Latest news with #vineyard
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Under the Vines, review: no fizz, no excitement and decidedly non-vintage
At what point does nice become insufferable? One way to find out is to binge-watch Under the Vines (BBC One), an odd-couple comedy-drama set in the world capital of normalised niceness, New Zealand. When an old vintner leaves his South Island vineyard split between his nephew, a stuffy middle-aged Brit (Charles Edwards) and his stepdaughter, a flighty, spendthrift Aussie (Rebeca Gibney), they both descend on Central Otago to check out their inheritance. They quickly decide to sell it – they don't like each other, neither of them knows anything about wine-making and anyway, the vineyard's a bust. We all know what happens next. Louis (Edwards) and Daisy (Gibney) inevitably end up falling in love with the place, the quirky locals and, in the fullness of six episodes, each other. It is a tale as old as TV time – the town mice and the country mice; Northern Exposure, Green Acres, Death in Paradise and many more, whereby simple living leads to personal discovery with a healthy dose of fish-out-of-water chuckles on the way. Both Louis and Daisy's lives back home needed fixing – he is an overworked lawyer who was about to split up with his wife and lose his child if he didn't get his act together. She was a Sydney socialite reliant on handouts from the now dead stepfather to sustain her Jimmy Choo habit. Wine and grapes and careful husbandry are used as an overarching metaphor for them both slowing down and paying attention to the things that matter. Once Louis and Daisy start to realise what those things are – family, good people, nature – they begin to revel in their new life. It presents writer Erin White with a problem about halfway through the first series, because Louis's beloved son Julian is back in London. He is flown down for a convenient holiday and a dubious plot twist later on in the run, but the fact remains that, were Under the Vines anything approaching half-credible, Louis would never have gone to New Zealand in the first place. It leads you to ask in what reality this show is set, and the answer comes in learning that it is a series that is nearly five years old. It was first aired on Acorn TV, a British-American streamer that specialises in nice British telly, just after the pandemic. In that context Under the Vines makes a lot more sense: it offers the lure of getting away from it all, the idea of working outside, of actually interacting with strangers at all and seeing hills and mountains and rolling fields. This was all we really wanted from television in 2021. But while wines may improve with age, Under the Vines has not. A few years ago, there was also a vogue for what was then called 'slow' television in which nothing much happened, and Under the Vines is slow, gently sozzled, sundowner TV served with a few gigglers and some idiosyncratic characters as ballast. Great for the New Zealand tourist board, great for the wine industry, but expect only to be tickled, never engrossed.
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Great Pinot Noir Wines Made By 2nd-Generation Oregon Farmers Turned Wine Producer
Leaf of a grape vine A 12-year-old boy with a deep tan, illustrating how much of his free time he spent outside in his farmland paradise, ran off his school bus with his tuba in tow with such an intense burst of energy one would think that he was racing to start shenanigans with his friends which is a time-honored tradition among adolescent boys. But this young boy was in a unique situation as his father was a vineyard manager at one of the top wineries in picturesque Willamette Valley, Oregon, and so, the school would always drop him off where his father worked and by osmosis he would take in the wisdom at a very young age of how an ultra-premium Willamette Valley winery made great Pinot Noir, sparkling wine and eventually Chardonnay. Jackson Holstein with one of his kids Yet his exposure to practical knowledge went deeper as this boy's father owned a prime vineyard in the Dundee Hills AVA, a precious sub-region of Willamette, reaching up to 740 feet in elevation with exposure to plenty of sunlight and cool winds from the Pacific. His father was fortunate enough to buy a top vineyard spot before Willamette became such a hotspot for big wine companies, hence driving up prices. His father was happiest working the vines, growing stellar fruit but not taking the risky investment of making his own wine. Although that 12-year-old tuba-carrying bright-eyed boy would go on to become a winemaker, it would not be in the conventional sense of how a modern winemaking journey looks, yet his path does harken to a different time. "It is in his DNA" can often refer to wine producers, especially in Europe, who have been part of several generations of winemakers and wine growers, sometimes going so far back – such as 15 generations – it is dizzying to think about. Immediately, it sounds like an impressive fact. Despite some of those wine families being extraordinary, many others with such a lineage find there are various detriments of such a heritage: lack of innovation by getting held back by centuries of tradition and no sense of autonomy felt by the family member running it will both top the list, as it gets in the way of the direct personal transmission from the living human making the wines to those who are drinking it. Jackson and Ayla Holstein Compared to a much older wine-producing area such as Europe, two generations of working with vines may pale in comparison to centuries-old wine growers at just a superficial level. However, looking deeper, there can be fantastic opportunities to discover rising wine stars among the second generation. One such one is Jackson Holstein, who was that 12-year-old boy with the tuba, now making outstanding wines where he grew up, in partnership with his wife, Ayla Holstein, another second-generation farmer, who grew up on the same hill as Jackson. However, wine can be in one's DNA as a second-generation grower and first-generation winemaker if that person was into all aspects of the wine-growing/making process from a very early age. In recent times, Oregon has gotten tons of attention as a place that some have proclaimed to produce Pinot Noir wines on the level of stellar Burgundy wines, and it was a thrilling place to grow up, as one could see in real-time that Oregon was carving out a prestigious reputation in just a matter of a couple of generations. When one examines much older wine families that go beyond a century, in some cases, it can seem more like an obligation, a heavyweight, which one must bear without the ability to consider any other path in life. It is not always that way, but it is worth considering that being only a couple of generations old as a family business, especially when the kids are given every opportunity to pick another path, can have the main benefit of it being a real choice. Initially, Jackson worked in cellars locally and in other countries. He imagined settling down as a winemaker for another producer, even taking viticulture and winemaking classes. Yet, he found those less helpful as he felt the textbook answers of how one works to manage grapes in Willamette Valley, Oregon, were erroneous, with no real experience behind those academic lessons. His wife, Ayla, who worked harvests in New Zealand and Australia as well as in Oregon, became a wine buyer for a prominent local restaurant in Willamette. Yet they never envisioned becoming their own wine producer, as they knew firsthand that they didn't have the capital as well as Ayla's experience as a wine buyer showed her how fiercely competitive the wine market could be. "The currency of a grower" [is soil] -Jackson and Ayla Holstein One day, Jackson's father decided he could no longer handle his estate vineyard, Holstein Estate. He would have to sell or lease it, with many vineyard leases running at least ten years, if not much longer, and either Jackson and Ayla wanted to take it over, or he would have to consider the other two options. It was a terrifying moment, as they didn't know if they could survive, now surrounded by many big wine companies and famous Burgundy producers who dominated the Oregon wine scene. But it terrified them more to think that Jackson's father would quickly be given a price to sell that he couldn't refuse, as they had seen many of the family vineyards around them do the same, and then they would have lost that opportunity forever. So, in 2014, they started their own wine company, Granville Wine Co., with the idea of producing a small amount of wine; today, it is only 4,000 cases in total. They are interested in bottling from top vineyards sourced from key sub-regions of the Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs, including their family estate Holstein. Jackson and Ayla know the vineyards like the back of their hands and they have close connections with the growers that were established even before they were born, so sourcing outstanding fruit is not an issue for them. Their wines have a beautiful purity of fruit, gorgeous texture, and addictive, vibrant juiciness on the palate, yet their single vineyard bottlings are incredibly distinctive with an intense sense of place. This shows how first-time family winemakers, who come from farmers, can make thrilling wines not held back by tradition yet know how to honor and express the sense of place of each vineyard. Granville Wine Co. vineyard and surrounding landscape Ayla's farming family never grew wine grapes, yet the vineyards surrounding her where she grew up were still a part of her daily existence. She has witnessed the amazing wine journey for Willamette Valley wine producers going from obscurity to becoming a huge hotspot for those who want to make gorgeous Pinot Noir. She is thankful that such well-known California and Burgundy producers have invested in her home, bringing attention to the region. Yet there is the fear that one day, Willamette Valley, Oregon, will no longer have a community of families that even remember the founders, let alone have a personal connection with those who started the Oregon wine dream. As she looks at her and Jackson's two young children, she knows that they have to do everything in their power to keep a healthy balance of internationally recognized producers counterpoised with the second-generation, and hopefully the third - who will keep alive the founders' fierce passion that was able to create wines that rivaled Burgundy against all odds. 2023 Granville, Basalt & Holstein Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir wines Oregon grows a wide range of grape varieties in small quantities, but Chardonnay has become the latest star, which makes sense as Burgundy makes great Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines, so if one does well in an area, usually the other will thrive too. In the past, Oregon Chardonnay was never that successful as most of the grapes were planted in much cooler vineyards to make Champagne method sparkling wine, so it wasn't ideally suited for still Chardonnay. But in recent years, the Chardonnay still wines have become stars in their own right, as new vines were planted in prime vineyards, and the wine producers have had plenty of time to work with still Chardonnay wine in their cellars to achieve an ideal balance. Also, Oregon has already made a name for itself with its sparkling wines, which go back over 30 years, and the winery where Jackson was dropped off as a kid, where his father worked, is one of the top Oregon sparkling wine producers. The Granville Pinot Noir wines are a must-try, but for those who like ultra-premium sparkling wine and/or Chardonnay wines with freshness and minerality, these should also be on the list. 2023 Granville, "Basalt" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon: 100% Pinot Noir sourced from vineyards in Dundee Hills & Eola-Amity Hills. Granville's "Basalt" wines come from organically farmed vineyards with rich volcanic basalt soils. A vivacious wine with lots of juicy, bright fruit of black cherry intermixed with rhubarb crostata with a hint of underbrush with a fine, delicate tannic structure and vibrant acidity. Only 500 cases made. 2023 Granville, Holstein Estate Vineyard, Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon: 100% Pinot Noir sourced from the Holstein estate single vineyard in Dundee Hills, which is rich in both iron and clay with fractured basalt bedrock underneath, and it is organically farmed. An exciting bouquet on the nose with lilacs, raspberry crisp, crushed rocks and dry tree bark with big, rounded tannins and deep concentration of fruit on the palate that has a long, flavorful finish with an aromatic lift. Only 350 cases made. 2023 Granville, Basalt & Koosah Vineyard Chardonnay wines 2023 Granville, "Basalt" Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon: 100% Chardonnay sourced from Dundee Hills & Eola-Amity Hills vineyards. Granville's "Basalt" wines come from organically farmed vineyards with rich volcanic basalt soils. Pristine notes of pear drop, wet river stones and freshly made brioche with enchanting scents of honeysuckle and orange blossom slowly revealing themselves. Only 400 cases made. 2023 Granville, Koosah Vineyard, Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon: 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Koosah single vineyard in Eola-Amity Hills. Koosah Vineyard was established by the Chambers Family in 2016, who pushed the boundaries with data-driven biodynamic farming, and is one of the highest and steepest vineyards in Willamette Valley. Despite the family selling this vineyard to Louis Jadot in 2022, Jackson and Ayla will still be able to work with this vineyard. A wine that wows just from the aromas with electric notes of lemon confit and quince paste with hints of delectable marzipan with a fierce undertone of saline minerality and a slightly creamy texture perfectly balanced by crisp acidity. Only 225 cases made. 2022 Granville, Basalt Sparkling 2022 Granville, "Basalt" Sparkling, Willamette Valley, Oregon: 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir sourced from vineyards in Dundee Hills & Eola-Amity. Granville's "Basalt" sparkling wines come from organically farmed vineyards with rich volcanic basalt soils. Lemon sorbet and violet petals are irresistibly enticing on the nose, along with freshly baked apple pie, sea spray and torn lemongrass stalks with a creamy mid-palate created by very fine bubbles that has a long persistence. Only 200 cases made.
RNZ News
20-05-2025
- General
- RNZ News
The business turning old vineyard post into farm fencing
Fencing can be a major cost for farmers, but one couple, have worked out a low-cost alternative using broken vineyard posts. Dansy and Greg Coppell made their first lot when they bought a farm near St Arnaud and urgently needed 30 kilometres. They've since been taking their custom machine to vineyards where they prepare the broken posts for their next life, and have diverted almost 9,000 tonnes of waste from landfill. Dansy and Greg Coppell are on the line.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- General
- Forbes
Why Pinot Noir Is Considered The 'Heartbreak Grape'—And Why It's Still Worth It
"A vineyard in Napa Valley, Califronia." If you've ever heard a winemaker call Pinot Noir the 'heartbreak grape,' you might assume it's because they had one too many glasses and got emotional. And honestly? You wouldn't be completely wrong. Pinot Noir is notoriously difficult to grow, a little dramatic when it comes to weather, and frustratingly unpredictable even for the best farmers and winemakers. But when everything goes right, it produces some of the most elegant, unforgettable wines in the world. It's a high-risk, high-reward situation—and somehow, Pinot keeps us all coming back for more. Here's why Pinot Noir has earned its dramatic nickname—and why we're still absolutely obsessed with it. Bunches of various grapes ready to be harvested Pinot Noir is a thin-skinned grape, which means it's sensitive. (Think: "can't leave the house without SPF 50" levels of sensitive.) It thrives only in very specific climates—usually cooler regions like Burgundy, Oregon's Willamette Valley, and coastal pockets of California. Too hot? The grapes get overripe and lose their delicate flavors. Too cold? They might not ripen at all. Too rainy, windy, sunny, foggy, dry? Pinot's ready to throw a tantrum. Compared to hearty, flexible grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot is the fussy artist in a world of engineers. It needs constant care and attention, and even then, nature can still ruin the party. Harvesting grapes in grape yard Even after you manage to grow healthy Pinot grapes (congratulations, by the way), the heartbreak isn't over. In the winery, Pinot Noir demands a delicate touch. It's prone to oxidation, meaning it can spoil easily if you're not careful. It doesn't always respond predictably to fermentation. And because it's so subtle, any misstep—like a heavy oak treatment or too much handling—can completely overpower its beautiful, fragile flavors. Basically, Pinot Noir is the diva who shows up with a 12-page rider but still gives the best performance of the night if you meet every demand exactly. Pinot Because it's so difficult to grow and make, good Pinot Noir isn't cheap. You can absolutely find bottles under $20 (especially from places like Chile or California's Central Coast), but truly stunning Pinot tends to be pricey. Burgundy Pinot, for example, can command eye-watering prices even for entry-level bottles—and let's not even get into the collector stuff. But Pinot lovers argue that it's worth it because when it's great, it's unforgettable. It's not just wine; it's an experience. In the region of Casablanca in Chile, wine tasting in biodynamics. Two hands clash their glass for a ... More sharing of moment pleasure. So why do winemakers and drinkers put up with all this heartbreak? Because when Pinot Noir shines, it's magic. The best Pinot Noir delivers an elegance and complexity that few other grapes can match. It balances bright red fruit (think cherries, raspberries, cranberries) with earthy notes like forest floor, mushrooms, and spice. It's light in body but deep in flavor, silky without being heavy. It's a wine that can be delicate and powerful at the same time, whispering instead of shouting—but somehow leaving the loudest impression. As one Burgundy producer famously said, 'When Pinot Noir is good, you can't not fall in love.' Ready to go pick up a bottle? Here are a few great ones to get you started: Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Rouge (France, Burgundy) If you want to taste the heart of Burgundy without blowing your budget, this is a smart pick. It's fresh and delicate, with flavors of tart cherry, wild strawberries, and an earthy, almost mushroomy undertone that gives it a rustic French charm. Very light on its feet, and very easy to love. Belle Glos 'Meiomi' Pinot Noir (California) This is the Pinot that's unapologetically rich and ripe. Expect waves of dark berries, like blackberry jam and black cherry, with a soft, sweet finish laced with vanilla and mocha. It's lush, smooth, and a real crowd-pleaser—think of it as Pinot Noir dressed up for a party. Cristom 'Mt. Jefferson Cuvée' Pinot Noir (Oregon, Willamette Valley) Cristom's Mt. Jefferson is a beautiful mix of fruit and forest. It starts with vibrant red berries—think cranberry and raspberry—then moves into more savory, earthy territory with notes of forest floor, spice, and a whisper of smoky oak. Elegant, balanced, and just serious enough to impress. Cono Sur Bicicleta Pinot Noir (Chile) Proof that good Pinot doesn't have to be expensive, this Chilean bottle is light, bright, and refreshing. It's packed with fresh strawberry and cherry flavors, a little green herb on the nose, and a crisp, clean finish. Perfect for casual sipping or stocking up for parties.
Globe and Mail
14-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
A legendary Niagara vineyard is no more, but its legacy continues to inspire the future of the industry
Winemaker Daniel Lenko recently posted an image of a backhoe in a vineyard, with uprooted vines scattered about the ground on his Facebook page. The caption – 'The end of an era' – announced Lenko's family farm in Beamsville was no longer home to Canada's oldest chardonnay vines – or any grape vines. For the first time in more than 75 years, the Lenko family won't supply grapes to Niagara wineries, but their pioneering legacy continues to inspire winemakers in the region. Lenko, a third-generation grape grower and owner of an eponymous winery, says rising costs and growing uncertainty forced his hand. Last year, 12 tonnes of his cabernet grapes rotted when he couldn't find a buyer. (Ontario grape growers were faced with a 7,000-tonne surplus of grapes in 2024, but this year winemakers are already saying they are struggling to secure enough grapes depending on the variety.) 'I have torn the vineyard out for financial reasons. I cannot keep pouring money into something that doesn't pay,' he explained in a direct message to this Globe and Mail reporter. The unexpected social-media post inspired heartfelt messages of shock and admiration from winemakers, wine lovers and customers. In response, Lenko suggested he was looking forward to relaxing – 'I'll see you at the beach this summer,' he says. (He continues to work in the industry, installing drainage tiles that help keep excess water from vineyards.) The 30-acre property on King Street West was planted to fruit trees and traditional labrusca grape varieties when Lenko's grandparents bought it and relocated from Manitoba in 1947. Twelve years later, his father, Bill, was encouraged to plant chardonnay by the foreman of Chateau-Gai Wines. He was assured there would always be a buyer for those grapes compared with the abundance of concord and Niagara varieties used to make jellies, jams and wine. Lenko's 1959 experimental vines – which inspired the family to plant more chardonnay in 1973 and 1984 and other vinifera vines throughout the years – was a proof of concept. 'Because of Bill's work in the 1960s, it was clear the Beamsville Bench could support vinifera,' says Len Pennachetti, president of family-owned Cave Spring Cellars, which planted its first vineyards in 1978. When the Pennachetti family planted 12 acres of chardonnay and riesling vines, they leaned on Lenko and a handful of other growers experimenting with vinifera. 'We were this small cadre of vinifera zealots working against the perceived wisdom at that time,' Pennachetti explains. 'We would talk to each other but wouldn't admit what we were doing to others because no one thought growing these varieties was possible.' On Christmas Day in 1980, a devastating freeze gripped Niagara vineyards with a -26 C chill. Similar temperatures were experienced shortly after New Year, which wiped out the buds that would have been the grape crop for the year and killing many vinifera vines, including some of Lenko's prized original vines. During a visit to discuss the damage, Pennachetti asked Bill Lenko if he could take one of the dead trunks of a gnarly old chardonnay vine that had been yanked out of the ground. He kept the six-foot-tall vine, roots and all, beside the fireplace at his home on Cave Spring Vineyard. 'It was a talisman,' he said. 'I would look at it every day and remind myself, we're going to get through this and make wine again.' Despite Mother Nature-inspired setbacks, vinifera vines continued to thrive in Niagara, but the industry as a whole was reluctant to switch over to better-quality grapes. The signing of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement in 1988 would help reshape Niagara vineyards by inspiring the creation of the Vintners Quality Alliance regulations, which no longer permitted wines made from native labrusca varieties. Even then, cautious farmers planted easier-to-cultivate French hybrid grape varieties, such as baco noir, seyval blanc and vidal, instead of vinifera. As the modern industry continued to evolve and consumer acceptance grew, the acreage of vinifera varieties increased to meet demand. The Lenko family's operation expanded, too, with the opening of Daniel Lenko Estate Winery in 1999. The move helped the family generate additional revenue streams beyond grape sales and, once again, the Lenkos adopted an unconventional approach. The home vineyard fuelled a portfolio of 10 to 12 wines totalling around 3,500 cases each vintage. Those bottles were sold on weekends between February and August. (In Bordeaux, similar operations are called garagistes.) There wasn't a tasting room or wine boutique to welcome visitors. Guests sampled the wines at family's kitchen table, while enjoying kielbasa, cheese and homemade bread, followed by pie or other treats made by Lenko's mother Helen. Bill Lenko would insist visitors try his apricot jam before leaving. Critics and wine judges embraced Lenko's wines, conferring high scores and bright, shiny medals from various wine competitions. In 2007, following a tasting of 70 Canadian wines, British wine critic Jancis Robinson saved her loudest praise for Lenko's 2002 syrah: 'so delicious that I felt it was truly outstanding.' Winemaker Ilya Senchuk gained his first exposure to professional grape growing and winemaking working with the Lenkos between 2002 and 2010. The graduate of Brock University's wine program says the experience opened his eyes to the potential of Niagara wine and helped shape the development of his own family's winery. 'Wineries like Lenko really helped to kick-start the modern era of the Niagara industry,' says Senchuk, co-founder of Leaning Post in Stoney Creek. 'It was a terroir-based winery, rooted in the vineyard, with high-quality wine that received international recognition.' Daniel Lenko took an all-or-nothing approach to winemaking, only harvesting grapes with a ripe character to produce his preferred style of concentrated and ripe red wines and rich and flavourful chardonnays. Following the hot and dry conditions of the 2012 harvest, Niagara faced a variable 2013 growing season and a bitter frost in 2014 that damaged vineyards across the region. The farm reverted to selling grapes to wineries, such as Two Sisters in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which purchased chardonnay between 2015 and 2022 when their own chardonnay vines produced the enough grapes to satisfy their needs. Even last year, while clusters of cabernet were left to rot, Lenko's chardonnay grapes found a buyer – just as predicted.
