Remarkable detective work uncovers two champion NZ wines

A 10-year old Hawkes Bay chardonnay and a pinot noir from central Otago are available for an incredible price, with the story of how they were procured only adding to the allure.

This week’s offer includes two champion New Zealand wines.

Sometimes it’s a boon to be born on the wrong side of the tracks.

Or, in the case of two remarkable wines – each with an incredible story to tell – to come from the other side of the fence.

A stone’s throw separates the two Kiwi marvels featuring in this week’s The Australian Wine Club special dozen from neighbours that retail for up towards $70 a bottle, rather than the $21.99 a bottle for which this case can be yours.

Both come from exalted landscapes – a chardonnay from Hawkes Bay whose grapes were harvested a decade ago and are 100% barrel fermented, and a pinot noir from Bendigo, a sub-region of Central Otago that’s world renowned for its serious pinot pedigree.

The fact is that both of these wines were destined for prominence, as part of premium batches from gilded vineyards. And yet both are only now getting their moment in the sun thanks to a remarkable piece of detective work – of which more shortly.

But it’s hard to overstate the lineage of these wines. Hawkes Bay has a justified reputation for elegant chardy with prestigious names like Craggy Range and Villa Maria choosing to source grapes from this region where the landscape and climate segue so well into premium harvests.

That’s one of the reasons we’re so excited about the 10-year-old chardonnay in this week’s case, because it comes from just that hinterland – literally the other side of the fence from some very well-known labels.

Similarly our pinot is, as our tasting panel couldn’t help but note, a “proper” example of the varietal because it also hails from an area which consistently produces vintages with finesse. Across Central Otago the days in growing season are warm but the nights cool to a light chill – allowing for measured, even ripening which in Bendigo tends to deliver fruit flavours that are dense but complex.

The obvious question that arises at this point is simply to ask why wines like this are suddenly available, and at such an advantageous price for readers of this column. The answer lies partly in the macro-economics of wine buying – it’s not a precise science, in that wholesale orders don’t always tally neatly with the exact stock available.

Sometimes there may be small amounts of that stock left in the margins, while the focus moves on to the next big order and the one after that. And sometimes word of these neglected parcels of quality filters down the grapevine, so to speak.

In such a case, who you know is everything. A winemaker in New Zealand by the name of Cleighton Cornelius heard about two such parcels, all dressed up but with nowhere to go, and tracked them down before bringing them to the attention of Ben Cohn, our club’s wine buyer.

In situations like that, it doesn’t pay to hang around and Ben was quickly on the ground in Hawkes Bay, tasting the chardonnay from a bottle in the tray of a ute. For once, the fact that a bargain fell off the back of a truck simply adds to its allure.

A deal was quickly struck for both wines, with the only proviso being that their exact provenance can’t be revealed.

This is why our readers have the opportunity to grab what are limited quantities of truly unique wines. The 2014 vintage remains one of the Hawkes Bay’s finest, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a chardonnay from that year for love nor money. And the output from neighbouring vineyards to this pinot have an elevated price tag to match their reputation.

There is one final, crucial thing to note – as always, if you’re not happy with your purchase for any reason, you can return the case for a full refund.

Limited Release Hawkes Bay Chardonnay 2014

Bright gold in the glass, there’s immediate depth of character on the nose as stone fruit, citrus, vanilla and almond notes emerge. It’s creamy too, and that texture continues in the mouth with a rich palate and bright acidity – a freshness that belies a decade of ageing. There’s a symphony of citrus and more stone fruit as the flavours unfold, with notes of grapefruit coming through in a crisp, dry finish. Good chardonnay ages really well, and here’s the proof. 13.5% alc, RRP $35 a bottle.

SPECIALS $28.99 in any dozen, $21.99 a bottle in our Limited Release dozen.

Limited Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022

Everything about this is moreish – starting with the bright, fresh red fruits that draw you in but are swathed in subtle sprinklings of warm, earthy spices. The fruit is central to the palate too, but again given ballast and depth by the earthiness and soft tannins. There’s just enough texture and body in a wine that would happily take a few minutes in the fridge before making friends with a plate of duck or even game. 13.5 alc; RRP $35 a bottle.

SPECIALS $28.99 in any dozen, $21.99 a bottle in our Limited Release dozen.

LIMITED RELEASE DOZEN Six bottles of each wine above for $21.99 a bottle. SAVE $156.12.

Order online or phone [phone] Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm AEST. Deals are available only while stocks last. The Australian Wine Club is a commercial partnership with Laithwaites Wine, LIQP770016550