The Global Drop
Burn Cottage Vineyard
A Passion For Pinot Noir Demonstrating a universal commitment to quality, along with a clear shift toward organic and biodynamic practices, New Zealand winemakers are being justifiably lauded for producing some of the world’s most exciting Pinot Noirs - writes Jane Perry.
1 1: Autumn, Burn Cottage Vineyard 2: Sorting the grapes 3: Highland cows in the snow
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entral Otago, New Zealand’s southernmost wine growing region, is spectacularly scenic, with ancient mountains and pristine rivers running through chasmic ravines redolent with a gold rush past. With year-round attractions and a vibrant foodie scene, the region is chock full of hidden towns, historical sites and quirky spots, all waiting to be explored. The six winegrowing sub-regions of Central Otago each inhabit a distinctive terrain with varying climate, altitude and aspect influencing the respective wines. Pinot Noir, a notoriously fickle grape variety, thrives in the Central Otago climate, making it the predominantly produced variety, with an assortment of world leading expressions crafted from highest Gibbston down to southerly Alexandra.
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Located on the western side of Lake Dunstan is the family-owned boutique winery, Burn Cottage,
Sundowner www.abercrombiekent.com.au
a 10-hectare vineyard in the foothills of the snow-capped Pisa mountain range. This bucolic site, previously inhabited by happily grazing sheep, had been much coveted in the region by a number of winemakers due, in large part, to a naturally occurring windbreak afforded from a northeast facing arc of surrounding hills.
Planting ten varieties of Pinot Noir in blocks overlaid on variable soil types, aspects and elevations, today, under the winemaking stewardship of General Manager, Claire Mulholland, Burn Cottage produces two distinct tiers of Pinot Noir in addition to a unique aromatic blend of Riesling and Gruner Veltliner.
The property, spotted by visiting couple, Marquis and Dianne Sauvage, looking to start their own winery, was purchased in 2002. The Sauvage wine pedigree is a solid one, as owners of the acclaimed Koehler Ruprecht estate in the Pfalz region of Germany, in addition to several fine wine distributorships in America.
Growing up on a farm in Central Otago, Claire observed the establishment of the region’s pioneering vineyards. Honing her skills across significant vineyards around the world, she went on to become head winemaker at Martinborough Vineyard and Amisfield.
Much of the foundation of Burn Cottage’s winemaking philosophy is thanks to Executive and Consultant, Ted Lemon, owner/winemaker of the highly regarded Californian winery, Littorai. Dedicated to the old-world subtlety and elegance he experienced as a winemaker in Burgundy, and an expert in terroir wine growing practices, Ted was committed to the establishment of biodynamic farming for vineyard health and balance.
“I was very inspired by the commitment to organic and biodynamic farming at Burn Cottage, along with the diversity, attention to detail and vision for their site. I’d visited and sampled the wines several times before joining the team in 2010.”
Biodynamic farming was a new concept in Central Otago back in 2002, so the Sauvages turned to one of the world’s leading exponents and foremost authorities on the practice, New Zealander, Peter Proctor. Along with his partner Rachel, Peter’s local team worked to build up and enliven the land with compost; planting green crop cereals and legumes, and establishing an olive grove, before planting the initial vines in 2003.
Enthusiastic proponents of minimal intervention, Claire explains their biodynamic process “We utilise biodynamic methods for the health of the land and vines, producing wines that truly reflect their connection to the land. Compost is a key part of the system, along with soil regeneration. Plant teas and plant preparations are also part of this, planting trees, perennials and green crops for diversity and soil health. We work with the rhythms of the season, farming sensitively and working with animals to help balance the whole system.”
