Just got back from a north - south visit of New Zealand and have been very disappointed with the lack of knowledge shown by winery tasting room staff. Is it me 'cause I work in the industry or can some staff be that silly not to know what a dry wine is?

 

ie: We went to a winery near Christchurch and I asked to start with there driest wines first, (the pourer was covered in a pungent aftershave) in response I got a 12rgs riesling followed by a 35rgs riesling after that he tried to give me a late harvest and so on, I stopped him and said I was after dry wines, then I asked about the bubbles.....the response was blanc look.

 

Then another gentalman came up and I asked him, for his driest wine or bubbles he proceeded to tell me that all of there wines had sweetness to them......I then asked about their Chardonnays the response I got was as follows "Well Chardonnay is a completly different beast, it's all about texture" again this didn't answer my question. On that note I thanked the second man and left thinking to myself this is nothing but quick piss up stop and nothing else.

 

Anyone else had this disappointment?

I just got back from NZ and they have a forth label over there named after Peter as well...Peter Yealands, loved the wine before and will not stop any time soon.