From the Winemaker – Christopher Keys
Vintage 2010 is over but for a few parcels of late harvest Riesling. Unusually for this part of the world, we had adverse weather during vintage. Rain is not a normal companion for us and, if it starts, it tends not to last more than the time it takes to find a coat. 45mm in a couple of days in Bendigo was rather odd. The good news is that all our Pinot Noir was harvested before the rain.
Our top vineyards are really hitting their straps. The very best sites give great flavour and typicity in spite of vintage variables – and that is what we have seen with both our Chinaman’s Terrace and School House blocks.
As a vintage, it was one that demanded patience and careful monitoring – on the one hand, there were seeds that were slow to ripen (a key indicator of tannin ripeness), and on the other, small berries delicately poised to over-ripen. I found that optimum flavours would not be there – then all of a sudden they would be. It was sonorous slumber to swirling samba in seconds.
So, what about quality? There is a nerve to the fruit in both whites and reds. No, this is not code or a euphemism for unripe. We see a tendency in the whites to be mineral rather than lush, and the reds, well some ravishingly delicious structure, spice and fruit intensity. 2009 has an adorned beauty that you can admire and swoon over as it gracefully glides past you, leaving you a dribbling mess. At this point, the 2010 vintage picks you up, dynamically flings you around the floor, and won’t let you quit.
Major International Trophy for Gibbston Valley…
The recently released 2008 Gibbston Valley Reserve Pinot Noir has been awarded the trophy for Best Pinot Noir at the 2010 Sydney International Wine Competition, coming first out of 183 Pinot Noirs. Made only in the best vintages, the Gibbston Valley Reserve Pinot Noir is our flagship and is no stranger to International Awards since first being produced in 1995. Click here to buy now.
…and Gold for Pinot Gris – the 2009 Gibbston Valley Pinot Gris was one of only two Central Otago Pinot Gris to receive a Gold Medal at the recent Royal Easter Show Wine Awards in Auckland – the other (Hawkshead) was also made by the Gibbston Valley winemaking team. Click here to buy now.
Gibbston Valley Wine Club
Our recently launched Gibbston Valley Wine Club has proved extremely popular with our cellar door customers with over 100 members already. The Wine Club gives you the opportunity of receiving three, six, or twelve bottle shipments of premium Gibbston Valley wines every three months, at savings of up to 20 per cent on cellar door prices. The benefits of membership include access to limited edition ‘winery only’ wines and library stock, invitations to membership only special events, 10 per cent discount on all winery gift shop purchases and restaurant accounts, and much more. For more information on the Wine Club click here or email our Wine Club Director ian@gvwines.co.nz.
Refurbishment
The restaurant at Gibbston Valley Winery has been transformed and updated in a recent refurbishment, with warm earth tones introduced, and new carpeting and lighting creating a welcoming and more intimate ambience. The cellar door and retail shop have been rearranged to enhance both the wine tasting and shopping experiences. A major tidy up, including new planting, has given a fresh look to the garden and courtyard.
