C.J. Pask Winery Gimblett Road Pinot Noir 1998
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Chris Pask pioneered grape plantings at Gimblett Road, Hawkes Bay in 1982. The winery now owns and manages 60 hectares of established vineyard in Gimblett Road, arguably the leading viticultural site in New Zealand. The company also has a further 20 hectares, to be developed in the medium term, affording flexibility to future production. Four main blocks are planted at Gimblett Road, on the old riverbed of the Ngaruroro River. The soil profile is typically, fine river silt over free draining shingle which supports premium vine growth exceptionally well.
Three distinct ranges are produced by C J Pask winery, they are predominately estate grown, elegant styles displaying clearly defined fruit characters. The aim of these different ranges is to meet the market demands, nationally and internationally of varying price points, and winestyles, with quality that exceeds expectations. The Reserve Range are produced in limited quantities only when the fruit quality is exceptional. The Gimblett Road Range and Roys Hill Range are produced in commercial quantities in very consistent styles from vintage to vintage.
The Gimblett Road region lies on the old Ngaruroro riverbed, the free draining shingle combined with the silt soils tend to increase soil temperature and to reflect the sun onto the grapes during the day. The region has its own micro climate with Roys Hill blocking the prevailing winds and cloud formation, the heat retention effectively means a different categorisation from the "cool climate" definition used for the broader New Zealand wine industry. The consequences are an extending of the ripening process and fruit characteristics of the wine CJ Pask being a genuine estate grown producer from only the Gimblett Road site, with integrated Viticulture, Production, Winemaking and Marketing resources ensure that the opportunities of Gimblett Road are reflected in the final product.
New Zealand Pinot Noir has jumped onto the world wine stage with recent but rapid growth in quality and recognition. Pinot Noir didn’t develop a significant presence in New Zealand until the late 1980’s, and production stayed small in the beginning. But plantings doubled between 2003 and 2013, quality jumped and the world took notice. This is partly due to the propogation of one specific clone, the Abel clone (named after the customs agent who discovered vine cuttings hidden in a boot) that is rumored to be originally from Burgundy’s famous, Domaine de la Romanee Conti.
Pinot Noir is grown throughout New Zealand, but the majority hails from the South Island. The most important North Island region is Wairarapa, near the southern tip. Here the thin, poor soils and frost danger keep yields low. But the long growing season and dramatic diurnal temperature shift lead to dry, earthy Pinot Noir wines that in good years, show terrific red fruit and lovely depth.
The South Island in New Zealand has three regions of great significance. Marlborough Pinot Noirs hail mostly from the Awatere Valley, which is slightly drier and cooler than the Wairau Valley. The grape is grown for both sparkling and still wines, with the latter showing improvement as the vines age. The Canterbury region is composed of small producers making handcrafted Pinot Noirs that show tantalizing promise. Finally, Central Otago in New Zealand is the world’s southernmost wine region. Summers here are short but extremely sunny and dry, with cold nights that preserve grape acidity. Otago Pinot Noir wines show earthy and herbal notes, as well as vivacious red fruit flavors that are as bright as they are ripe. It is unusual, in fact, to find a Pinot that is under 14% alcohol. Taken together, New Zealand Pinot Noirs offer a wealth of delightful options for fans of this variety.