The
wines of Stonecroft,
Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Alan and Glen Limmer, RD 5, Mere Road, Hastings,
Hawke's Bay, New Zealand
Phone/Fax: +64 6 879-9610
E-Mail: wine@stonecroft.co.nz
Website: www.stonecroft.co.nz
Alan
and Glennice Limmer’s Stonecroft is a boutique producer in the
Hawkes Bay region of New Zealand. Although the first vineyard was
planted as recently as 1982, this is ancient history in New Zealand
terms, and Stonecroft was one of the pioneers in the area known now as the
Gimblett Gravels. They have two vineyards, Mere Road Vineyard and
Tokarahi Vineyard. Both are on stony, free draining soil.
Alan has a PhD in chemistry,
and in 1980 moved to the area to manage a chemical analysis facility.
Catching the wine bug, he decided to join the few pioneers in the
region in their winegrowing enterprise. He used his scientific
knowledge to help select the best site possible, and the first 10 acre
vineyard was purchased in 1982. His foresight has been confirmed: the
Gimblett Gravels are now one of the most highly prized patches of
vineyard area in New Zealand. A winery was constructed in 1987, but it
wasn’t until 1990 that Alan gave up the day job.
I first came across Alan in
the context of the cork/screwcap debate. As a PhD chemist, Alan is
better qualified than many to comment on the issue of closures and
post-bottling wine chemistry. He has been a vocal opponent to many of
the screwcap lobby, pointing out that one of the problems of tin-lined
screwcaps, which provide a super-tight seal, is what happens to the
sulphur chemistry in a low redox environment. The development of
sulphur-like odours (or ‘reduction’ as it is commonly known) is a
problem that has been noted consistently in closure trials involving
these tin-lined screwcaps (all the caps used in Australia and New
Zealand are of this sort). Fining with copper isn’t the magic
solution it has been claimed to be. Alan’s views haven’t been
popular. He used to use natural cork to seal his wines; now he’s
using Oeno Bouchage’s Diam closure (what used to be the Altec,
treated with supercritical carbon dioxide to remove any taint
compounds).
Aside from the closure
issues, the wines are very impressive. There’s a bit of restraint to
the Syrah that I like a good deal. The Chardonnay is rich and complex.
[Rather embarrassingly I’ve given all these wines the same score.
They were, however, tasted on separate occasions, and I had no way of
knowing this till I came to write up my notes; it’s simply unethical
to change scores at this stage.]
Stonecroft Syrah 2002 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Dark coloured. Quite a
tight, intense dark fruits nose with some freshness and spicy, tarry
notes in the background. There’s a hint of minerality, too. The
palate has wonderful acidity providing a savoury, tarry minerality to
the dark fruits. A pretty serious effort with the bright dark fruits
emphasized by the acidity. A really good food wine, and possibly one
for the future. Very good/excellent 92/100 (£14.99 Oddbins)
Stonecroft Syrah 2003 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
2003 was a short vintage,
with half the usual crop. Really appealing perfumed nose: predominantly
red fruits with a subtle herby edge and distinctive pepperiness. Hints
of tar. The Palate is savoury and fresh with lovely spiciness and
structure. Quite old world and expressive in style. Fine, fresh and
almost Burgundian! Very good/excellent 92/100
Stonecroft Chardonnay 2004 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
This is a fantastic wine if
you like the style: a big, powerful Chardonnay. Very intense, full
direct nose of rich, spicy tropical fruits with some well-integrated
oak. Both mesh well. The palate is concentrated and intense with
powerful melon and tropical fruit, combined with a rich, spicy streak.
Powerful and complex with fantastic concentration and class. Very
good/excellent 92/100
wines
tasted June 2005
see
also: tasting notes of New Zealand wines
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