Challenges late in the harvest

The 2011 wine vintage is one that winemakers and viticulturists will remember for a long time. Not only did rain make the end of the harvest challenging, with some fruit left unpicked as the inclement weather had an impact, but some fantastic wines were also produced.

In the words of the chairman of the Nelson Winegrowers Association, Mike Brown, "2011 is going to be a year to follow wineries, not regions, as quality is going to be highly dependent on vineyard management".

That is where small boutique producers have to deal with a double-edged sword. They can manage their vineyards more intensely, but they don't always have the resource to harvest and process a lot of fruit quickly.

Pat Stowe, who owns Rimu Grove Wines, comes from a science background and this has made him a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to making wine. He isn't happy to harvest fruit based solely on what the testing equipment says. He also trusts his palate and instincts, only harvesting when the grapes have great flavour, as well as being technically ripe.

As at other wineries, this year's harvest was early, so he was able to bring in about 90 per cent of his fruit in pristine condition. The rest stayed on the vines or was dropped on the grass – quality was not compromised for quantity.

One of the things I like about Pat is his outright enthusiasm for producing great wine. When we talked about the harvest, his eyes lit up as he told me he had some of the best fruit ever for some varieties, particularly chardonnay and pinot gris. Last year was a stunning year for pinot noir and, while this season was not as good, he rates it up there with the 2007 and 2008 vintages, and I think they were pretty good.

Rimu Grove was one of the earliest in the region to plant pinot gris vines (1999), and that means these more established vines produce delightfully intense wine with great structure.

Along with a superb sloping vineyard aspect and Pat's passion, that is one of the reasons Rimu Grove pinot gris has a cult following around New Zealand.

The same applies to its chardonnay. Even though this variety has been off the fashion list in recent years, there is still a strong market and Rimu Grove's delightfully well-balanced version is as popular as ever.

I think you need to be just a little unbalanced to grow and produce pinot noir, because it can be a difficult child to deal with, but when handled with patience and care, it blossoms into something special. Add a little gentle ageing before release and Pat's pinots turn into classy wines that love being paired with fine food.

While some may think Pat is a little obsessed with his pinot, I think he has every reason to be.

The hard work he puts into making this wine, both in the vineyard and winery, is evident in the finished product.

Visit Rimu Grove's new cellar door in Bronte Rd after about 1pm in the winter and check out its current releases.

I have been drinking

Neudorf Vineyards 2010 Moutere Pinot Gris – $29. This is multi-layered purity. With the aromas of delicate minerality and soft, creamy pear tones that belie the intensity of the flavours, this wine delivers more each time you taste it. The opulent silky texture has a powdery mineral backbone holding warm pipfruit and quince-spice flavours together. A wonderfully long finish makes you want more. Another five-star wine from a classic producer.

Gisselbrecht Tradition 2008 Pinot Gris – $21.99. From Alsace, this is a different beast compared with the Neudorf. Big, punchy flavours packed with ripe pear and spiced-honey characters make it perfect with spicy food. There is nothing pure or elegant about this, but age has added complexity and makes for great drinking.