My first proper holiday of the year, a week at Mount Olympus in Canterbury.⁣ ⁣ One of the classic New Zealand club fields founded in 1932. The lodge, complete with hot tub is located in the middle of the ski area at the top of the first tow.⁣ The four 'lifts' are all Nutcrackers - savage rope tows that you cling onto with a metal 'nutcracker' attached to a large belt. (It is pretty easy after the intial angsty phase)⁣ ⁣ The biggest adventure was getting up the access tow on day one with a massive pack of the week's supplies...⁣ ⁣ Like most NZ club fields the tows are just there to get you to the right parts of the mountain the rest is up to you. This means no queues and epic runs (& snow) if you are prepared to hike.⁣ ⁣ Here are a few shots from around the mountain and lodge. A great birthday week, very happy to be back here for the first time since 1996.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #mountolympus #mtolympus #clubfield #clubskiing #canterbury #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Mount Olympus Ski Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2QEB3Inhvp/?igshid=1i3cqczec6l1y

A repost with a big thanks to @stockwine ⁣💥🍷💥⁣ "A unique collaboration between @prophetsrock winemaker @paulpujol & Burgundian François Millet of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé fame, this deep, rich and tightly focused pinot noir sourced from the Prophet’s Rock Bendigo vineyard is a highlight of the 2017 vintage wines from Central Otago. ⁣ Seek this out!"⁣ ⁣💥🍷💥 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #NZ #nzwine #pinotnoir #centralotago @pinotcentral @centralotagonz #winetasting #winecritic #winestagram #wineoftheday #winepic #tourist #tourism #winetour @pinotnoirnz @nzwinegrowers #winemaking (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/B2Fc_zKnjRB/?igshid=1otrpooyh9kaa

Happy International Pinot Noir Day!⁣ 💥🍷💥⁣ ⁣ Rude not to post something filmed on the actual day - luckily I happened to be in a rather nice place, with a nice wine. ⁣ The sneaky unlabelled wine may remain a mystery but the other two seemed appropriate... A gem (super value gem) from Burgundy and a wine that initiated a lot of internet study - hit: "WTF is Frühburgunder" ... Also delicious. ⁣ ⁣ I'm privileged to be part of the amazing team putting Pinot Noir 2021 together. What a bunch (!) of legends ... ⁣ ⁣ Happy Pinot Noir Day 🍷 ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinot2021 #pinotnz #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #PINOTNOIRnz #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Treble Cone Ski Area) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1TTZuaHk0Q/?igshid=1v9b0bbiomrl9

Reposted with thanks from @hawk_wakawaka : ⁣ ⁣ Steve and Cate Kistler (Sonoma) tasting Prophet’s Rock (Central Otago) - meeting with vintners worldwide I am not just tasting to find quality wine but also listening to understand as much as I can not just their winemaking approach and growing conditions of the region, but also, when possible, I am mapping their worldview. ⁣ ⁣ In it I am looking to where their wine project fits inside that larger global perspective they carry and how that means they understand themselves. It gives me the opportunity then to consider overall winemaking philosophies and how they adjust to the specific place the winemaker makes wine, ultimately so I can also better understand the relevance of specific technical choices rather than treating those choices as universal. ⁣ ⁣ Occasionally I come upon winemakers from vastly different regions making distinctly different wines but who carry sympathetic perspectives on their wine goals and views of their role within that. ⁣ ⁣ There are a (very) few Pinot producers worldwide who are truly rethinking the relationship of extraction to site transparency while exploring how to utterly minimize manual work on the fruit in order to increase natural intensity in the resulting wines. In France, Ghislaine Barthod, François Millet, Fredrick Mugnier are three such examples (after forever loving those wines finally seeing the overlaps in perspective between them also helped me realize part of why I love Chambolle-Musigny so much). In the New World I have found two - Steve Kistler with his new Occidental wines, and Paul Pujol with Prophet’s Rock. ⁣ ⁣ This last week I was able to get an Occidental wine in front of Pujol in Central Otago and Prophet’s Rock wine in front of Steve and his daughter Cate here in Sonoma, share info on each other’s projects, and hear their reactions to tasting each other’s wines. ⁣ ⁣ I don’t know when I last had so much fun while also deepening my own thinking on Pinot and helping to make connections across oceans. ⁣ ⁣ Enormous thanks to @paulpujol and @occidentalwines for indulging me and making so much time to talk subtleties of wine! #californiawine #nzwine #pinotnoir #wine https://www.instagram.com/p/B04wBYtHhWy/?igshid=1kev1ta8hkfez

The Red Lion and Sun. Highgate, London I'm very lucky to have Heath Ball @pubhobbit as a friend and to be able to stay with Heath, Sofia and Poppy when I'm in the UK. London is very fortunate to have Heath and his mighty pub The Red Lion and Sun, best pub in the country (2018) and my favourite pub in the world. Expect dogs, kids, great gardens (they even have a gin garden ffs) great hospitality, ridiculously good food (!) and 'off the charts' award winning wine list... Heath has turned this pub from beer-soaked carpets and darkness into an absolute treasure. His boundless energy and enthusiasm is infectious, his menu research trips to San Sebastian are legendary as is his pioneering approach to wine list construction and pricing (!!). Prepare to eat food you'd never expect in a pub and drink some of the best wines going at bargain pricing. Heath hosted an epic wine dinner for François and myself which was one for the ages. Whole sea trout, suckling pigs, and a graveyard of wine at the end of the night. Great people in an environment of proper hospitality made for great memories. I've posted a few pics from the last week or so, crazy food, amazing wines, all in a very special place. Thanks so much for letting me live at the pub, a real home away from home. If you haven't been, just go! Photo credit for the graveyard of Prophet's Rock to @pubhobbit and the Prophet's Rock Vin de Paille to @carokreyjacobsen #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #top50gastropubs #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #londonpubs #winemaking #winemaker #winery #Vintage2019 #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #london #nzpinot (at Red Lion and Sun) https://www.instagram.com/p/By3TwiNH4RH/?igshid=ulvpko34j7c2

Vintage 2019 #3 Alan Brady - The Wild Irishman⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ A massive part of the spirit and character of the 2019 vintage for everyone @prophetsrock was the presence at the winery of Alan Brady. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Alan made Central Otago's first commercial Pinot, the 1987 Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir. After moving on from Gibbston Valley he founded Mount Edward, and then after an unsuccessful (1 year) bid at retirement a third wine company - @WildIrishmanWines where he sources fruit from around Central Otago. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The opportunity for myself, François Millet and the team at Prophet's Rock to work with Alan this year was a tremendous privilege and an honour. I think it's amazing to work in a region where one of the pioneers is still charging around making wine. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Alan is still learning, challenging his ideas and taking on new ones. His friendship and exchange of ideas with François was great to watch. Reducing extraction, new cooperages and techniques were all happening for Wild Irishman in 2019. I hope that I remain just as curious and adventurous in winemaking as Alan when I hit my 8th decade. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Here's a few shots of Alan in action this vintage with a nice shot of him and François working on the sorting line for Alan's fruit.⁣ We also had a nice lunch together with Steve White of @stonyridgevineyard on Waiheke Island ... a real pioneers reunion. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #Vintage2019 #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByvIODxHtFX/?igshid=mradniebiw2m

A favourite shot from vintage 2019. ⁣ ⁣ Thanks to being built into the hill, our winery has a fantastic 'beers at sundown' spot. ⁣ ⁣ I first discovered this concept or tradition at Belle Pente @bellepente winery in Oregon thanks to Brian and Jill. ⁣ So nice to pause before the day disappears and appreciate where you are and why you're there. ⁣ ⁣ Due to the pacing and complexity of vinification in an active construction site we did not get up here often enough. A good goal for next vintage...⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/ByO6WWunCeh/?igshid=13txm09oovx6p

It has been a busy year with Pinot Celebration, winery construction and vintage 2019 ... ⁣⁣⁣ Having just got the last Pinots of harvest pressed, it's time to go and show finished versions 🍷⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Some details and how to find me and the wines ! ⁣⁣ I would love to see and share wines with as many people as possible - A taste of our place coming to you...⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🍇Australia: To get in on the action hit-up the legends at Franc About Wine @francaboutwine ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ # Melbourne🍷 Wednesday May 22nd - Saturday 25th ⁣⁣⁣ # Sydney🍷 Saturday May 25th - Wednesday 29th⁣⁣ # Brisbane🍷 Wednesday 29th - Saturday June 1st⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🍇Japan: To get to any of the events contact the wonderful team at GRN ⁣⁣ #Tokyo🍷 Sunday 2nd June - Wednesday 5th⁣⁣ #Osaka🍷 Wednesday 5th - Friday 7th ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍇U.K. I'll be charging around London with my Chambolle-Musigny collaborator François Millet and the stars at @Bibendumwine & @walkerwodehouse . ⁣⁣ 🍇In residence at the mighty @theredlionandsun 💥🍺🍷💥⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ # London: Saturday 8th June - Thursday 13th (with François Millet)⁣⁣ # London and Around: Saturday 15th - Saturday 22nd (Possibly Ireland TBC)⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🍇Then Home...⁣⁣ # Rest of 2019: Salad, sleep & detox 😄⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣#centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxwWEjHneUN/?igshid=13csng9xrj9v0

Vintage 2019 #1 : François’s Chardonnay⁣ ⁣ One of the first parcels we picked this vintage was the Chardonnay (1) from Kopuwai Delta for our Cuvée Aux Antipodes collaboration with François Millet from Chambolle-Musigny.⁣ ⁣ The season wasn’t easy for Chardonnay, we had frost events in the spring which led to small bunches and overall yield. Coming into verasion there was also very late powdery mildew pressure, we were able to get through ok but did need to cut out infected bunches in the field and remove them on the sorting table. The fruit that went to the press was really good, great flavours and acidity – we were very happy given the trials of the season (2,3,6).⁣ ⁣ We celebrated the first press load of Chardonnay in the new winery with an appropriate bottle of wine. La Maison de Rose is from François and Michelle’s family in the Jura, in this case a field blend of Chardonnay and Savagnin (4,5). The wine pressed out well and all went to barrel (7,8). It is currently still fermenting … I pressed the ‘reject’ Chardonnay separately and put it in two old barrels (after extra clarification), we’ll see how that goes – ‘The Dark Horse’.⁣ ⁣ François continues to enjoy the Chardonnay project with us in Central Otago, now in its second year. The 2018 inaugural vintage is still in barrel (all six of them) and looks amazing… release January 2020.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷#prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxpGDE5no0U/?igshid=9ui5ymvt6qto

It has been a long, slow and steady vintage which will have us pressing Pinot Noir for another week or two yet. ⁣ ⁣ Things have gone really well given the construction site which is our new winery. I've taken loads of photos but am way behind on posting. I'll start catching up each day now that we are at a more even pace. ⁣ ⁣ Here's a photo I took today where we are dumping our pressings and stems... ⁣ Can anyone tell me what these Pinot-loving mushrooms are?? I have no idea but they clearly have good taste. ⁣ ⁣ Pinot and mushrooms are a great match so I guess these ones decided to cut out the middleman and get straight into the Pinot Noir at source 😊⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxRwiyxHvRp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17d8gxuykv75s

Thanks to @davenash for this post on the Cuvée Aux Antipodes collaboration with François Millet who is here at the moment making the 2019... ⁣ ⁣ Repost - An inspired line up by @glengarrywines last night. The @prophetsrock Cuvée aux Antipodes totally blew me away, I can still taste it this morning. It has to be one of the best glasses of Pinot Noir I’ve had in my life. Beautifully expressive in The @jancisrobinson One Glass 🍷🍇👌🏻 Bravo Paul & Francois, bravo! ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot https://www.instagram.com/p/BwJZS_QHN14/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sjpnd7gh5w54

The first fruit of vintage 2019 and the first fruit in our new winery 💥🍷💥⁣ ⁣ Massive effort this week and we are rolling. The weather's great, everything works, and we are underway.⁣ ⁣ Our Infusion Pinot Noir is now in the building. ⁣ ⁣ Stoked. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BvSq7MQnesm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=17f5upxrqgytq

Sunset at the vineyard is always pretty cool...⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buizyndn7rQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4593c8znrr1m

Today was the last journey for the Prophet's Rock Vin de Paille 2018. A short ride to the bottling line for all 334 litres or 892 half-bottles. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ It has been a long time since we picked and dried the Pinot Gris from the Home Vineyard up in the loft of the vineyard shed. It fermented most of last year and finally finished in early summer. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Post-bottling is when you can finally relax about a wine. ⁣⁣⁣ Bottling is not the most exciting winemaking operation but somehow it is nerve-racking at the same time. Like a sort of last sprint to safety, you just want all the wine in bottle. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Remarkably it flew straight through the filter on the bottling line. That's a first, sweet wines can be a bit of a nightmare in that department.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Bright, pure, aromatic Vin de Paille goodness 😊⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #NB. It will get a proper label 👑⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ #VindePaille #vdp #NotoriousVdP⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #winegeek #joydivision #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BualYCFHwlm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=x3pmzzlkq3id

A progress montage of the winery build this year up at the Home Vineyard. ⁣ ⁣ Although far from finished we are currently on track to be processing grapes in March ... A few more cool days to slow things down in the vineyard wouldn't hurt though. ⁣ ⁣ Highlights so far this year were getting the roof (handy!) and the walls on the fermentation hall. The barrel halls will be completed last along with the small front block of the fermentation hall (lab etc). ⁣ The bonus for Tracey our Assistant Winemaker will be operating the lab in the comfort (and coffee centre) of the vineyard cottage.⁣ ⁣ An adventure for sure, and will add spice to what is shaping up to be a really good vintage for us here @prophetrock in Central Otago. ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BuUZoqgnoLU/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=xkac9vdl5i9v

It's important sometimes to take a moment to remember why you are where you are. ⁣ ⁣ Thinks get crazy (read- running a small business, and building a winery under extreme time pressure), then you have a 9am to 10am tour around your vineyards that looks like this sequence from Wednesday. ⁣ ⁣ The Rocky Point and Home Vineyard (last two shots) are great sites to work and the wines have very pronounced and determined personalities. ⁣ ⁣ Not too ugly either - no filter, although I did manually turn the saturation down so they looked more believable than they did in person. @prophetsrock ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bt23HUvHBCP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1k9ooa08ffkso

The red metal spade on which so much depends... ⁣ ⁣ VIP tasting and pizzas for the lucky winners of the MW Charity Auction 'Super Lot' NZ wine tour, in the UK last year.⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #centralotago #prophetsrock #nzwine #wine #wine🍷 #prophetsrockwine #instawine #vineyard #newzealand #pinotnoir #pinotgris #riesling #chardonnay #pinot #pinotcentral #winelovers #pinotnz #winetravel #vineyards #winemaking #winemaker #winery #vindepaille #vdp #notoriousVdP #winegeek #vineyardlife #nzpinot⁣ (at Prophet's Rock Vineyard) https://www.instagram.com/p/BtxEFaGHxNp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ga1srf5oqpr