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Hoddles Creek was planned and developed from day one, with a view to crafting an artful range of superlative Yarra Valley wines. The most arduous aspects were planted, because they offered the best promise of outstanding quality fruit. Chilly mornings, vivid afternoon sun and extended ripening, profound vintages of intensely ripened berries. From four superior rows of Pinot Noir on the Hoddles Creek property at Gembrook. Rows 22 to 26 always yield something spectacular with each new vintage, the mix of Burgundian and new world clones are hand picked and separately vinified for release as an exquisite limited edition, only made in the finest vintage years... For partisans most particular about pinot»
Andrew Nugent grew up next door to the great historical wineworks at Penfolds Magill. He honed his craft as viticulturalist and vigneron amongst the illustrious wineries of old McLaren Vale. In the 1990s, Nugent planted new vines at Woodside along Bird In Hand Road, on the site of an ancient gold mine, a godsend of fortuitously fertile soils and magnificent mesoclimes for stellar quality Adelaide Hills wine. Bird In Hand have since amassed a breathtaking tally of international accolades for the unrivalled excellence of their superlative vintages, wonderfully small batch releases, with the magnificence of structure, seamlessness and immaculacy of fruit, to enthuse curio and cognescenti alike... Vivid vintages from the tailings of adelaide hills»

Dry River Twelve Spies CONFIRM VINTAGE

Pinot Noir Tempranillo Syrah Viognier Martinborough New Zealand
Dry River are a first growth of Martinborough. One of the region's earliest believers. The crescent shaped appellation lies along the edge of a river terrace formed by the Ruamahunga and Huangarua Rivers. An artisanal accord of Tempranillo and Pinot Noir, Viognier and Shiraz. All the varietals are in balance though the tannin profile might give it away. Delicate acidity to underline the fruit, a story of exquisite balance and harmony and elocution, a mineral thread entwines with the faintest hint of dried herb, the finish is long with the freshness of lingering flavours.
Available in cartons of six
Case of 6
$467.50
Dry River
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Dry River
Dry River have three decades of quality winemaking under their belt, producing individual, high quality wines which faithfully reflect the vintage and terroir

Dawn and Neil McCallum had been looking for a site for a quality vineyard as early as 1979 and it was clear that Martinborough was the place to investigate. According to friend and soil scientist Dr Derek Milne, a founding partner of Martinborough Vineyard, the virtue of this locality was its 30-year record of the lowest rainfall in the North Island and a heat summation appropriate for growing quality cool-climate varieties such as Pinot noir, Riesling and etc. The crescent-shaped area lay along the edge of the river terrace formed by the Ruamahunga and Huangarua rivers about 20,000 years ago. From the available data, the low rainfall area was limited to a tiny locality roughly 5 km in radius, and a study of soil maps revealed that the deep, free-draining gravels they sought within this were restricted to an even smaller part.

Dry River

By 1986 there were five vineyards and wineries in existence - all planted on the gravels of Martinborough. The pioneers, Ata Rangi, Chifney, Dry River, Martinborough Vineyard and Te Kairanga, decided they would like to define and demarcate the terroir they had adopted, just as such areas are described and mapped in Europe, with the expectation that the wines produced from within this area would show similarities reflecting their origin. A thousand hectares, of which about 600 are available for planting, are comprised almost completely of free-draining gravels with the same very low rainfall and similar aspect, temperatures, wind-run and so on, totally homogenous from a viticultural point of view.

From 1986, wines made from within this area were given a seal of origin by the Martinborough Winemakers Association, and in 1991 the area was named The Martinborough Terrace Appellation to distinguish it from other types of terroir which were being explored nearby. Authentification of the defined area was administered by the Martinborough Terrace Appellation Committee according to a set of rules and regulations descibed as Martinborough Terrace Appellation of Origin System.

The boundaries of the Martinborough Terrace was precisely and legally defined in 1986 and can be summarised as that area receiving an average of less than 800mm annual rainfall over the period 1940-1980. Which also fell within a particular area defined carefully in terms of trig points etc. and contained 80% or more of the technically defined free-draining soils.

Dry River

It was also allowed that the area could be expanded to include neighbouring areas which yielded fruit similar in quality and style over five successive vintages from 5+ year vines or which corresponded to the rainfall and soil type definitions of the existing Terrace. It is hoped that neighbouring areas will examine their situation and join the Appellation as time goes on.

People affirm there is a particular Martinborough style in wines from this tiny appellation. The few wineries from the Martinborough Terrace who entered their wines in national and international shows have enjoyed a disproportionately high rate of success - particularly with Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir. By 2002 there were around 25 brands originating from the Terrace, with the numbers continuing to increase. The number and variety of quality wines from this tiny area confounds all expectations. Who would have expected world-class Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot gris and Syrah to be produced side by side? Martinborough has become an internationally respected wine area and reference to the Martinborough Terrace terroir by winemakers, locals, winetasters, authors and international commentators persist. Properties within it's boundaries are also greatly sought after. Acknowledgement of this terroir is perceived to have real significance in the understanding of our wine, and for so many it has become a very special place.

Dry River is convinced of the extreme problems posed by climate change including its short and long term impact on the wine industry and regards the need to take action as a practical, business and ethical imperative. CarboNZero is an internationally recognised programme which has been developed in New Zealand for use by both individuals and organisations to measure, manage and mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions. The principal emissions at Dry River involve fuel for both machinery and frost control in the vineyard, electricity and gas use in the winery. To receive certification, vineyards are audited annually and unavoidable emissions are written off against the purchase of carbon credits. In addition it is expected to demonstrate a continuing commitment to improve energy efficiency.

Dry River