Pinot Noir – the most expressive of all
Here we look at the interesting story behind Pinot Noir and why Grasshopper Rock is dedicated to Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is one of the world’s oldest known grapes and its origins go back centuries to northeast France and most notably the Burgundy and Champagne regions. It seems likely Pinot Noir originated from the domestication […]
Age worthy Pinot Noir
Older Grasshopper Rock vintage goes from strength to strength Grasshopper Rock’s 2013 vintage pinot noir keeps on giving ten years on. Back in 2013 when this vineyard was only 10 years old we did not know with any certainty how well the wine would age and we certainly did not anticipate the wine would still […]
Open That Bottle Night – 25 Feb
At Grasshopper Rock we are big fans of the annual Open That Bottle Night Open That Bottle Night is the one day of the year to make sure you open that bottle. That bottle is the one you have saved, been given, or carefully purchased for a special occasion but still haven’t opened. The last […]
New flagship label
“A new flagship label from this highly acclaimed Alexandra producer” When this Block 6 Pinot Noir was first reviewed, Bob Campbell MW rated the wine 95/100 and Raymond Chan rated the wine 19.0/20. Five years later Bob Campbell MW has raised his rating to 96/100. “The wine has become mellower and more complex”. Why make […]
Sideways NZ
“Even when the weather isn’t good it’s still wonderful. I grew up in San Diego. Every day is the same. Blue skies, no clouds, little rain, slightly colder (but not much) in the winter; blue skies, no clouds, little rain, slightly warmer (but not much) in the summer. There are no seasons. It is meteorologically monochromatic […]
Grasshopper Rock from the air
On an autumn day in Central Otago the air is crisp and clear and the colours vibrant. It is the ideal time to be airborne and capture some views of Grasshopper Rock. Our friend Roger Bennett captured these images while out on a CAA approved flight. I will point out the local geography and history […]
One love – Michael Cooper, NZ Listener
The world’s southernmost vineyards
Grasshopper Rock is one of the southernmost vineyards in the world and is situated at 45.25 degree south latitude. We have always claimed that there are no vineyards any further south in the world and have found no evidence to suggest otherwise. At the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium (ICCWS) held in England in May […]
Grasshopper Rock flies high with Emirates
From the Central Otago News desk of Pam Jones: An Alexandra basin vineyard is believed to have made the biggest wine sale ever recorded in Central Otago to an international airline. PAM JONES reports. A record breaking wine sale by Earnscleugh vineyard Grasshopper Rock will put new eyes on Central Otago’s wine industry and create […]
Cool spring ahead for vintage 2016?
There is a high probability of a cool spring and lower yielding vintage in Central Otago this year. The challenge will be to achieve good yields on the vines but there is no reason for the vintage not to be of outstanding quality. Expect a colder than average spring, especially October to December, followed by […]