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. . . our winemakers are breathing a sigh of relief, they got through harvest and Vintage 2020 is being hailed as one to watch.
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from the editor Vintage 2020 OUTSTANDING ix months into 2020 and things are looking much brighter for New Zealand wineries. The industry has seen successful harvests despite COVID-19 restrictions putting up some real challenges for winemakers to overcome. A shortage of workers and then a lockdown at the most crucial time was cause for anxiety but our winemakers are breathing a sigh of relief, they got through harvest and Vintage 2020 is being hailed as one to watch. Though we are probably best known internationally for our Sauvignon Blanc, we have been making inroads on the international scene with our Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Methode Traditionelle wines.
Most of the 500 or so New Zealand winemakers are small scale, producing boutique low volumes of niche varieties. Here at Fennec, our team are delighted to feature, in this our second WINE edition, more New Zealand’s winemakers as we wish them every success for the 2020 vintage.
Sarah Mitchell Group Managing Editor sarah@reviewmags.com
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Chairman: Peter Mitchell, peter@reviewmags.com Publisher: Tania Walters, tania@reviewmags.com General Manager: Kieran Mitchell, kieran@reviewmags.com Group Managing Editor: Sarah Mitchell, sarah@reviewmags.com Editor: Caitlan Mitchell, caitlan@reviewmags.com Staff Writers: Sophie Procter, sophie@reviewmags.com Advertising: Caroline Boe, caroline@reviewmags.com Senior Designer: Raymund Sarmiento, raymund@reviewmags.com Graphic Designer: Debby Wei, debby@reviewmags.com
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ISSN 2703-5433 Fennec & Friends: Suite 9, Level 3, 20 Augustus Tce, Parnell, Auckland PO Box 37140, Parnell, Auckland Tel (09) 304 0142 or Fax (09) 377 2794 Fennec & Friends is published monthly under license. Please direct all enquiries and correspondence to Fennec & Friends. The opinions and material published in this edition of Fennec & Friends are not necessarily those of the publishers unless specifically stated. All material appearing in Fennec & Friends is copyright and may only be reproduced with the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2020
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he world’s first Maori winemaker collective, TUKU brings together awarded Maori wine companies based on their shared values of the land, family and hospitality – offering a wide range of premium varietals from the most famous wine growing regions of Aotearoa New Zealand. TUKU started out life in 2014 as a combination of Steve Bird (Steven Bird Wines) and Haysley MacDonald (te Pa Family Vineyards) – a small handful of Maori owned wineries. After conversations with Poutama Trust and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, they took a collaborative approach to international trade shows in Taiwan and Hong Kong, along with some honey and meat producers – all Maori owned businesses. There was nothing like it in the industry at the time. TUKU is comprised of five founding members: te Pa Family Vineyards, Steve Bird Wines, Kuru Kuru, Ostler Wine, and Titi Wine and Vineyards. As a collective, TUKU is proud to represent some of New Zealand’s leading wine regions and varietals. “We’ve got Marlborough, which is, of course, world famous for its Sauvignon Blanc, Central Otago, best known for its Pinot noir, Hawke’s Bay, Waipara in Canterbury, and Waitaki in North Otago,” explained Haysley MacDonald from te Pa Family Vineyards. “Between us, we’ve got a wide range of varietals and having a nice spread of the regions means we can express New Zealand wine through each area’s and sub region’s unique terroir.” A highlight for the business, the official launch in
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July at the Air New Zealand Customer Innovation and Collaboration Centre was a memorable moment in wine. “It was an opportunity to celebrate coming together, and to acknowledge the support we’ve had along the way from key partners like NZTE and Poutama Trust. We had a rousing korero from a representative from Ngati Whatua, and a great performance from Moana and the Tribe. All in all, it was just a really great memory for us to have shared all together.” The wineries of TUKU are all part of the Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) initiative and have a series of best practice programmes to which they adhere. The programme is based on continuous improvement and adherence to recommendations and guidelines issued by the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV). These standards for sustainability practices do their bit for the environment while helping businesses and local communities to thrive. “The New Zealand wine industry is very much at the forefront of the global industry. As Kiwis, we tend to embrace technology and new ideas, and we’re all very good at thinking outside the square, so we don’t tend to look so much to other countries – if anything, they probably look to at us. Take Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc for example; that style and flavour profile cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world.” TUKU has set goals to put Maori on the map in the wine sector. Maori are already strongly
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“...TUKU is proud to represent some of New Zealand’s leading wine regions and varietals.”
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represented across forestry, tourism, and seafood; the company is keen to add more diversity to the range of businesses. The TUKU Collective aims to target opportunities with their portfolio offerings which represent most of New Zealand’s leading wine growing regions. The whole initiative is about creating a legacy through their respective brands and businesses for their kids and the generations to come, sharing resources and knowledge. “Long-term, the goal is to leave a legacy for our kids, and their kids and their kids after them. It’s what drives us all to create and nurture sustainable businesses, and that’s a point of difference to other companies, who might be thinking ten or twenty years ahead. As Maori, we’re thinking intergenerational business growth and longevity.” As far as the future for TUKU goes, the business is looking forward to adding new markets to the collective and bringing people from overseas to
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experience Maori culture; embracing the full TUKU experience. As a collective the members are bound by shared values of whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, whanaugatanga and manaakitanga and as a group are all passionate about working collaboratively to promote indigenous winemaking – celebrating their unique heritage and cultural identity. “With the ever-changing ‘dining out’ landscape, we think TUKU has a really unique offering for cafes and restaurants. Our collective offers something special: a range of awarded wines, all made by Maori-owned businesses which are connected to the land and bound together by more than just business. Dining customers are always on the hunt for something different, and we think the strong labels and quality wines we offer as a collective, backed by our shared stories and whakapapa, is something that will interest and excite customers and trade alike.” u
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he best wines Renee Dale’s ever had have no label; just memories of people and places. It’s all about the moment for Dale, who, at the age of 18, read a newspaper article about winemaking and threw aside her dreams of being a professional footballer (although she did represent New Zealand for a time) to pursue a career in “professional foot stomping.”She started sniffing around Soljans winery in West Auckland, and soon graduated from EIT with a Bachelor in Wine Science; since then she’s knocked back a Spanish Mencia while walking the Camino di Santiago and blended a wine sold at the White House. Moi Wines reflects Dale’s resourcefulness and resilience, as well as a healthy sense of positive pessimism. “These are all traits that have got me to where I am today,” she said, while also noting that they are traits that any winemaker will need just to get through vintage. The winemaking set-up at West Brook winery, where Dale serves as assistant winemaker and also where she produces Moi as a client, includes a whole lot of “old-school” equipment which has been retrofitted to achieve the perfect, “higgledy piggledy” technique. “Sometimes old equipment accidentally works better than newer, fancier gear,” said Dale. “Our crusher is pretty rugged, but it gets perfect colour from the reds.” The mix of tanks reclaimed from breweries and milking sheds allows Dale and her team to make wine in small vessels that change the fermentation kinetics of the yeast and, as
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a result, the texture of the wine. At the winery, there’s a simple philosophy: taste, taste, taste. “Taste grapes in the vineyard, taste them when they’re harvested, taste the free-run, taste the pressings, taste the clarified juice, taste the ferments every day, taste the wine as often as you can.” She also believes in looking after the staff. “It’s all about the people. If the people are looked after then you will produce amazing wine.” So does she have many people working at Moi Wines? “Numbers are helpful,” Dale said, “to validate our palates”. Dale’s palate is broad, but purposeful, and she finds new grape varieties intriguing. She always drinks wine with food in mind: “A perfectly-balanced wine is so easy to drink by itself, but this defeats the purpose for me; I love food.” At the moment she’s enjoying the 2016 Little Wing Waiheke Syrah and West Brook Waimauku Chardonnay. “I like wine with a bit of edge but still with an aroma that represents the varieties with elegant texture and considered acid balance.” Her own wines are made with this guiding principle. They’re “elegant wines with a woman’s touch,” fruit-driven and with a careful acid and tannin balance. 2018 has been one of Dale’s most challenging years in the industry, but it’s also been her most successful season. The bleak weather and the lengthy season were physically gruelling: “4am starts, power outages, staffing changes; it was a highly emotional season.” In fact, the last three years in West Auckland have been off. They’ve had
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exceptionally heavy rains and peak vintage season has been humid. “I’m not sure if it’s due to climate change,” she said. “It could just be Auckland.” However, 2018 is also the year Moi Wines produced their best rosé yet. “Rosé made well is actually a tonne of work,” she explains. “Unfortunately, the price doesn’t reflect this”. Dale believes the New Zealand industry as a whole needs to charge more for its premium products. Compared to other countries, the New Zealand wine industry is close-knit; they share information. That’s why it’s easy for Dale to know what they should all be working toward: “we need to get real about what ‘sustainability’ actually means, ditch round-up, shake up our boring marketing styles, and collaborate more.” For aspiring winemakers, Dale suggests learning to make a good, clean commercial wine before branching out – or, as she says, “playing with funk.”
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“Well placed funk is awesome in a wine. But if it’s done clumsily then it just gives wine a bad name and sends wine drinkers elsewhere.” This is meaningful advice from a woman who doesn’t waste time. Moi Wines stands for “Moment of Impact;” the moment the wine touches your tongue is definitive, and so is the impact Dale has on the world around her. Dale funds Moi entirely under her own steam, and uses wine to support fundraising events which she believes is her way of giving back. She has also started The Imbibe Tribe, a series of food and beverage matching events, which introduce diners to craft producers like herself. She takes wine and winemaking seriously because she finds joy in it, and hopes she can help others do so too. There’s one simple piece of advice which Dale follows. “At the end of the day, wine is just an alcoholic beverage; don’t get too serious about it.” u
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S
ituated in the picturesque Waitaki Valley, Q Wine’s three-person team delivers a beautiful range of terroir-driven wines that are intense, balanced, and distinctive. Back in 2002, wine-enthusiast Jules Stephan obtained a block of land in the Waitaki Valley—an area used mainly for sheep farming. With the help of businesswoman Jules Matthews, Q Wine was able to begin realising a dream of producing exceptional wine for the sheer love of it. The fertile soil and the unique qualities of the terroir allow Q Wine to produce premium wines that reflect the beauty of the region. Matthews describes herself as a lifelong lover of travel, food and fine wine, and manages every aspect of the winery not under the control of the winemaker or viticulturist – website, distribution, accounting, creating the labels and writing tasting notes. Matthews had always been passionate about food and wine and has visited some of the world’s premium wine-growing regions. “Beginning with the dream of many a wine lover (to establish their own vineyard), our quest is to create ‘perfect pinot noir’,” she explained. “The enigmatic name Q is evocative of the vineyard’s pursuit of excellence and quality when it comes to crafting a wine that is truly unique.” Q Wine is grown on a single vineyard in a challenging, yet extremely rewarding Northern Otago terroir. The vineyard lies on the southern
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bank of the Waitaki River near Otiake, on a substrate of fractured limestone marl with an overlay of alluvial silts. The limestone-rich soil coupled with the long and dry ripening seasons makes the area perfect for making taut, edgy, and powerful wines. Q Wine is particularly interested in crafting the ideal Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The vines are planted densely so that each vine only has to bear a small amount of fruit. Low yields produce fantastic wine with superb concentration. Traditional technique and a boutique approach mean that all of the grapes are hand-harvested— something that comes through in every bottle. French winemaker Antony Worch has been chief winemaker of Q Wine since 2012. His pragmatic approach to carefully monitoring and controlling each step of the winemaking process helps him to create the bold flavours present in Q Wine. Worch admits that the challenging vineyard has taken some getting used to. “Some of the early [seasons] were the toughest. We needed to understand the Waitaki Valley.” However, since then, he’s found it hard to pick a favourite – “They all have their personality, and I couldn’t pick one out.” To Worch, each season brings its own personality. Q Wine has already planted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. From the Pinot Noir they are able to make Rosé, and from the Chardonnay, a Methode Traditionelle. Worch believes that Pinot Noir is an interesting wine that
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“...I’m happy that people can drink my wines and come back to them in the future understanding what I’ve been trying to achieve.”
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showcases the terroir. He thinks that Pinot Noir should be “seductive and appealing, not extracted or showing off,” and that white wines “are meant to be round and food friendly.” Being interested in agriculture helps Worch thoroughly understand the land and the relationship it has with the viticulture. “Being part of the development of a fairly new wine region, I’m happy that people can drink my wines and come back to them in the future understanding what I’ve been trying to achieve. There is something to enjoy or to learn in any wine.” Worch notes that the New Zealand wine industry is quality driven and sustainability oriented. If he could change one thing about the industry it would be the attitude of the consumer,
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“that people could judge the wines for what they are, not the label or the reputation.” Q Wine is very aware of the need to undertake winemaking sustainably—always looking for ways to improve each task in the winemaking process. Q Wine is mainly sold to select restaurants and luxury lodges. The growing Q Member direct sales online have also been growing. Looking forward, Worch hopes to be able to continue making wines while delighting in the process of doing so. With the combined knowledge and expertise of Antony Worch and the directive vision of Jules Matthews, Q Wine hopes to produce immaculate wines that mirror the rugged charm of the South Island. u
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N
estled in the heart of Central Otago, Carrick Winery produce a range of certified Organic and Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ) wines. Winemaker Rosie Menzies has been with Carrick since 2018 but has been enamoured with wine since the sixth form. “A summer working for a small Central Hawkes Bay vineyard, Lime Rocks, cemented my belief that a career in the wine industry could be incredibly fulfilling,” said Menzies. After studying a Bachelor of Science at Massey University, followed by a Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology in Lincoln and a Diploma of Wine and Spirits, Menzies’ first official harvest was in 2008 at Ngatarawa. Menzies has always been involved in the wine industry in some regard, citing her appointment as Carrick Winery winemaker as her most significant career achievement to date. Carrick’s picturesque location allows the wines to produce unique flavours and characteristics. Menzies cited the firm tannin profile, linearity and strong acid line as reflections of the striking landscape, semi-continental climate, wind and poor alluvial glacial soils. Land is more important
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than just what it offers a vineyard, according to Menzies. “We are guardians of our land and look for continuous improvement of our soils and site through organic management, developing biodiversity and looking after the people who look after our site. Wine is our expression of our place; we, therefore, pursue a path where this can be best reflected.” Biodiversity is essential to Menzies and Carrick, and they have been exploring ways in which they can incorporate this into their land. “We have started cover cropping, planting insectaries, increasing our native plantings, and increasing our compost production.” They have also increased the size of the kitchen garden to provide more fruit, herbs and vegetables for the restaurant. Menzies believes that people, place, conviction and knowledge make good wine. At the moment, Menzies said that she is enjoying Carrick’s 2017 Electric No.1—a field blend of all of the white varieties of Carrick. Through Carrick, Menzies hopes to be able to develop the structure, balance and complexities of the different varieties. Climate change is a hot topic circulating the wine industry and shaping the future of
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“Carrick’s picturesque location allows the wines to produce unique flavours and characteristics. ”
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winegrowing and making. “It is hard to gain perspective on this yet, but we will likely see more extreme weather events making the season harder to manage and perhaps we will need to look at different varieties as well as potential implications of restricted water use for cleaning in the winery. We are already looking for ways we can reduce our need for our finite resources.”
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Outside of wine, Menzies enjoys getting out and exploring the mountains and lakes of Central Otago. “But cooking and gardening are also good down-time favourites.” Looking ahead, Menzies hopes to be able to continue refining and improving the Carrick Wines through constant exploration and understanding of the wines the site gives them. u
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oldie Estate is a boutique vineyard and winery located on picturesque Waiheke Island. But Goldie Estate is more than just a vineyard; it represents a space dedicated to the betterment of New Zealand’s wine industry, housing the Goldwater Wine Science Centre. In conjunction with the University of Auckland, students can come to learn and study wine science in a sphere dedicated to the innovation and exploration of wine. New Zealand’s wine industry is often credited for its forward-thinking ideas and practices, especially considering the relatively young age of our nation’s wine history. Through institutions and programmes like the one offered at Goldie Estate and the Goldwater Wine Science Centre, it’s clear how New Zealand’s industry is leading the charge in wine innovation. Heinrich Storm, Goldie Estate’s winemaker, fell in love with wine over a decade ago prompting him to pursue the science behind it. “I’ve been lucky to have been able to do a combination of part-time studying while working in the industry as well as receiving mentoring from some industry stalwarts along the way,” said Storm. “Drinking lots of wine has also been key in this training exercise.” Goldie Estate’s vineyard is influenced by both the ocean, and the rich, volcanic clay on which it is planted. “The wines have a softness or roundness to
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them, with elegance and structure and a subtle salinity or savouriness,” explained Storm. “I believe this directly reflects the terroir or landscape.” Involved in the wine industry since 2008, Storm said that his wine philosophy has evolved over the years. He noted a strong desire to emphasise sustainable winemaking and viticultural practices. In essence, it is making the best possible wine with the least impact on the environment. This is perhaps highlighted by the fact that climate change is beginning to visibly affect wineries around the world—something that Goldie Estate and Storm are well aware of. “The research suggests that New Zealand will be affected by climate change. We’re already starting to see some signs of this. On Waiheke Island, we’re increasingly experiencing bizarre weather events like record rainfall, or record temperature and drought conditions. We have not had to make any drastic changes yet, but it is something we have to be aware of for future planning,” he said. “Globally, there is a big push toward more sustainable vineyard practices,” said Storm. “We are in the process of transitioning to a fully organic vineyard programme by 2021, and being certified organic by 2025.” Goldie Estate’s wines are influenced by a myriad of factors. “I would like to think that we construct beautifully balanced wines. They’re concentrated and full-bodied, yet restrained. The tannins, oak
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and acid all work harmoniously together,” said Storm. Storm also commented on how the topic of wine was very subjective. There is more to wine than meets the eye, and the bottled beverage was the result of the background, the land it comes from,
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the history, and the story it told. Outside of wine, Storm enjoys rugby, fishing and cooking. “Sharing a meal and good wine with friends and loved ones is an essential part of my life. If I’m not drinking wine, you can normally find me drinking gin or sipping on a negroni.” u
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acred Hill’s winemaker Jack Cornes has grown up around wine. He remembers family dinners where his grandfather would proudly say, “My boy, the best wine for a rib roast is a robust French Claret”, before pouring Cornes a small glass. After completing formal training at the Eastern Institute of Technology, Cornes fully realised his passion for the wine industry. Seventeen vintages later, he has never looked back. Sacred Hill has recently released a new range of Single Vineyard wines including a Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, a Hawke’s Bay Syrah, and a Marlborough Pinot Noir. For the Single Vineyard wines, a small batch of special parcels of fruit are chosen that show uniqueness in the vineyard and then sing in the winery. These are usually selected for their natural expression of the land, rich texture and unique flavour profile. Cornes said that the citrus aromas, flavour, and juicy texture are all hallmarks of the Chardonnay vineyard. “The Syrah vineyard is influenced by the roasted river stones of the Gimblett Gravels and delicious liquorice spices of the vineyard,” continued Cornes. “And the Pinot has all the earthy and savoury pinosity of both the variety and vineyard.” “The subtleties of a single vineyard wine come down to the natural expression, harmony
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and balance. The art is not to force the wine; you need to have a steely resolve to hold course and be confident in decisions to let the wine speak for itself as much as possible.” Another philosophy that Cornes said is critical is having a harmonious relationship between the vineyard and the environment. He said this would bring the winery quality wine, that would stand the test of time. Cornes noted that at Sacred Hill they’ve been reverting to older, more traditional techniques of winemaking. “Minimal input into the juice and wine, the vines are older and showing more character that we want to showcase. Our fantastic vintage staff embrace this and often sing while winemaking, which I’m sure makes the wines sing, as well.” In particular, Cornes has been enjoying the interesting Syrah that has been coming out of the Hawke’s Bay throughout the winter months but said he is looking forward to more aromatics, like Albariño, as the team progresses into spring and summer. Winemakers throughout New Zealand’s wine industry are so often said to be collaborative, Cornes agreed; “We help each other to achieve, we problem-solve together, and we work together to help the industry as a whole.” He also said that it is getting hard to ignore the prevalence of climate change, noting its consistent effect on the growing season and harvest.
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Something that Cornes hopes to work on for the future is enhancing the resilience of the vineyard so that it may cope with the climatic changes that are coming. “We always work to be as sustainable as possible, as well,” Cornes highlighted. “We look to decrease water use, decrease plastic waste, and
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decrease power consumption. In the future, solar technology will be focussed on, too.” For all his experience, Cornes had a refreshingly simple way to drink wine. “Enjoy it. People don’t need to explain why they enjoy wine, just sit back and love the moment.” u
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n the mid-90s, Stephanie HendersonGrant and her husband Andrew Grant purchased a five-hectare property with a 4-hectare vineyard on Church Road in Waipara, nestled between traditional pastoral and cropping farms, adjoining vineyards and the Waipara Domain. “At that stage, I was working in a nearby winery while my husband ran his family’s business,” Henderson-Grant explained. Having graduated from Lincoln University with an honours degree in Agricultural Science, Henderson-Grant worked for several years in the wool industry before becoming interested in wine. The appeal of the wine industry led her to study winemaking via a correspondence course. During her study, she worked in various areas of the wine business, from sales and marketing to cellar-hand and eventually winemaking. A love for the environment, biology and science, handson creativity, and meeting interesting people, were among the aspects that drew Henderson-Grant to winemaking. She explained that there was no bolt of lightning moment, nor did she grow up knowing exactly what she wanted to do. Winemaking, it seems, found her. In 2001 the couple built a home on the property on Church Road and started a family. “In 2005 I gave up winemaking to look after our young children (now three lively teenagers), but by 2008 I was really missing the winemaking so decided to get involved again and thus the beginning of Ataahua Wine.” The first couple of vintages were made at
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a neighbouring winery; then in 2010, the couple converted their barn/storage shed into a mini winery and filled it with a collection of secondhand winemaking equipment they hand found for sale. “Over time we added additional bits and pieces of equipment, barrels, a cooling system until the winery had everything we needed.” Ataahua Wine’s mission is to sustainably produce delicious wines that express the beauty of the vineyard, the valley, and the land from which they grow. Like many small family businesses, the team is made up of the Henderson-Grant family, with help enlisted from wonderful and experienced local contractors at various times of the year, such as for pruning, bird netting, and harvesting. “We try to produce wines that people can absolutely enjoy, so wines with a richness, a uniqueness and with a level of complexity that are best enjoyed with good food and great company.” Over the years the winery has worked out that its customers tend to be the more discerning and adventurous wine consumers who are prepared to pay a little more to drink a handcrafted artisan wine. The winery sells to many restaurants throughout New Zealand which works with the philosophy of enjoying wine with good food. Up until January this year the family lived and worked in the beautiful little vineyard, in the midst of the Waipara Valley, on Church Road, just behind the site of the North Canterbury Wine & Food Festival. “We’ve recently moved and are very happy to call another beautiful vineyard home,” explained
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Henderson-Grant. “Our new site is only 2 km away but has a different aspect and is on the terraces above the Weka River. We have all settled very easily into our new site and are so excited by the soil, the vineyard and the wines this property will produce.” The new property is twelve hectares with eight hectares close-planted in vines. The varietals include Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and Riesling. The 2020 vintage will be the last wines produced from the Church Road vineyard. Henderson-Grant’s philosophy when it comes to winemaking is to try not to interfere too much, to let the wines be expressive of the season, the soil, and the varietal. “I do tend to allow longer than normal skin contact time to extract as much flavour as possible out of the grapes. Apart from that, it’s just gentle handling of the fruit and wine.” HendersonGrant’s favourite part of her job is tasting the wine from the barrel, and it is on her bucket list to visit every winery in the country. When not crafting boutique wine, Henderson-Grant loves mountain biking, walking and during the summer swimming, snorkelling, and fishing in the sea. “In winter we love
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to ski as a family, and I really enjoy cooking for the family also. I have always enjoyed having a small vegetable garden and happily tend to that all year round.” April is usually Ataahua Wine’s primary month of harvest; however, some years, such as 2020, the team start harvesting in March, other years they may still be going in May. Harvest timing is dependent on the warmth of the season and ripeness of the fruit. Ataahua Wine is currently offering a full range including Ataahua 2017 Riesling (off-dry), Ataahua 2018 Riesling (slightly sweeter mid style), Ataahua 2016 Gewurztraminer, Ataahua 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Ataahua 2017 Chardonnay, Ataahua 2016 Pinot Noir, and Ataahua 2016 Merlot. Henderson-Grant’s advice to someone starting in the industry? “Be in boots and all, for the long haul, stay positive and enjoy it. This wasn’t advice given to me personally, but Benjamin Franklin did say ‘Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance’. Good solid advice I’d say.” We couldn’t agree more. Ataahua wines are available through www.ataahuawine.co.nz u
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eter Turner, chief winemaker at The Hunting Lodge first fell in love with wine while working during the ski seasons in France after finishing university. Very quickly, however, powder snow days took a back seat given the chance of lunch featuring a Margret de Canard and bottle of Gigondas, according to Turner. After five winter seasons in France, Turner said hat his liver told him it was time to come back, to New Zealand. Upon his return, he completed a post-graduate Diploma in Viti and Oenology at Lincoln University, although Turner noted that most of what he has learned has stemmed from on-the-job experience. “I’ve been making wine for around 15 years now, mostly based in Auckland with a few stints overseas,” said Turner. “What I love about making wine in Auckland is that you get to work with fruit from all regions around the country.” This is reflected in Turner’s broad understanding and implementation of the term ‘terroir’ at The Hunting Lodge. For Turner, terroir extends beyond the vineyard, to the winery, and even beyond to the environment in which it is enjoyed. Experience can influence the taste and enjoyment of wine—so it’s the people around Turner who help him craft the wines that bring as much inspiration as the vines people look out to. Even though winegrowing in Auckland has been in decline as more favourable regions grow, Turner noted that Auckland still makes some of New Zealand’s most beautiful wines. The Hunting Lodge
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is special—the first sauvignon blanc vines in New Zealand were planted here. “We still make wine from some of the oldest Sauvignon vines in New Zealand,” said Turner. “However, we have put a more modern spin on it by doing a wild, barrel-fermented-style Sav.” When combined with the restaurant and permaculture gardens, The Hunting Lodge offers a complete wine and food experience which embraces both history and a modern pasture to plate philosophy. Although steeped in tradition, Turner said that The Hunting Lodge is always keen to try something new. Turner said that they love to try new techniques, mostly recommended by winemaking neighbours— orange wines, low alcohol wines, and this year, they’ve been experimenting with fermentation and maturation in bourbon barrels. The Hunting Lodge’s wines hold recognisable personality. Turner said that they strive to make fresh, fruit-forward wine styles that New Zealand is famous for—interesting, but never too challenging. To Turner, great wine is one that has interest that evolves in the glass. “Concentration, complexity and balance, of course—but where the end of the glass is more interesting than the start, and you want another—I think this is most important.” Climate change is something that is increasingly being felt throughout New Zealand’s wine industry. Turner noted that is has been a challenge for The Hunting Lodge, who have experienced more intense rain events closer to harvest time. When the rain stays away, however, Turner said they see amazing
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Auckland Region
“I’ve been making wine for around 15 years now,”
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levels of phenological ripeness at earlier stages, so he’s accustomed to taking both the wins and the losses. “Central Otago, however, being officially semi-continental, is benefitting from more heat and sunshine hours. I think we will be growing some really interesting, later ripening varietals down there in 15 years’ time.” Moving towards the future, Turner noted that he is excited for the Chardonnay, Albarino, and
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Tannat vines that they have recently planted, the harvest of which will fall within the next few years. Turner also said that he’d like to see Auckland regain more recognition as one of the great winegrowing regions in New Zealand. Depending on who is willing to lend their deep pockets, he’d love to be able to experiment with winegrowing at altitude in New Zealand’s alpine regions in the future. u
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