Now, the 2020 McArthur Ridge Southern Tor Pinot Noir has also shone at the International Wine Challenge in London, initially receiving a gold medal score of 96pts before snaffling the Trophy for Best Central Otago Pinot Noir, then going on to take the Trophy for Best New Zealand Red Wine.
Other notable results were Trinity Hill’s 2020 Gimblett Gravels Chardonnay nabbing a trio of trophies: Best Hawke’s Bay Chardonnay, Best NZ White Wine, and then Best International Chardonnay. Yealands Estate also did well, its 2021 Single Block S1 Sauvignon Blanc taking the Marlborough SB Trophy and the Best International Sauvignon Blanc gong. Also Giesen; their 2017 The Brothers Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc awarded the Best NZ Sweet Wine Trophy.
Craggy Range to be offered on La Place de Bordeaux
La Place de Bordeaux is a historic negociant network in Bordeaux, France that has been marketing and selling the wines of Bordeaux to the world since the 17th century. Beginning in 1998 with the 1996 Vina Almaviva from Chile, they began opening up La Place to wines from the "new world" along with other regions in Europe.
September sees a flurry of activity on La Place as prestigious new release wines from California, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, Australia and Italy are offered. Our own Craggy Range has now been invited to join this exclusive club with their 2020 vintage Le Sol Syrah from Hawke’s Bay’s Gimblett Gravels and Aroha Pinot Noir from Te Muna in Martinborough the debut Kiwi wines. Their inclusion should shine a light on other fine New Zealand wines.
2021 Trinity Hill The Trinity Red Blend
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Tomato leaf, herbs,
raspberry, red fruits,
tar, gravel, earth.
Raspberry and red
fruits lead the palate,
which has a brooding
quality backed by
grippy, chewy tannins.
Powerful yet not
weighty, sweetly fruited
yet nicely dry, picking
up notes of dusty
stones as it opens,
flowing to a long finish.
Good ingredient here,
certainly approachable,
and likely great with
food.
2019 Elephant Hill Syrah
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Begins with some wild & funky
barnyard notes, not
squeaky clean and all
the more fun for it,
adding tilled earth,
spices, peppery prickle
with fruit in support. The
palate fills with mixed
fruits, white pepper,
spice and savoury
notes, a little char too,
the fruit sweetness
tempered by the
growing tannins and
acidity. An open book,
in the slot to be enjoyed
now.
2020 Craggy Range Gimblett Gravels Vineyard Syrah
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Power to the fruit
expression, dusty,
blueberry, savoury
flecks, more to come.
Ripe, rich, yet dry
palate, tannins building
as it opens. Spiced
berry compote, earthy
notes, a touch of
wildness, amidst the
structure and power
there’s a cool influence
too. Serious, grown up,
less forward than its ’
19 predecessor, a
stayer rather than a
sprinter with real
potential.
Seasons - By Alison Lambert - Available for purchase now!
The Otago Daily Times and Alison have collaborated to bring you her first cookbook – Seasons.
This book is the ultimate year-round cookbook. Seasons is filled with versatile recipes designed to inspire creativity in the kitchen, offering plenty of ideas for delicious accompaniments and standout dishes that highlight the best of what each season has to offer.
$49.99 each. Purchase here.
$44.99 for ODT subscribers. Get your discount code here.
