“Nature made him, and then broke the mold,” Ludovico Ariosto
With a stated mission to buy the best vineyard land in New Zealand, augmented by buying grapes from the area’s best growers, Terry Peabody and Steve Smith founded Craggy Range in 1997. Ultimately, their goal was to make single-vineyard wines that were beyond competition.
Today I tasted two of Craggy Range’s wines, both attainably priced. Their expressed goal in making Craggy Range’s Sauvignon Blanc in this cool area, which tends to nuture fabulous quality, was to make a wine with minimal intervention “whilst exposing the textural elements which are more evocative of the site” (down-under speak?). The Te Kahu Red, legend said, was sourced from an area in which a mythical mist surrounded their Giants Winery in the Tuki Tuki Valley (sounds alluringly like a tourist brochure). From my abbreviated research on this blend, it closely approximates that of many of France’s St. Emilions, with Merlot being the star player. Both of these wines are available at Discount Wine and Liquor in Waukesha, as well as at Carnevor, the Hyatt and Mo’s a Place for Steaks restaurants. Here are my tasting notes:
1) Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc, Te Muna Road Vineyard, 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand, $21.99. Clear, almost white color with medium body. On the nose, it strutted rich notes of peach, pineapple, pear and grapefruit with hints of butterscotch. In the mouth, smoothly pleasant acid danced with lychee nuts, more butterscotch and lacy elegance, trailing off into a long, easy finish. Very nice for a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc! A
2) Craggy Range Te Kahu, Gimblett Gravels Vineyard, 2008, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, $21.99. Deep, pleasing purple (the Merlot component was easy to spot here) with heavy, almost cloying, body. The nose was deeply elegant with a winning shell game of plum, blackberry and wild blueberry. On the palate, lightly rich fruit imbued with deliciously dandy depth and more notes of wild berries help forth. Somewhat long, semi-symphonic finish. A-
Today’s winner, mates, was the Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc. I’d even consider serving it with Thanksgiving turkey.
