 2007
represents something of a watershed for us. Ever since we started
with organic and biodynamic farming, people would ask us: “can
you taste the difference in the wine?” The only reply we could
give was: “we don’t know, because we don’t know
what the wine would have tasted like if we didn’t do it”.
The 2007 vintage has changed that. The season started with a cold
spring and early summer and many of the vines throughout Central
Otago started to show signs of stress. Although the second half
of the growing season was warm and kind, many vines stalled on their
way to ripeness, simply lacking the strength to finish the job.
That was the regional picture.
We saw a different story. Our vines stayed dark in colour and full
of resilience. They cruised through to ripeness. We were possibly
the first to start picking, an unheard of thing when many other
vineyards are about a week ahead of us in a normal season. We were
the first to finish, having put all the fruit away while some were
just starting their harvest. For a full month after picking, the
vines stayed green and fresh looking; something we have never witnessed
before. At first all this was a bit disconcerting; had we missed
something? Should we have waited?
In the last few months we have been somewhat surprised to hear
many people describe the 2007 vintage in Central Otago as “OK…quite
nice…a bit stressy…”. For us these are wines of
unmatched concentration and rich complexity. They combine the ripeness
of the 06’s with the concentration of the 05’s and a
certain extra magic that is unique to this vintage. In short we
see them as landmark wines.
There are other signs. For years we have had problems with yields
and general vine strength in Block 9: a smaller Chardonnay block.
Gareth decided to try an application of preparation 501: a biodynamic
silica, buried through the summer months, which is supposed to increase
energy in the vines. We have just harvested the best crop from this
block we have ever seen with vine health looking transformed.
So this is the year when we can really say: “yes, we can
see a clear difference in the wines that relates straight back to
the vineyard programme”.
It is also the year that we finally bring Cornish Point into the
Felton Road stable. Ever since we planted our “Pinot Noir
laboratory” as many have termed it, we have been keenly watching
Cornish Point’s evolution and have been using some fruit to
produce a Pinot Noir under the Cornish Point Label as well as using
it in Felton Road Pinot Noir. This is the fifth vintage from Cornish
Point and we have decided to take some of the vineyard’s finest
blocks to create a single vineyard wine that sits alongside our
Calvert Pinot Noir.
They form a fascinating contrast: where Calvert displays elegance
and great purity, Cornish Point displays heady perfume and seductive
opulence: very much the feminine vineyard out of the three estate
properties. This probably brings the range of wines to its logical
conclusion as well: the Felton Road Pinot Noir being the blend of
the three vineyards, then single vineyard wines from Calvert and
Cornish Point, and the two single block wines from Elms (Block 3
and Block 5).
What else is happening? Jane has just left us to start her new
position as winemaker at nearby Carrick. She will be a tough act
to follow, having played a key part in making not just the wines,
but brownies when treats are needed and stepping in to cook lunch
when Nigel’s not around. We’ll miss her, but she is
being replaced with Todd Stevens, who joins us from Quartz Reef
(sorry Rudi!). Todd has settled in very fast and while not displaying
quite the same skills with brownies, he’s certainly at home
making his first Felton Roads.
It is also great for me to have Alex Kongsgaard here to help for
the vintage. Alex’s dad; John, was my early mentor, taught
me much about Chardonnay (he makes one of America’s very finest),
and it’s nice to return a little of the favour and show Alex
something of how we make wine.
Sustainability has been in the news a lot this year as has the
issue of Carbon footprints. We have added a novel twist to sustainability
by planting a large veggie patch at Calvert and another at the foot
of Block 5. We are specialising in growing some of the old varieties
long forgotten by modern farmers. Pink Fir Apple potatoes and Brandywine
tomatoes have been very popular as well as French beans. Next year
we intend to extend the programme and increase the varieties and
selection.
We have been doing a lot of work measuring our carbon footprint
and comparing it against other producers. The detail would take
far too long to go into, but we are very proud of where we stand
in the comparison charts and we have been asked to present some
of our work at a conference in the US later in the year.
I hope you enjoy drinking the 2007 wines. We are very proud of
them and we trust you’ll share our enthusiasm.
Cheers
Blair Walter
Winemaker |
