Mount Maude Vineyard ~ Central Otago, New Zealand

Sited further north than any other wine producer in CEntral Otago, Mount Maude lies in the Maungawera Valley between Lakes Wanaka and Hawea. Its dry, taughtly structered Riesling and weighty, deeply flavored Pinot Noir are both rewarding. The 3.5ha vineyard is draped across a steep, terraced, north facing slope, looking towards Mount Maude. In gravelly soils with seams of clay, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay are the key varieties, with a smaller plot of Gewurztraminer. The first wine flowed in 1999. At 600 cases in 2001, Mount Maude’s output is still tiny; some of the grapes are sold to a much bigger winery. THe Riesling is lemony and minerally, tight and dry with crisp, strong flavours. The Pinot Noir is full-bodied and ripely flavoured with oak complexity and very satisfy depth of plummy, spicy flavour.

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