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Alan McCorkindale
North Canterbury/Waipara Valley: a series on one of New Zealand's most interesting
wine regions, part 3
Website:
http://alanmccorkindale.com/
Alan McCorkindale (above)
has been a key figure
in the development of the Waipara Valley. ‘I moved down to
Marlborough from Hawkes Bay with Corbans Wines in 1988,’ he says.
‘We were still making Corbans Marlborough wines at Cloudy Bay
winery, and swapping space in the winery for grapes with Cloudy Bay.
Corbans contracted fruit from the new Waipara vineyards developed
after Derek Quigley, who was a cabinet minister, helped push through
an irrigation scheme for Waipara as part of the government's ‘think
big’ strategy to develop agricultural and industrial infrastructure.
Derek happened to own one of the blocks which benefited from the
scheme (now Dancing Water). Danny Schuster and David Jackson were at
Lincoln University and talked the local farmers into planting
grapes.’
‘I inherited a 1988 Waipara Riesling
ferment which looked like over-extracted breakfast tea, and didn’t
taste much better, so 1989 was my first vintage with fruit from
Waipara,’ says McCorkindale. ‘We made Riesling from John and Pat
Corbett’s vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc from Glenray Sation and Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Bruce and Jill
Moore’s vineyard. Glenray and the Moores started making wine
themselves soon after, but I made Riesling from the Corbett’s block
until I left Corbans in 1996. The Rieslings consistently were very
good, unique, with that Seville orange/mandarin character that
Waipara Rieslings develop. They were made in a dry style, and
bottled as Robard and Butler Riesling. I still have a few bottles of
the 1990 and 1991 vintages, they’re still drinking well.’
‘With Paul Mooney (Mission Estate) I did
a vineyard site selection survey for Hawkes Bay Vintners in 1985,
John Buck wanted us to produce a paper to support his moves to
preserve suitable viticultural land from being zoned’ for forest
development. We looked at all the soils in Hawkes Bay, and climatic
data. We thought the alluvial river terraces in Central Hawkes Bay
and more elevated sites up in the foothills would be ideal for white
grapes, very similar climate and soils to Marlborough, cooler than
the Heretaunga plains, and we found pockets of limestone soils which
I thought would be ideal for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Rosie Butler
has planted on one of those sites). But my vision was, and still is,
that NZ will produce world class bubbles, Hawkes Bay is maybe a
little too warm, but Waipara was really exciting, because of the
climatic data and the limestone! We purchased 17 hectares from
Michael and Buffy at Mountford in 1995, imported clones of
Chardonnay, Meunier and Pinot Noir from France, and close planted a
very small block for methode.’
His vines are planted on the heavier clay
soils with a limestone base, and because of these clay soils he’s
able to grow without irrigation. ‘As it turns out the Waikari and
Waipara limestone is the same age and structure as the Cote de
Blancs, but I just had a feeling it was special. We produced the
first wine from our block in 2001. I keep in contact with a number
of Champagne producers, they really enjoy the purity of fruit we
have from our site.’
THE WINES
Alan McCorkindale Riesling Germania
2010 Waipara, New Zealand
This is unusual because it is a blend of New Zealand and German
wine. Subtle and textured with off-dry melon and citrus fruit.
Lovely texture and balance. 92/100 (02/14)
Alan McCorkindale Gewurztraminer 2010
Waipara, New Zealand
Lively, dry and textured with full sweet grape and lychee fruit.
A really nice wine that's fresh and rich at the same time. 92/100
(02/14)
Alan McCorkindale Blanc de Noirs 2002
Waipara, New Zealand (magnum)
This fizz has developed very nicely.
Fresh, lively and very pure with a bit of herby complexity and some
citrus fruit. Nice warmth on the finish showing nuts and pear notes.
90/100 (02/14)
Alan McCorkindale Pinot Noir 2007
Waipara, New Zealand
Very nicely focused with sweet cherry, herb and berry fruit.
Lovely purity. The palate has lovely focus and purity with a mineral
undertone. Beautifully focused with amazing acidity. 94/100 (02/10)
Alan McCorkindale Pinot Noir 2008
Waipara, New Zealand
Very fine and elegant with mineral cherry fruit. Pure and round.
The palate is beautifully fresh with good acidity and savoury cherry
and herb fruit. 93/100 (02/10)
Alan McCorkindale Pinot Noir ‘Chalky’
2009 Waipara, New Zealand (cask sample)
This is from the highest point of the vineyard where the
limestone rocks stick out. Really elegant with sweet fruit and nice
herbal notes in the background. Supple and leafy with sweet, linear,
pure fruit. 94-96/100 (02/10)
NORTH
CANTERBURY WINE REGION
 A historical perspective
Physical features
Alan
McCorkindale
Black Estate
Bellbird
Spring
Pegasus
Bay
Mountford
Bell
Hill
Pyramid
Valley
Fancrest
Bishops
Head
Casa
Leopardi
Greystone
Mount
Brown
Muddy
Water
Tongue
in Groove
Terrace
Edge
Waipara
Springs
Waipara
West
Waipara
Hills
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