This Special Feature reviews New Zealand wines from two different regions. One, Central Otago in the South Island, is well known for its world class pinot noir, while the other from the nascent wine region of Ōhau on the North Island is certainly turning heads for their quality and their value.

Ceres Wines Matt Dicey winemaker (left) and brother James Dicey, viticulturist

Ceres Wines

• Vic visited the winery and most of their vineyards hosted by James Dicey, owner and viticulturist of Ceres Wines. Vic’s hoping some of these wines will catch the eye of an LCBO buyer and allow you to purchase and also enjoy these premium wines.

• The following 2017 Ceres Wines ‘Black Rabbit Vineyard’ Riesling showcases the unique terroir of this single-vineyard gem with substrate of bedrock schist—up to 400 million years old—with a covering of ‘loess’—small, windswept granules of schist—that also produce in some areas the bi-product called pedogenic lime—with pedogenic meaning soil-created, unlike the marine-origin of Limestone.

95
Ceres Wines ‘Black Rabbit Vineyard’ Riesling 2017
Bannockburn, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $24.95 10.5% alcohol
Aromas of ripe peach, floral and mineral notes provide segue for a surge of palate flavours featuring the yin and yang of glorious sweet and tang—white peach and honeydew melon juxtaposed with racy lime and flinty minerality. It’s medium-bodied with an almost unctuous mouthfeel that becomes deftly balanced by the racy lime and mineral notes. Give this a go with spicy Asian cuisine. Kudos to both brothers—winemaker, Matt Dicey, and viticulturist James—for this stunning gem. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Ceres Wines ‘Swansong’ Pinot Gris was planted in 2008 on Felton Road. It was one of final plantings by the early wine pioneer in Bannockburn, Robin Dicey, father of the two brothers at Ceres Winery—Matt Dicey, winemaker, and viticulturist and winery owner, James Dicey.

93
Ceres Wines ‘Swansong’ Pinot Gris 2016
Bannockburn, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $24.95 13.0% alcohol
This is perfectly balanced and simply delicious from the first sip to the last nip. Aromas of peach and apricot decorated with wisps of mixed spice and mineral notes abound. Flavours of pear, peach and apple compote coat the palate adorned with balancing lemon curd and hints of Key lime pie. This is medium-bodied and generously textured with lengthy finish and aftertaste. Pour on its own as a delightful pre-dinner wine or alongside roast chicken, pork, or veal cutlets. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2017 Ceres Wines ‘Composition’ Pinot Noir is a 40% blend of their 2017 Black Rabbit vineyard and 60% 2017 Inlet vineyard spending 11 months in French oak barrels—75% well seasoned and virtually inert, and 25% new.

94
Ceres Wines ‘Composition’ Pinot Noir 2017
Bannockburn, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $36.95 14.0% alcohol
Aromas of dark cherry/berry fruit and floral notes open this elegant tasty pinot noir. Dark berry fruit—currant and mulberry—along with truffles and sweet vanilla dominate the palate, finish and aftertaste interweaving with balancing dollops of tasty acidity and tang. This is medium-plus bodied with excellent texture and an underpinning of soft, ripe tannin. It’s lovely to drink now and will improve with careful, short-term cellaring. The dry finish lingers, balanced on a pin. Pour with a premium cut of beef, grilled medium-rare. (Vic Harradine)

• The following single-vineyard 2015 Ceres Wines ‘Artists Collection – Inlet Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from a river bank terrace near the Bannockburn Inlet from thirteen-year-old pinot noir vines at 225m to 245m a.s.l. The soil is predominantly 400 to 600 mm of topsoil made up of wind-swept über-small particles of schist known as ‘loess’ with a deep, heavy-clay subsoil.

94
Ceres Wines ‘Artists Collection – Inlet Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2015
Bannockburn, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $67.95 14.0% alcohol
This is strictly terroir-driven pinot noir with no new oak as matured in three-year-old almost inert French barriques. Aromas of floral and red berry fruit mingle with earthy - mushroom notes and herald a lively juicy wash of palate flavours with crunchy pie cherry and red currant mingling with ripe dark plum and cassis. This is deftly balanced with good purity of fruit and perceptible elements of elegance and charm. This is stunning now and with careful cellaring will improve over the next three to five years. (Vic Harradine)

• The following 2016 Ceres Wines ‘Artists Collection – Black Rabbit Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was sourced from a steep north-east facing slope on Renshaw Ridge located above the Bannockburn inlet. The topsoil is primarily windblown schist loess with solid bedrock schist underpinning. Vines were planted in 2002 at an elevation of 250 to 315 meters.

95
Ceres Wines ‘Artists Collection – Black Rabbit Vineyard’ Pinot Noir 2016
Bannockburn, Central Otago, South Island, New Zealand $67.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of floral notes, mixed, ripe field berries and grilled savory herbs set the stage for a crescendo of palate flavours with ripe juicy black cherry and hints of kirsch liqueur giving way to tang-laden juicy acidity from racy red fruit—cranberry and plum—and notes of minerality. This is framed by deft balance, underpinned by soft, fine-grained tannin and showcases a monumentally long finish and aftertaste. Fabulous now and good for the next four or more years. (Vic Harradine)

Ōhau Winery.	Ōhau  winery netted vineyard - note the gravel soil.

Ōhau Wines

Ōhau Wines is situated in New Zealand’s newly minted wine-growing region of Ōhau, found in the Horowhenua region in the lower North Island. Ōhau Wines is presently the first and the only commercial winery there.

The region is widely known and respected for its market-garden produce. For hundreds of years the Ōhau River has left gravel deposits and a stony soil that has proven to be compatible with wine-grape growing. Kate Gibbs, a local viticulturist, is credited as the first to discover that the river-terraced soils of Ōhau have similarities to premium vineyard sites in Marlborough.

Winecurrent was in the area and Vic was fortunate to sit with two of the principals involved with this winery—CEO Donna Riley and Marketing Manager, Jo Scully—and taste a selection of their value-packed fine wines. You may also have the opportunity to taste some of these if purchased and stocked by the LCBO. We’ll have to wait and see.

90
Ōhau ‘Woven Stone – Single Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $14.95 12.5% alcohol
The price-quality ratio skews well in your favour, pick up a few. Lifted aromas of herbal notes and wisps of passionfruit provide segue to a delightful, medium-weight gusher of lemon-lime citrus, mineral notes and a cluster of pit fruit flavour—peach, plum and wisps of apricot—coating the palate persisting through the lengthy, mouth-watering finish, clean, crisp and refreshing. Pour on its own as a refreshing sipper or with grilled or pan-seared fish or seafood. (Vic Harradine)

91
Ōhau ‘Gravels – Single Vineyard’ Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $18.95 12.0% alcohol
This single-vineyard gem showcases richness, complexity, deft balance and plenty of pizzazz. It opens with alluring aromas of floral notes, citrus and flinty minerality before capturing the palate with a smooth and mellow wash of well-balanced sweet and tang with palate flavours of racy citrus—lemon, lime and grapefruit—interwoven with passionfruit and ripe yellow peach throughout the lingering, lip-smacking finish and aftertaste. Medium bodied with good mouth feel. In a word, it’s delicious. Pour alongside barely pan-seared, sushi-grade tuna. (Vic Harradine)

92
Ōhau ‘Not the Norm’ Rosé 2017
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $18.95 12.5% alcohol
This gorgeous pinot noir/pinot gris blend leaps from the glass with fruity aromas of red berry fruit and lemon-lime zest adorned by floral notes and honey. This off-dry beauty showers the palate with ripe red apple and sweet watermelon flavours followed on the mid and back palate with strawberry-rhubarb pie then crunchy ruby red grapefruit tang persisting through the clean, refreshing finale. It has good balance and oodles of alluring charm. Serve well-chilled and poured with charcuterie or a well-stocked deli board. (Vic Harradine)

92
Ōhau ‘Spicer Brothers’ Pinot Gris 2019
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $15.95 13.0% alcohol
Roses and honeysuckle notes abound on the nose. It washes over the palate with honey-infused flavours of ripe pear and apricots interwoven with lemon drop candy. This is medium weight and nicely textured. This delivers much more quality than the price might suggest; it’s exceptional value and really shines as a delightful sipper or paired with roast chicken, pork, grilled fish or seafood. Stop reading; pick up a few and serve chilled. Hats off to winemaker, Jane Cooper. (Vic Harradine)

91
Ōhau ‘Woven Stone’ Pinot Gris 2019
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $14.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of tropical fruit and stone fruit abound. Incredibly fruit-forward flavours of peach, plum and apricot interlaced with hints of caramel and racy lemon zest billow forth from this medium-bodied, nicely textured gem. It really struts its stuff on the mid palate with complexity, balance and oodles of pizzazz. It finishes clean and refreshing. Pour with a white, 3-cheese pizza sprinkled with spicy olive oil after leaving the oven. (Vic Harradine)

92
Ōhau ‘Gravels’ Pinot Gris 2018
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $18.95 13.0% alcohol
The nose on this satin-smooth gris offers up aromas of peach, wisps of honey, cantaloupe and a bowl of tropical fruit. Honey-infused flavours bathe the palate with a medium-weight, fleshy-textured flow of apricot, white nectarine and Mirabelle plum underpinned by a spine of tangy acidity and framed by deft balance and plenty of charm. Pour with chicken Kiev or crown roast of pork. (Vic Harradine)

91
Ōhau ‘Woven Stone’ Pinot Noir 2019
Ōhau, North Island, New Zealand $23.95 13.0% alcohol
Aromas of savory herbs and earthy notes mingle with red berry fruit on the nose of this good-value, mid-weight, nicely textured pinot noir. It races over the palate with crunchy red raspberry and pie cherry bolstered by ripe black currant and plenty of pizzazz. It showcases good balance, charm and elegance along with persistent purity of fruit and a dry, mouth-watering finish. This pours well with pan-seared salmon or prawn and chorizo paella. (Vic Harradine)