Get a taste of Ohau's huge potential

BY DEBORAH WALTON AND PETER MORICE

When I first heard about Ohau Gravels, I was surprised, but at the same time thought, "Of course, why not?".

Ohau Gravels Vineyards has established itself in New Zealand's newest grape growing region at Ohau, just north of the Kapiti Coast.

The gravelly soils deposited by the nearby Ohau River have long made the land popular with market gardeners. When I was a child, my parents used to take us for a Sunday drive from Raumati to Te Horo and Ohau to buy big sacks of rua potatoes and massive cauliflowers and cabbages, and in summer there were tomatoes and berryfruit.

Once all the produce had been purchased – and we drove from roadside stall to roadside stall comparing quality and price – there were usually icecreams for us all, and a trip to the beach to stretch the legs.

It was a group of Horowhenua property investors who called on viticulturist Kate Gibbs for advice – they had planned to sell lifestyle blocks in a new subdivision that would boast some ornamental olive trees and grapevines. What they got was a full-scale vineyard operation.

Kate looked at the soils and climate and was confident that the subdivision was perfect for a commercial grape-growing venture.

The investors came up with a $10 million plan – nothing for the faint-hearted here. They reduced the number of sections and planted 22 hectares in sauvignon blanc, pinot gris and pinot noir.

The grapes from the first harvest were sent to Jane Cooper, winemaker at Matahiwi Estate, Masterton, and she confesses: "I didn't do too much with them, preferring to let the fruit express itself."

The wines have certainly spoken for themselves. The Ohau Gravels 09 Pinot Gris won the Brother Cyprian Trophy and Champion Pinot Gris at the New Zealand International Wine Show, while the Ohau Gravels 09 Sauvignon Blanc won silver.

Dave Munro, the development company's executive director, must be reeling a little over the change in direction.

The vineyard is now a separate company, and the investors have bought another 44ha and have plans to establish a cellar door.

Kate and husband Tim Gibbs manage the vineyards and have identified more land with the same qualities in the immediate area, signalling that there is a substantial amount of good grape-growing land lying undeveloped on the coast.

Kate has pointed out that the intense light and temperate climate, with its hot days, cold nights and slow, extended ripening period, is ideal for heightening flavour in both fruit and vegetables.

Team the climate with those big river boulders topped with gravel and rich fertile soil – and no frosts to speak of either – and it appears to be a winning combination.

Ohau Gravels 09 Sauvignon Blanc

Aroma: This pale straw-coloured wine has a lively, fresh, prickly aroma that's very intense. Sweaty capsicum notes combine with rich tropical aromas; there's some lovely mown grass, gooseberry and sweet melon top notes, and a whiff of mineral and wet rope to add interest.

Taste: A pleasing prickly sensation combines with some lovely sweet lime/grapefruit flavour, enhanced by a smack of residual sugar. Slosh the wine about in the mouth and some herbaceous flavour takes hold; the sweet grass and citrus finish and aftertaste are held together with some acid tingle. A lovely wine, vivacious, approachable and moreish.

Price: $20.95 and worth seeking out for both its quality and uniqueness – a wine from New Zealand's newest wine region.

Availability: Readily available at retailers in Wellington and on the Kapiti Coast. The rest of us have to order through ohaugravels.co.nz for now.

Ohau Gravels 09 Pinot Gris

Aroma: A rich butterscotch nose – syrupy with gentle notes of poached pear, feijoas and cream.

Taste: A delightful silky palate complements the creamy ginger, guava and pear flavours, and there's some gentle acid in there as well, just enough to hold this rich melange together. Some almond nuttiness becomes apparent towards the finish, while the aftertaste is all apple and stonefruit. Generally speaking, a rich, warming and rewarding wine

Price: $22.95 and easily procured though the website mentioned above.

Johanneshof 07 Marlborough Noble Late Harvest Riesling

Colour: Deep rich gold.

Aroma: Ripe mandarins and honey, very ripe apples, heavily perfumed, intense, fragrant and rich – just fabulous, end of story.

Taste: With a texture of liquid satin across the palate, this sweet, ripe wine still manages a fruit tingle, a bit like a Fruit Burst, that subtle acid holding all the rich flavours together.

Mandarins, kerosene and a sweet taste almost like candyfloss tie in with some mealy notes towards the finish.

A mouth-filling wine – all the perfectly integrated flavours linger in the aftertaste.

Lavish sweetness and opulent flavours – the perfect after-dinner wine.

This wine took the Champion Sweet Wine Trophy and a gold medal at this year's New Zealand International Wine Show, and it's easy to taste why. Price: $36 and available at the cellar door – so don't delay!

- The Marlborough Express