Clark Estate Black Birch Pinot Gris (2022)

The Black Birch is a pristine alpine stream which feeds clean mountain waters into the main Awatere River.  The Black Birch range also directs cooler winds down onto the vines during the autumn months, slowing the ripening process just enough to ripen the Pinot Gris fruit to perfection. Our single-vineyard Pinot Gris has a delicate richness and power driven by the low cropping and fully ripened grapes hanging from the vines that have been nourished by the Black Birch waters.  Viticulture  Our vines are now sending their roots deep into the old soils of the Upper Awatere valley, soils which have been molded over the millennia and the vines struggle to find the nutrients they need, helping to reduce the crop naturally, giving us small but flavoursome fruit every year.

The 2022 season was another very dry year, with low crops and very ripe fruit.  Perfect weather conditions around harvest meant we were able to pick the fruit when we wanted and capture the intense flavours at the best time. Winemaking  The grapes were quickly pressed off the skins and fermented under very cool conditions.  The ferment was stopped when the fruit sweetness complimented the fine acidity. The wine was left on full yeast lees for an extended period to mature and gain extra complexity. 

THE PRODUCER –

After long careers as soldier and nurse, Peter & Jane bought a few sheep paddocks by the Black Birch Stream in the Awatere Valley and established 20 acres of Sauvignon Blanc, from scratch. From 1999 to 2002, the early days, they set about learning how to manage a vineyard. To help fund the venture Peter would often be working in Wellington during the week leaving Jane to train the 22,000 new vines on her own. They would work together all weekend spending the night in their old caravan.
In 2003: dark clouds and a silver lining – after two modest harvests the new crop was completely destroyed by a late spring frost with no grape income for another 18 months and more travel for Peter. Facing the reality of the hardship in operating a vineyard they faced the possibility of giving up. However, the story took a different turn and the hope of realizing their dream was renewed. In 2003 their son Simon Clark joined the team after completing his BVO and working vintages in Australia, Germany and New Zealand.
In 2003 they relocated an old villa from Blenheim to the vineyard and achieved Sustainable Wine Growing New Zealand accreditation and in 2007 daughter Sarah joined them in the sales and marketing role and her sister Jen also helps with wine dispatch.
In 2008 The Clark Estate/Boreham Wood label was born as they converted their entire crop into their own wine. With 12,000 cases and a global recession they had to get better at selling. By early 2009 the gamble paid off with major new export customers in the USA and Australia and a growth in sales in New Zealand. In 2012 Simon took the reins as head winemaker and they won their first gold medal for their Sauvignon Blanc setting the scene for the years to date with more medal winning wines.

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