North Canterbury, New Zealand (7) Georges Road
Website: http://georgesroadwines.co.nz/
Kirk Bray was in wine class with Paul Pujol (now winegrower at Prophets Rock in Central Otago) at Lincoln in 1999. Together they had been scouting out potential sites in Waipara. Kirk’s girlfriend knew someone who was selling some land on an old sheep farm that had potential for vineyards, and Paul bought two paddocks but never did anything with them. He subsequently sold them when he moved to Alsace. But this scouting exercise stayed with Kirk: he realised there was a lot of potential here.
Kirk went to the Pfalz in Germany to work with Rainer Lingenfelder, and this got him into thinking more about establishing a vineyard, and in 2003 bought land and planted his 8 hectare vineyard. He’d already seen evidence from data loggers that there hadn’t been frost here in 10 years. It’s 100 m above the highway, and cold air from the hills tends to drain down to the river. Soils here are pure gravels, with water 200 m down (he’s on a well with his neighbours for irrigation water).
In 2005 he planted Syrah, which hadn’t done well on the clay soils of the Waipara. It likes the gravels though, and he has 2 hectares of this variety. He used a mass selection clone from Alan Limmer, who was the first to grow Syrah in New Zealand back in the 1980s.
He originally got his Pinot from clay soils in Omihi, but has since planted his own block. He also has Pinot Gris.
On returning from Germany he planted half the vineyard to Riesling, but he’s listened to the market and pulled half of this out.
Farming isn’t organic, but it’s close to it, and there’s a lot of life here. Kirk does one herbicide round close to budbreak, and then mows the vine row (the irrigation wire is too low for cultivation).
All wild ferments, and everything is hand-picked.
THE WINES
Georges Road Les Terrasses Rosé 2024 North Canterbury, New Zealand
12.3% alcohol. Made from Syrah picked early. Skin contact in the press, with no protection of the juice, then tank fermented with wild yeast. Bright and juicy with lovely sweet strawberry fruit and then a bit of cranberry freshness and tartness. This is fruity and expressive with a nice vibrancy on the finish. 90/100
Georges Road Block Three Riesling 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
12% alcohol. 50% fermented in old barrels. This is dry and quite energetic, with good acidity underpinning the crystalline citrus fruit with a twist of apricot richness. Some mineral notes here, too. Very attractive. 92/100
Georges Road Selection Pinot Gris 2023 North Canterbury, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. Whole bunch pressed, overnight settling, then to barrel. No malolactic. Lovely aromatics here with some mandarin, pear and table grape. The palate has freshness but also a really appealing rounded texture, and some grapey richness, a touch of cherry and then some more mandarin. Very stylish. 92/100
Georges Road L’Etranger Pinot Noir 2022 Central Otago, New Zealand
13.5% alcohol. This comes from Brennan in Gibbston, and is made here. Just a couple of tons. 100% destemmed, 20% new oak. Beautiful aromatics here with black cherries, a touch of pepper, some olive and spice. The palate has lovely vibrancy with some fleshy sweet berry fruits and then fine spices on the finish, with a touch of sour cherry. Textural and delicious. 94/100
Georges Road Cuvée 43 Syrah 2021 North Canterbury, New Zealand
Two picks, quite close together. Kirk says he tries to wait for a little dimpling of the fruit. They are picking 10-14 days earlier than they used to (mid to late April back then) and this has been good for Syrah. Almost two years in barrel. This is very stylish and well balanced with some black pepper notes (but they don’t dominate) and then silky, textured plum and cherry fruit. There’s good presence, nice tannin, and some elegance, as well as lovely pepper spice notes. Very stylish and quite polished, but not overly so. 94/100
