieties. It is a transparent variety to turn into wine - get it wrong and it will always remind you!  It is notoriously fickle and that is half the challenge. Marlborough produce some of the worlds best Pinot Noirs and I am pleased to be part of that success.

We will be harvesting our first Viognier this year….that will be exciting!

2. What is your opinion on the use of oak in the production of Sauvignon Blanc?

I believe a little barrel fermentation in Sauvignon Blanc can be a good thing as long as you do not know it is there.

The 3 to 4% oak gives lovely mouth feel without deterring anything away from the fruit of the wine.

I have chosen however not to do this for The Ned as I love the way the site express’ the clean bright characters and the mouth feel that is already there due to the lighter crop we harvest from our vines.

3. What is the highlight of making your own wine? What part of the process do you most enjoy?

The highlight of making my own wine is seeing it being enjoyed by everyday consumers in restaurants and cafes. To take land, plant vines, grow a crop, turn it into wine and then brand and sell it is an extremely satisfying job. But to then be at a restaurant and watch people getting enjoyment from all those hours of input is fantastic!

The part of the process I enjoy most is walking through the vineyards just prior to harvest and determining what block is to be harvested. Watching the fruit change over the days leading up to harvest is very exciting.

The next great enjoyment is blending. Taking all the different parcels of fruit, making them into wine, keeping them separate through fermentation and then finally bringing them together for the final blend. It makes you feel like a real creator!

4. If you couldn’t make any more wine in New Zealand, where would you go to make it?

Italy. Part of winemaking is also about the culture. Making wine in Italy would be so cool as the food, language and sense of family seem very strong. I have loved visiting the wine growing regions and feel they have become more innovative over the years. Couple this with the food and culture and you have a great winemaking opportunity and life style.

5. What do you feel is the long-term outlook for the New Zealand wine industry?

Very exciting! We are going through growing pains presently with the volume of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc on the market, but I see this as being somewhat sorted over the next two years.

We have a wonderful climate through out NZ and have proven we can make regionally distinctive world class wines. I believe with the level of winery innovation, vineyard development and dedicated focus on doing our best, the industry is in for an exciting time.

Big thanks to Brent Marris, and to our readers for your contribution.

Our range from Brent and John Marris.