In 1998, Margaret and Derek Hagar bought land on the west bank of the Ruamahanga River, which was part of the original Lansdowne Estate. The terrain with its dry climate, cool nights and long hot sunny days with stony, clay over limestone soil compares favourably with any in the world for the cultivation of Burgundian wines. After several years of hard struggle in the stony, free-draining soil, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Syrah were again established at Lansdowne. The six acres planted are about the same size as the original vineyard. It’s believed they’re on, or very near to, the original site, being less than a kilometre from the original homestead.
Lansdowne Estate Wairarapa Syrah 2016- Nine years on from vintage, and this syrah is heading into its tertiary period, where the fruit is morphing into deeply savoury, gamey spectrums, the once peppery aromatics are now more leather and earth-focused, and the tannins have softened considerably. Shepherded from berry to bottle by local legend Karl Johner, this Syrah has some serious historic pedigree. Early settler William Beetham held extensive land holdings in the Wairarapa Valley, and his wife, Frenchwoman Marie Zelie, planted grapes to remind her of home. They planted carefully sourced cuttings of Hermitage (Syrah) and Pinot around their Lansdowne Homestead in Masterton in the early 1880s. These classic grapevines flourished, and they then moved them to a vineyard of about six acres which he established nearby, in a vale within the valley, on the bank of the Ruamahunga river. This became the first successful commercial vineyard in the Wairarapa. The vines were then pulled out during prohibition.
Lansdowne Estate Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2014- Hear me out. Sometimes you can find absolute treasures inside the most unassuming packaging. This wine is an excellent example of that. Eleven years old and made by one of the Wairarapa’s legendary winemakers, Karl Johner, this pinot noir, grown on the original Beetham-owned farm (famous for Heritage NZ-listed Brancepath Homestead), is maturing into something rather sensational. Brick-red, scented with book-pressed roses, cherry clafouti, earthy, sous bois notes, soft spices and rooibos tea to tickle the tastebuds. The folk at Lansdowne were far more attentive to the quality of the wine inside the bottle than how the bottles actually looked so please forgive them for using a Papyrus font and glossy, sticker-type labels. Aging gracefully and packed with pinosity.
Lansdowne Estate Wairarapa Pinot Gris 2017- Gorgeously golden in the glass, this (wait for it) nine-year-old pinot gris is absolutely roaring into its maturing years with a lacing of fresh fennel, poached quince, a squeak of apple crumble characters and finishes with silky, lush texture. Grown in Masterton and made by Karl Johner of Johner Estate, here is an excellent example of how great pinot gris can age gracefully and tastefully