TWO PADDOCKS

Finally, finally! FINALLY!!!

After so much time searching and lots and lots of e-mails send out to purchasers in England, USA, Australia and New Zealand Two Paddocks wine has arrived in Croatia around 20th January! The Eagle has landed! ;-) I have been trying to find and buy Two Paddocks wine, especially Pinot Noir, since summer 2009. The main problem was that no one is delivering to Croatia or cost of shipping was few times greater than the wine price itself. However, in October 2009 I contacted Wine Tastes Central Otago and arranged the order and delivery to Germany where I have some relatives. They have come to visit us, they took the wine with them and the rest is history... I have bought Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir 2007 and Picnic Sauvignon Blanc 2008.

Well, after travelling for more than 10 weeks the Two Paddocks wine crossed more than 18000 kilometres (that is more than 11000 miles) – almost half of the Globe,  and is here in Cargovec, Croatia now. I can reach it! I can hold it in my hands! At last!!! It is winter here in my part of the world and it is very special for me to taste the wine during cold season – experience is somehow stronger, effective...

So, for the first time, let’s try Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir 2007! Wine is on the table, two glasses - for me and my beloved one... I am excited and kind of serious. I have opened the bottle and sniff it first, naturally. Fabulous! Then I pour it into glasses and stir it... sniff it again. The aroma was released and it is special and then the taste- full, fruity with abundance of wild berries and some earthen texture. All together with acidity very good balanced. Perfect dark ruby colour… It is luscious and your mouth stays full of it for some time. And then - it makes you to want it more, to drink it more! Alluring and seductive wine!!! Tricky stuff! You have to be very careful not to cross the line, or you can become addicted to it! Although, that would not be so bad, except I would bankrupt fast since the wine has to come from New Zealand and the shipping costs almost more than the wine itself! The other possibility -- me coming to New Zealand -- no comment...L

To conclude my expression on wine -- it is worth every dollar (kuna – here in Croatia)! My greatest desire, since I could not find any last year, I would like to taste Two Paddocks Pinot Noir some day, soon...

On the pictures, which I have enclosed, you can see that we still have snow in northern Croatia... The other pictures were taken in an old wine cellar. It is a small one and is probably more than 60 years old. Floor is not concreted, it is made of clay. And as you can see there are two old oak barrels still in it. This seemed as a perfect place to take the pictures of Two Paddocks wine. That probably was the best wine in that cellar ever! The owners are dead, but would they believe if someone once told them that they will have fine New Zealand wine in it?!

However, I want to congratulate Mr. Neill and his remarkable team for being so fantastic in viticulture and winemaking! I believe that Mr. Neill also does not feel sorry for investing in Two Paddocks! Indeed, you have beautiful website, amazing vineyard, and as I can read about it --you have extraordinary good time in all this!

Be blessed, stay grateful and proud! CHEERS!!!

P.S. For me, because I love and appreciate fine wine, life really is good when I can enjoy your wine! But please, do inform me if I can order directly from Two Paddocks -- since I would like to, somehow, get Two Paddocks Pinot Noir! And I ask you, is there any way that I could buy and you could send me your Lavender oil -- I would very much like to try it but it is obvious that I can not buy it at a cellar door! Be so kind and I shall be more than grateful!

Posted with permission of the author. ©Saša Zavrtnik