Craggy
Range is a family owned winery established in 1997 named by Wine Enthusiast
magazine as New World Winery of the Year for 2014. It is situated in the
foothills of the spectacular Te Mata Peak in the premium wine growing area of
Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand. Based on the single vineyard philosophy of
winemaking, Craggy Range was the first winery in the Southern Hemisphere to
make single vineyard wines from multiple New Zealand regions with grape
varieties matched to place.
The Te
Muna Road Vineyard is located roughly five miles from the center of the town of
Martinborough, and is divided into two terraces. The upper terrace lies
entirely on the old, stony, decomposing Martinborough terrace soils that have
become famous for Pinot Noir. As might be expected, this terrace is planted
primarily to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on proven rootstocks and, where
possible, in new clones from Burgundy. The lower terrace is geologically
distinct, dominated by greywacke stones interspersed with a little limestone,
and is planted almost entirely to Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyard architecture is
a very intensive, narrow-row structure with between 1,400 and 2,100 vines per
acre.
Director
of Wine and Viticulture and a founder and shareholder of Craggy Range Winery,
Steve Smith is the only Master of Wine in
the world who is also a viticultural specialist.
Smith graduated Lincoln
University in Field Experimentation in 1983 and became a research assistant to
Dr. Richard Smart, the Australian viticulturist who pioneered canopy management
techniques now used in many winegrowing areas of the world.
92 POINTS - Wine Spectator
The
fleshy peach and nectarine flavors are ripe, juicy and appealing, with fresh
fennel, grapefruit zest, jasmine and mineral accents. Generous, supple and
refreshing, presenting terrific intensity on the finish.
— MaryAnn Worobiec
