NEW ZEALAND | WINE
RIPPON
PINOT NOIR 2018
RIPPON
MATURE VINE PINOT NOIR 2016
CENTRAL OTAGO
SOUTH ISLAND, NZ
NOSE
Blueberries, raspberries, spice
PALATE
Refined cherry, blackberry, pepper, tobacco, earth
BODY
Medium
PAIRING
Duck, goose, game birds
CELLAR
5-15 years
TASTING NOTES
Berries and ripe plums on the nose with hints of pepper and savory earth adorably fighting to shine through the fruit. Smooth, flavorful cherry and spice palate with that lighter, yet direct way about it that Pinot Noir uses to seduce you. Hints of tobacco, pepper and forest floor on the finish that could really shine with a few years of aging. - WineTrotting
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"On the western board of Roy’s Bay, Lake Wanaka, Rippon’s north-facing escarpment forms the meeting point of terminal moraines and coarse gravels, all based in schist, on which some of the region’s earliest vines were planted. Rippon is a wine issued from all of the fully developed Pinot Noir vines growing in this land." - Rippon.co.nz
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WINERY
"A unique and distinct parcel of land, cared for by the Mills family for over 100 years. Biodynamic farming, no irrigation and some of Central Otago's oldest vines on their own roots all help to produce fruit and wines that are true to their place. Six varieties have chosen Rippon as their home - Pinot Noir, Riesling, Gamay, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc and Osteiner. Reflecting characteristics of the terroir, these wines are precise, detailed, layered and foliated."
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CELLAR DOOR
246 Mt Aspiring Road | Wanaka, 9343, New Zealand
Open everyday 11am-5pm
Tel: +64 3 443 8084 | info@rippon.co.nz
JUST A TASTE
OVERVIEW
The idea of making a website for travelers who love hiking AND drinking wine had been in my head for years, mostly because I had wished that website existed. After all, much of the world's vineyards are planted in valleys or on hills, meaning that exploring both of my passions on a trip was often possible, but it just took some creativity to combine these two worlds into one itinerary. That was until I visited the town of Wanaka and discovered that a hike and a vineyard shared one of the best views on earth. After finishing watching an incredible sunrise on Roy's Peak (read about that saga here), I waddled downhill for a few hours and then drove about 3 minutes up the road to Rippon Winery. Everything I had ever wanted out of a day of vacation was possible. And WineTrotting.com was created.
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HAS TO BE ONE OF THE PRETTIEST VINEYARD LOCATIONS EVER, RIGHT?
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Well, in my head it was created. I was too busy enjoying the wine-ing and the trotting to put it together yet, but it was "in the works." At least that is what I told the cute guy who was working in the Rippon Cellar Door. At first I was too dazzled by the INSANE view to notice any other humans (these pictures truly don't capture how amazing this location is). But after I turned my eyes away from the beautiful creation outside, I noticed the one in front of me, pouring me a sample of Sauvignon Blanc. My face was still red from windburn and exhaustion from the hike, which I'm sure clashed with the pink flush of nerves now covering my neck and cheeks after we made eye contact.
HERE IS MY DREAM GUY ON THE LEFT
He had a thick French accent. "Are you French?" I asked, I'm sure wowing him with my wit and creativity with the observation. He said yes in the way you know he was preparing to answer the same question from chatty tourists another 200 times today. I listened to his pitch about the biodynamic vineyard and winery, about how one family has been growing grapes here for several generations, and how they planted 72 varietals in experimental rows to see which grape thrived in this terroir. Also, their tasting is free but you can make a donation to charity if you wish. He smiled at me a few times as I tried and failed to expertly spit out my wine like someone who knows what they are doing.
Was this about to be the best day of my entire life? Was I going to tell this story to our grandkids about when Grammy hiked 3 hours in the dark to see the sunrise over Lake Wanaka and then Grandpa poured her samples at a winery and they fell in love over their shared love of Burgundy??
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YOU HAVE TO GO CHECK OUT RIPPON
After trying their Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, Mature Vine Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Gewürztraminer, I hovered around the table, waiting for the other customers around us to scram so I could woo this fella. He seemed to be somewhat interested in my wine travels, and I asked him how long he was staying in New Zealand, etc. etc. More people walked in and I could tell he needed to get back to his job, so I "shot my shot" as the kids say, writing down my name, number, and Winetrotting.com on a little piece of paper and handing it to him. Damn, I'm smooth.
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VINTAGE TRUCK OUTSIDE THE CELLAR DOOR
"What ees this?" the Frenchman said, confusedly looking down at the paper and back at me like I had handed him a baguette of shit. Okay, maybe I'm not so smooth because clearly we weren't on the same page of our love story. Trying to play it cool, I said "Oh, that's just my wine and hiking blog I'm working on if you are interested in checking it out or want to give me any suggestions on anything or whatever. And that's my name. And my number. Just yah. I'm Alex. That's my name." At this point I'm starting to black out from embarrassment, but I did notice that the girl who was also working in the tasting room was smirking a little bit.
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He said something nice like "Okay," and I quickly asked if I could buy a bottle of the Pinot, both as a diversion and because I really liked it. It was probably the closest I had found in New Zealand to my ideal "tastes like you just licked a dirty truffle off the forest floor" red, and I could see it really embracing those flavors as it aged. Rippon is also one of the few wineries in NZ that still use corks instead of screw caps, so that slow oxidization will hopefully serve it well. And it was already drinking tasty now, so I bought it and walked out of there with a wishful "See ya!" shouted back to my one true love. I was glad to have a bottle from this beautiful location, to remember this important day where WineTrotting was officially born and where my ego was humbled to the point that I think it crawled out the door after me as I left.
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ENJOYING FIORDLAND NATIONAL PARK
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Needless to say, I haven't heard from him. Maybe he was already smitten with his coworker. Maybe he wasn't digging the dried snot on my cheek that had apparently escaped my nose during the hike, or my sweat-matted hat hair, neither of which I had noticed until I got back in the car. (Only drawback of combining hiking and wine tasting: you don't look the cutest at the latter after the former.) Or maybe I was just being a huge weirdo because I hadn't spoken to many humans after a month of exploring New Zealand by myself. Whatever the reason, I'm SHOCKINGLY still single. C'est la vie.
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However, I do have a delicious bottle of Pinot Noir to add to my collection, and I took it out for a little photoshoot at Fiordland National Park a few days later. What more could a girl need?? (My grandma would probably say, "How about a husband!" and to that I reply, "I'm going to need more wine.")
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MY ONE TRUE LOVE
THE FULL POUR
BLOG
RIPPON
SAUVIGNON BLANC
2018
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FROM THE WINEMAKER:
"40% of this wine was fermented in old French barrels, not for the oak, but for the form of the vessel itself. Mouthfeel is gained here by high lees to wine contact and a more efficient natural lees stirring across unhurried wild ferments."
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FROM THE WINETROTTER:
Very light in color and taste. The continental climate here and shell-filled soil gives this a fun minerality with a salty nose. Very refined palate of lime and green apples with a nice balance of acidity that would be wonderful with a ceviche.
RIPPON
GAMAY
2018
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FROM THE WINEMAKER:
"Lovingly grown, wild fermented, barrel matured. No nutrients, filtering or fining of any kind, the barest whisper of sulphur, a full skin, carbonic maceration Gamay Noir. It’s completely alive and quite beautiful. As much as we note that schist’s compression and foliated structure can issue wines of precision and detail, here schist’s refractive, luminous nature shines a direct, unadulterated light onto Gamay’s own primary fruit and spice."
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FROM THE WINETROTTER:
Very fruity and fresh, "picnic wine". Gamay is only 2% of their production. Meant to be served chilled.
RIPPON
RIESLING
2017
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FROM THE WINEMAKER:
"As with the Jeunesse Pinot Noir, this is a wine of exuberance and life; this is a Riesling that speaks of its variety, of its fruit and not yet of its soils. As such, it is a wine best enjoyed in its youth."
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FROM THE WINETROTTER:
2017 was one of the coldest years which means this wine is low in sugar compared to other Rieslings. Mineral, stone fruit, lychee on the palate with a little of that hint of gasoline we know and love from a Riesling. Nice acidity.
RIPPON
GEWURZTRAMINER
2018
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FROM THE WINEMAKER:
"With maturing vines and a truly favourable year for Gewurz, this wine speaks with real accuracy and pride of its place. This, along with slow, whole bunch pressings, wild ferments and extended lees contact, has resulted in a wine which is defined by remarkable grace and clarity."
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FROM THE WINETROTTER:
Very aromatic nose of pear, flowers, crisp green apple. Baked apples on the palate.