Lismore Vineyard has a new owner with a long-term ambition – to make great Syrah from Martinborough’s revered stony soils.
Global wine consumption may be in decline while climate change and a glut of wine supply cast a shadow on the wine horizon but there is promise ahead, says Nga Waka winery owner Jay Short, who has invested in the long established Lismore Vineyard in Martinborough.
The purchase of the three hectare Lismore site was announced in February this year by Jay and his partner, Peggy Dupey; co-owners of Nga Waka Wines. This brings Nga Waka’s own vineyard sites to six in total, along with two leased vineyards, giving the winery 28 hectares to draw on each year.
“It is great to acquire a prime site in the heart of the Martinborough Terraces. This vineyard has an excellent track record of producing top quality grapes and we are very excited to have the opportunity to own it. The combination of a warm, sheltered site and free draining soils are ideal for high quality wines for Nga Waka,” says Jay.
New wave from Lismore
New investment in the Lismore site will see the removal of its current plantings of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris later this year. The vineyard will be replanted in Pinot Noir and Syrah, in 2027.
Nga Waka winemaker Paul Mason is excited about the prospect of producing Syrah in the region.
Nga Waka winemaker Paul Mason is excited about the prospect of producing Syrah in the region. Lismore Vineyard is a small sheltered site with free draining soils, which favour ripening by aiding both draining in wet periods and warmth in dry ones, thanks to the plentiful stony ground, which absorbs heat, which aids ripening.
Syrah is a later ripening red grape variety than Pinot Noir (the leading grape in the Wairarapa) but there have been several Syrah’s made in the region to date, albeit in small volumes from Ata Rangi, Cambridge Road, Coney, Dry River Wines, Kusuda, Johner, Luna, Martinborough Vineyard and Schubert.
Hodson says the Nga Waka team has been keen to plant Syrah for a few years. “We are confident we can produce a pretty good wine with the right clones on the right site and when Lismore came on the market, it gave us the perfect opportunity to replant with Syrah.”
WINE OF THE MONTH
2022 Cambridge Road Rosso Syrah RRP $35-ish
Dry, fresh and crisp may sound more like a chillable red than a classic full throttle Syrah and Cambridge Road winemaker Lance Redgwell has cleverly combined both qualities in this innovative twist on the big red wine theme. This wine is made from grapes grown in Hawke’s Bay but with a Martinborough market in mind. It was given a short extraction time on skins, which brings a light ruby hue and medium level of tannin to add a grippy finish that flatters this wine on hot days and cool nights.
