Sea breezes will spark new grapes

Clearview Estate winemaker and founder Tim Turvey (left), vineyard manager Grant Houston and winemaker Matt Kirby plant riesling about 150m from the sea. Photo / Warren Buckland

For Clearview Estate at Te Awanga one of the ingredients to taking on the best and award-winning riesling wines out of Central Otago will be a beneficial local who has been around for a lot longer than the wine industry in the region.

It is a breezy character known as 'the doctor', an onshore wind which has long blown along the shores and coastal landscape of Hawke's Bay.

It is both free and abundant, and perfect for the creation of what Clearview winemakers Tim Turvey and Matt Kirby believe will be a wine with a flavour and style difference.

Both have been part of the winery planting crew which have planted about 800 riesling grape vines across the Te Awanga site's front paddocks - in sight of the sea and in the path of the sea breezes.

"It's a bit rocky and there's shingle, bit like the (Gimblett) gravels and with the sea breezes it's a few degrees cooler out here," Mr Kirby said.

The conditions were perfect for the riesling variety which the planting will see result in about 1200 bottles in three years time.

"It's not too hot and the heat can drop acid levels too quickly, and we don't want to add acid back, so this should work well we think."

The new vineyard site is believed to be one of the closest to the seafront in the country and winemaker and winery co-owner Tim Turvey echoed Mr Kirby's comments saying the ocean breezes coming in will cool and "moderate" grape ripening.

While not exactly a newcomer to Clearview it has not been grown or produced there for 20 years, and the now transformed vacant paddock is again lined with grape vine rows.
It was a vineyard originally owned and planted about 100 years ago by winemaking pioneer Anthony Vidal - stumpy remains of old vines are still growing there and can be spotted in some parts of the site.

Mr Kirby said he was looking forward to working a variety he described as being "a winemaker's friend" as it could be produced with many differing expressions.

"But we are looking to make a drier style riesling."

He is not new to the variety having worked with it during stints in Austria, the Clare Valley in Australia and Central Otago - the latter a tantalising target for Mr Turvey.

"We are thinking that the Te Awanga coast is a great riesling terroir and will provide Central Otago with healthy competition for award-winning wines in the future," he said.

Mr Kirby said the terrain had already proved itself through nearby Beach House Winery which took out a gold medal for its riesling in the New Zealand International Wine Awards earlier this month.