21 November 2003

Frost in the Valley

A tough month. Hard frosts and much burnt canopy in Otago, and particularly the Gibbston Valley. Our propellers, however, seem to have minimised the damage: Unfortunately, our neighbours have suffered more (poor old Sleeping Dogs for instance seem to have been caught napping).

Our proprietor retains jollity to the last we are please to report. Probably the Dunkirk spirit. It is also remotely possible he is too drunk to care.

1 November 2003

Two Paddocks Picnic Riesling 2003

Released for Sale in New Zealand

As a radical departure, today we release our first Riesling: Two Paddocks Picnic Riesling 2003. This follows our immensely successful Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir 2002 which was released earlier this year.

Picnic, our second tier label, is characterised by outrageously good quality at shockingly low prices. Our Picnic Pinot (NZ$25) flew out the door at such velocity, evasive action was needed to avoid serious injury. Again, our Riesling, at about NZ$15 a bottle, is a steal, and is only available locally in Otago -- and possibly Canterbury, if you're very lucky indeed. Only 200 cases or so available.

[Webmaster's note -- Detailed information about this new wine will be available shortly in the Our Wine section of this site.]

15 October 2003

Central Otago Pinots Rival Burgundy

Says English Wine Writer Jane McQuitty

Glowing report from Jane McQuitty in The Times magazine, McQuitty says, "At last Burgundy has a serious new world rival!" While she admires some Pinots from the US, Australia and other parts of New Zealand she says, ".but now I have discovered a little known and unsung young region that will knock the rest of the noir gang for six - Central Otago." Quite so.

28 September 2003

Flawed Science

Dodgy Research. Don't Try This At Home

Notting Hill, London - In a spontaneous show of enthusiasm for the recent U.K. release of Two Paddocks 2001, some two dozen "showbiz types" participated this week in a somewhat unscientific and generally intemperate experiment to answer the long debated question - does Two Paddocks leave a hangover?

Management were alarmed by estimates that participants consumed the equivalent to a laboratory rat consuming 1.3 litres of Pinot per hour, but early results look good. No headaches reported. However scientists have immediately called the data into question, and point out that several of those present boast famously hardened livers and thirsts of legendary status.

In any case, management urges their loyal and valued customers NOT to try this at home. Two Paddocks, like all the finest things in life, is best enjoyed in moderation.

26 September 2003

Jancis Robinson -- Wine of the Week

A Growing Affinity for Central's Pinots. A Delightful Review of Our Wine.

In an article that represents the crumbling of the last resistance to Central Otago's gorgeous Pinots, we are completely delighted to receive a very flattering review from no less than the legendary Jancis Robinson. She not only likes our 2001 Pinot, but also says the nicest things about this very site! See Article.

25 September 2003

Central Otago in London

NZ Wineries Brief London Wine Writers and Trade

Today we showed our 2001 Neill Pinot Noir, and previewed our 2002 First Paddocks Pinot Noir and 2002 The Last Chance Pinot Noir to both wine writers and the trade in London. New Zealand House, the ugliest building in London with the best views, hosted 22 wineries from our region, and we have to say in all modesty that our region was looking good! T.P. well received, natch! We await written response in the press.

23 September 2003

Wine with Dinner

A Reunion After 25 Years

Tonight our proprietor dined lavishly at one of our favourite restaurants, St. John, with Roger Donaldson of Sleeping Dogs Wines and Michael Seresin of Seresin Vineyards. This seemingly banal event is, in fact, of more significance than might first appear. This is the first time in 25 years (count them) that all three have been in the same room at the same time, after making their first feature film together - Sleeping Dogs (1977). (Well, it was actually Michael's third film, but who's counting.) Now these three own between them the pre-eminent vineyards of New Zealand. Funny old world, isn't it. [Please excuse hyperbole.ed.] Compromising photos below.

18 August 2003

Two Paddocks Around the World

Neill Pinot Noir 2001 Has Shipped to Stockists in Australia and the UK.

As of this week Two Paddocks is properly available in the UK. Huzzah! At £14.75 our Neill Pinot Noir 2001 (sex in a glass) is a jolly good value! You can find it for sale at Hanes, Hanson and Clark.

Good news in Australia, too. Our 2001 now can be found in many locations throughout the country. You beauty!

In the US, we were pleased to get a mention in the prestigious Los Angeles Times newspaper. In an article entitled The Kiwis' new game: Extreme Pinot, the Times lauded the tenacity of hardy Kiwi vintners who took a risk on the "notoriously finicky" Pinot Noir grape and are now producing some world-class wine.

30 July 2003

Sex in a Glass

Excellent Reviews, New Releases; Good News All Around.

Addicted as we are to reviews good or bad, given our thespian roots, we are thrilled by our latest review from the esteemed Listener Magazine (see review). Keith Stewart, as fine a wine writer as they come, refers to Two Paddocks 2001 Pinot Noir as "sex in a glass."

To be honest this is how we have always seen it ourselves, but modesty naturally prevented our using this unerringly accurate description. What a marvellous turn of phrase for a wonderful bottle of wine.

Reviews in fact have been glowing all round since it's release a month or two ago. The Otago Daily Times for instance gave it 4 1/2 stars out of 5, and a good value rating. Cracker!

Early in August we expect to bottle our Two Paddocks Picnic Riesling. This like our Picnic Pinot Noir will be a limited release, confined to the south of the South Island probably and will be fantastic value at $15.60 retail. Early previews courtesy of supremo D.Shaw via our proprietor S. Neill (a.k.a. The Palate) rate this Riesling as dangerously drinkable. Release November 1, 2003.

Meanwhile the Picnic Pinot is flying out the door and at $25.00 is absolute steal. Also the screw cap has generally had a favourable reception. Throw away those corkscrews, you have nothing to lose but drudgery and cork taint!

6 April 2003

Three Wines Bottled

Our First Single-Vineyard Pinots. Also a Move to Stelvin Closures to Prevent Cork Taint.

This month we have proudly bottled three individual Pinot Noirs. The first, Two Paddocks First Paddock Pinot Noir is from our original Gibbston vineyard. Next, from Alex Paddocks, Two Paddocks The Last Chance Pinot Noir. Lastly, our second-tier wine, Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir. All of these represent a departure in different ways. It is enormously pleasurable to have two distinct single-vineyard Pinots, each reflecting their own unique terroir. The Picnic is immensely enjoyable and alarmingly easy to drink. It is, unfortunately, only available locally.

We are also, as a departure, putting all our wine under Stelvin closures. Having had our excellent wine sullied too often by inferior cork we are happy to take a new direction with screw caps. We hope and trust that you the consumer will see this as good common sense. We like the romance of the cork screw too, but we hate the taste of wet cardboard in our precious vino from a dud cork!

For more information about the advantages of screw caps,
visit the New Zealand Screw Cap Wine Seal Initiative.