We decided to do an entire page along with a photographic diary, on the tale behind our New Zealand made wine. Many of you have had the pleasure of drinking our first NZ Malbec: “Te Ata Po” which is “The First Light of Day” in the Maori lexicon and the brain child of Sonia.

Through very good friends in Gisborne, Gary & Carol Jones, we had the pleasure of meeting Anita Ewart-Croy, who at present is the winemaker at Kirkpatrick Estate Wines, on the Patutahi Plateau, outside of Gisborne NZ. It is through her and the owner Simon Kirkpatrick that all was made possible. You will be able to read up on KEW at www.kew.co.nz and learn more of these lovely people and their wines.

We also met Richard Macintyre, a grape grower in the area, discussed his vineyard practices and made arrangements to purchase his Malbec grapes, which are of an Argentinean Clone. Approaching harvest we would take time off from work and visit his vineyard to take samples of the grapes to follow their progress.

When the chemistry was as Sonia wanted, we organized for a pick, which begin very early one beautiful autumn morning. Borrowing John Kirkpatrick’s truck we transported the grapes back to KEW , weighed them, dumped them into the crusher, that deposits them into the distemmer which in turn directs them through a large pump into containers to cold soak over night, samples are taken and then off to the chiller. This also gives us time to clean up! That’s the part nobody sees and it takes considerable time and effort!

Day two and it’s into the ferment tank via a network of pumps and pipes; Sonia introduces her chosen and carefully prepared yeast into the must where we then wait for the ferment to start. Thrice daily the ferment is monitored, taking the Brix reading, temperature and taste. Before closing the lid each time we then punch down the cap ensuring maximum skin contact. At this time, of course, the wine, increasing, but still low in alcohol, is quite sweet, more like candy in a glass. The all important skin contact time producing the colours and flavours moves along until Sonia is satisfied with the appearance and flavours. Now it is time to bring in the press.

After a schedule of pressures and rotations the press extracts the wine from the skins and it is put into a clean tank where its rests, then is racked off the lees and put into awaiting barrels.  The barrels are placed in neat stacks along with all of the other oaked wines in anticipation of the second ferment, the malolactic, and maturation then finally bottling; which we will do when we arrive back in Gisborne next March 2011.

The wine, now our Te Ata Po, then undergoes a series of tests to be approve for export; is shipped by us to Auckland into the hands of the buyer and then brought to you to enjoy within a month of leaving NZ, but seventeen or so months, after it all began!

We have enjoyed this process and hope to be able to continue bringing you fine wines from a variety of places, made by a New Brunswicker, Sonia Carpenter , The Flying Winemaker!

Once again we must thank all those involved: Gary & Carol Jones, All the Kirkpatrick’s, Justin Atkinson, Richard Macintyre, and especially Anita Ewart-Croy……oh yes and Trixie and Harry as well!

We hope that you enjoy our Te Ata Po Malbec!

Cheers

David & Sonia

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