Pyramid Valley: In Search of Something More...

A local retailer, showcasing 12 different New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc, with only one Pinot Noir.

Only a few years ago, when I thought of New Zealand, I thought only of Sauvignon Blanc. This is not rare, as the wines speak for themselves, and the variety outnumbers all others in the region on retailers’ shelves. My interest in these wines spurred me to dig a little deeper, to start learning more about this country’s wines and what made them so special. I quickly realized that there are many varietals that I love being made, and made well, in New Zealand. I was delving into crisp Riesling that rivaled my favorites from Germany, Gewürztraminer of stunning depth and mineral core and, of course, Pinot Noir like I had never seen.

These weren’t the bone-dry pinots of Burgundy that would take a decade to understand, nor were they the overripe fruit bombs of California. These Pinots fell into a category all their own, with perfectly ripe fruit and a juicy, thriving structure that was complemented by mineral, stone, soil—earth. I was at once in love with the style that seemed to walk a middle ground between austerity and hedonism. That was when I found Pyramid Valley Vineyards.

Just when I thought my infatuation could go no further, a force of nature reinvigorated me. Two Pinots that were made under strict natural, biodynamic principals came under my microscope. Two wines made with the least possible amount of human intervention and then bottled with only trace amounts of sulfur. They inspired me to write, “Pyramid Valley: A Genie in a bottle”.

Story over, right? Wrong!

While researching the vineyards of Pyramid Valley and history of its owners/winemakers Mike and Claudia Weersing, I came across a line of wines that truly excited me, The Grower’s Collection.

The Grower's Collection is a series of wines that represents individual growers, varieties and vineyards from New Zealand, all in the fashion of Pyramid Valley Vineyards. It showcases the terroir and varietal expressions of each location with small blocks of fruit and in some cases very rare varieties. As I started to taste through these, the first thing that struck me was how incredibly natural these tasted. The wines are certainly in the style of Pyramid Valley with naturally occurring / stopping fermentations, no filtering and little to no sulfur. But these wines aren't just good; they don't just have wonderful aromatic bouquets and amazing juiciness on the palate. These wines actually taste--healthy. They seem to somehow nurture you, like juice from some unknown fruit that has just been discovered.

I know this may sound a little over the top, but I can think of no better way to explain them. The best recommendation I can make is to taste them for yourself.

The Cab Franc, my tasting note could
have just read, "God, I love this wine"

2009 Pyramid Valley Cabernet Franc Growers Collection Howell Family Vineyard - The nose was deep, rich and vibrant with sweet cherry, cinnamon spice, wild herbs and stony minerals providing an earthy canvas to it all. On the palate, it was medium-bodied, juicy and fresh with sweet, bright cherry, citrus peel, exotic spice and a core of brisk acidity. Hints of tannin lingered on the palate, reminding me that this is wine and more than just a delicious beverage. It was a highly enjoyable Cab Franc that I will look for going forward. (92 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2009 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Growers Collection Cowley Family Vineyard - The color in the glass was a bit cloudy with a light ruby red hue. The nose was seductive yet earthy and sweet, showing intense cherry preserve, a whiff of crushed stone, hints of bell pepper, and dry dusty soil. On the palate, ripe cherry was met by minty herbal tones, with silky textures perfectly contrasted by a hint of bitter tannin. The finish remained fresh and lively, showing ground pepper, spice and red berries.

Upon first opening, I was worried that this wine had been exposed to excessive heat. It was almost impenetrable, and so I put it aside. I'm glad I did so, because within two hours it came to life, softened and evolved, turning into what can only be described as a gorgeous pinot rooted in the earth. What's more; its cherry component was beautiful, seeming almost impossibly natural. It's a lovely wine. (91 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Another spectacular wine, truly
unique and inspired winemaking.

2007 Pyramid Valley Sémillon Growers Collection Hille Vineyard - The nose was truly fascinating and kept me coming back to the glass again and again with an intense floral bouquet, showing honey, peach, almond paste, salty minerals and bell pepper. Yet somehow, all of this made me think of spring, sitting in a flower garden with soil stained hands. On the palate, it was fresh and electric upon entry with notes of peach, inner florals, and spice. A lull followed on the mid-palate, but was quickly replaced by a pop of tart lime-kiwi acidity, which kept this interesting throughout. It was impeccably balanced and wonderfully unique, a wine that I will look for again. (91 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

2010 Pyramid Valley Savagnin Rose Growers Collection Twin Valleys Vineyard - The extroverted nose showed a bouquet of pineapple, melon, honeycomb, and spice with hints of floral funk and undergrowth. On the palate it was silky smooth with sweet, spicy peach. It showed great presence and perfect balance followed by a hint of citrus, which lasted through the long, saturating finish that seemed to cling to the palate like fruit nectar. (89 points) Find it on: Wine-Searcher!

Pyramid Valley: A genie in a bottle?

So goes the philosophy of Pyramid Valley Vineyards; “Wine to us is a genie, our job is to coax it from its rock bottle.” It’s certainly an interesting thought, and quite catchy too. In a world where we continue to refine, redefine and categorize natural winemaking, Pyramid Valley, in New Zealand, seems to be marching to the beat of their own drum. I honestly can’t hold it against them after what I’ve recently tasted.

The winery is content to let the wines make themselves, at least enough to create a good product that can be labeled wine. The vineyard has been cultivated using biodynamic principles since inception. The wines undergo naturally occurring, long-lasting yeast fermentations and then age in old neutral oak or clay amphorae. Bottling is done without fining or filtering, and sulfur is only added when necessary and at a strict minimum. This results in a set of unique wines that truly have a sense of place--and are pretty damn tasty as well.

Pinot Noir is the primary focus with Chardonnay, Semillon, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris rounding out the lineup. My tastings were primarily of the Pinot Noirs, and I must say that I’m impressed.

There’s simply something about this wine that really jump-starts the imagination—is this how wine might have been made 2000 years ago? No chemicals, no machines in the vineyards and giant clay vessels to age them in? The wines taste wild, savage, and with a refreshing quality that you’d expect more from a glass of iced tea. In fact, Kombucha came to mind as I tasted these wines. Both were cloudy, with a kaleidoscope of colors in the glass, but on the palate—focused and pure.

I will be back for more, and I urge any fan of Pinot Noir or natural / biodynamic wines to seek these out. The price can be a little restrictive, but when you consider that this is an artisanal creation, and not just a product, it may just be a genie in a bottle.

On to the wines:

2008 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Earth Smoke - The color was a light ruby and slightly cloudy at the core, turning orange and finally auburn toward the rim before tapering off to a transparent halo. The nose was ripe with vibrant red and black berry, gorgeous floral notes, herbal tea, hints of cinnamon, and earthy undergrowth. On the palate, it was weightless yet ripe with beautifully balanced acidity and a sweet and sour sensation that dazzled the senses with cranberry, light orange, sun tea, inner florals and a slight (not sweet) note of caramel. The finish left the mouth watering with a bitter twang of orange and tart berry. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

2008 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir Angel Flower - The color was faded red, almost verging on pink with a cloudy appearance. The nose showed fresh strawberry, stems and all, with notes of floral undergrowth, fresh turned earth and mulling spice. On the palate, it was energetic, juicy and clean with raspberry fruit, a hint of orange peel and herbal tea. The finish lingered long, with a slight drying note that made me crave another sip. (93 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Thanksgiving Pairing Guide

By Eric Guido

Does anyone else feel like this Thanksgiving really snuck up on us? Especially living in New York City, where Super-Storm Sandy has been the first thing on all of our minds for the past few weeks. However, this morning, it all became a reality as my wife wanted to discuss what I’m doing for Thanksgiving.

Of course I’m making a turkey with all the trimmings. She really didn’t need to ask. But what I really started to think about is what wines I’d be serving with Thanksgiving. The reality is that a Thanksgiving dinner can be a little difficult to pair with, because there are so many diverse flavors on the table. Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potatoes (some sweeter than dessert), mashed potatoes, corn—the list goes on and on.

Luckily, I’ve had a lot of experience pairing wine at Thanksgiving, and trust me; I’ve been let down plenty of times. However, we learn from our failures, and the list below is my list of wines that are sure to succeed. Each one should be versatile enough to handle an array of traditional and unique side dishes, and of course, will pair perfectly with turkey.

Pinot Noir is probably the most regularly recommend wine for Thanksgiving, and there’s good reason why. No matter what style of Pinot you choose, they are usually softer and more feminine than most reds. With French style Pinot (Burgundy), you can expect a lighter frame, more acidity and a mineral core. While the new world examples give more fruit and spice, each style manages to accentuate the flavors of turkey, gravy and stuffing (especially with mushrooms).

2009 Calera Pinot Noir - The nose was highly expressive with a bouquet that showed sweet cherries, pine nettles and dark soil notes. On the palate, it was silky smooth yet juicy, with pure dark cherry fruit, hints of herbs, and a crack of pepper. The finish followed suit, as its red fruit and earthy profile slowly melted away from the palate. (91 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Gewurztraminer has become one of my favorite white wines. Its floral, spicy tones on the nose are truly seductive, while the palate offers a lush mouthfeel contrasted by zippy acidity. It’s a perfect white for a holiday meal, because it complements everything else around it with its gorgeous aromatics.

2009 Kellerei-Cantina Tramin Gewürztraminer - The nose shows intense floral notes with spicy, sweet tropical fruits. On the palate, a hint of residual sweetness remains but is well balanced by a mix of balanced acidity and a plush, velvety mouthfeel. The flavors are of dried apricot, white stone fruits, and saline minerals. The sweetness turns pleasantly bitter on the long finish with white stone fruits. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Merlot—yes, I said Merlot. Merlot is usually fruity, round and soft on the palate, yet there’s still enough acidity and structure to allow it to pair beautifully with roasted turkey. What’s more, most Merlot has a savage side with earthy, almost animal tones, and I find that it’s a great pairing against the aromas of potatoes with gravy.

2007 Chateau Ste. Michelle Merlot Cold Creek Vineyard - On the nose, I found plum and blueberry with sweet spices and an underlying dark soil and chalk note that kept it rooted in the earth. On the palate, it was full-bodied with velvety textures, showing excellent balance with a mix of cherry and cranberry, herbs and bitter dark chocolate. The finish showed plums, green pepper and saline minerals with a slight tug of tannin reminding me of its fine structure. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Chardonnay (No oak), I once heard someone say that Chardonnay is a blank canvas on which a winemaker can paint a beautiful picture. Unfortunately, that picture is often of an oak barrel. There’s a lot of buttery (oaky) Chardonnay out there, and it has its place, especially against buttery dishes. However, I invite you to try an unoaked Chardonnay, and what better time to do it than at Thanksgiving? When you take away that layer of oak, Chardonnay shows the qualities of the winemaker more than the barrel. In this case, it’s also an early wine, which really kicks up the freshness of the wine, lowers the alcohol, and makes it a great pairing for your holiday meal.

2012 Macari Chardonnay Early Wine - The nose was lively with a bouquet of green apple, melon, stony minerals and a spritz of citrus. On the palate, a wave of semi-sweet citrus fruits turned to green apple acidity with a slight fizz that spread across the senses. The finish was pure, clean yet showed citrusy green melon and left the mouth watering. (89 points) Find it at Macari Wines!

Syrah performs great with almost any roasted poultry, but it shines best for those who enjoy dark meat, legs and wings with stuffing (Yum!). These are serious reds rooted in the earth with ripe berry fruits, spice, and enough acidity and structure to handle a large array of side dishes.

2010 Éric Texier Côtes du Rhône-Brézème - The nose showed blackberry with savory spices, reminding me of mustard seed and pepper followed by mineral laden black stone. On the palate, it was light-to-medium bodied with zesty acidity, black fruits, grill char, herbs and orange peel. The finish was dry with cheek-puckering tannin, showing tart black fruits and pepper notes. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Zinfandel can be your ace in the whole. Red Zinfandel is a perfect match for the holiday table. Its ripe berries and spice complement the majority of side dishes; and Zins go great with turkey. What’s more, most of your guests will likely be surprised by how good Zinfandel can be (so you get to play the smart sommelier). The better Zinfandels will have juicy acidity and enough structure to really shine in the glass and at the table.

2009 Ridge Zinfandel Lytton Springs - The nose showed red wild berries, a dusting of cinnamon sugar, hints of minerals and herbs, and a whiff of dark baker’s chocolate. On the palate, it was beautifully balanced and elegant with a firm start and juicy finish. Ripe red and blue fruits went from sweet to tart as it flowed across the palate. The finish was long and spicy. (92 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!

Shiraz may not be the first thing you’d think of to pair with Turkey, but it sure does an amazing job around the table; and let’s not forget that it’s actually the same grape as Syrah. I think the trick is not trying to pair an overly extracted bruiser of a Shiraz (of which there are many coming out of Australia) with turkey. What sold me on this pairing, the first time, was with a sausage and mushroom stuffing—talk about a perfect pairing. (For a really interesting twist, try a dry, sparkling Shiraz.)

2010 Pure Love Wines Shiraz Layer Cake - The nose showed blackberry jam on toast, vanilla, sweet spices and a hint of pine. On the palate, it was soft with vibrant acidity, ripe wild berries, cola and pepper assaulting the senses, which turned to sour blackberry on the finish. (88 points) Find it on Wine-Searcher!