Plenty of bottle needed to keep dream alive

This is a tale of two blokes, both Australians, who crossed the Tasman to establish for themselves, and for New Zealand wines, reputations that are respected throughout the world.

We are talking, of course, about John Hancock and Larry McKenna, mates from high school in Adelaide, where Larry's father, a surgeon, shared with them his passion for the fruits of the vine, which encouraged them both to pursue careers in wine.

John came to New Zealand in 1979 to take over as winemaker at Delegats and 12 months later brought over Larry to run the laboratory.

The rest is history. John went on to become the winemaker at Morton Estate, Larry at Delegats, then at Martinborough Vineyards.

John quickly established a reputation as a master of barrel-fermented chardonnay and made some of the country's first award-winning methode traditionelle before establishing Trinity Hill, in Hawke's Bay.

Larry, meanwhile, earned for Martinborough Vineyards a reputation as one of the New World's most exciting pinot producers and international recognition for himself, before launching Escarpment.

Now both are facing the winds of change rustling through the industry.

Last week Robyn Wilson, one of the major investors and chairman of Trinity Hill, announced a management restructuring that confirmed the reduced but important role John has played in the company for some time now.

These days he is styled as the president and founder and is effectively the face of Trinity Hill – the front man whose signature is still on every bottle of wine it produces.

He accepts the changes, including the appointment some time ago of Warren Gibson as chief winemaker, as sensible and realistic.

"You've got to be," he says.

Larry's future and that of Escarpment is not so clear after it was announced, also last week, that his partners in the joint venture, Australians Robert and Mem Kirby, have decided to sell.

He can only hope, and is hoping, that whoever buys into the business shares his vision of Escarpment, his belief in Martinborough and his desire to produce the best and most definitive New World wines, particularly pinot noir.

He says they will also need to understand that it's a job which cannot be completed unless the energy is put into marketing that the wines deserve.

"It is a tragedy to know your shortcomings and not to be able to do anything about it."

Meanwhile it's business as usual, starting with the 2012 harvest which began in earnest this week and the release of the Escarpment Insight range from the 2010 vintage which are a manifestation of Larry's dream.

They are also as good a reason I can think of for someone who shares that dream, and can afford to, to keep the dream alive.

Four of the five wines are pinot noir. They are an attempt by Larry to explain the terroir argument – the different characters of wines grown on different sites – something in which he fervently believes.

They are:

Escarpment 2010 Kupe ($85)
What a mouthful. Rich and powerful with a complex and layered array of dark fruit and gamey, savoury characters on the nose and palate.

Escarpment 2010 Te Rehua ($65)
A fruitier, more floral wine with a herbal edge and a freshness that gives full expression to the black berryfruits. A must for pinotphiles.

Escarpment 2010 Kiwa
A less robust, more elegant style of pinot and another with appealing floral and dried herb notes. Driven by rich and succulent, dark berryfruits.

Escarpment 2010 Pahi ($65)
The lightest,the most aromatic and at this stage the most elegant of the quartet. Probably from a slightly cooler site.

Also just released is what Larry calls the "district blend," Escarpment 2010 Pinot Noir , a big black-fruited number that compares most favourably with the Insight range and is great buying at $50 a bottle.