‘Waitaki Wine Doctors see double’
Drs John Forrest of Forrest Wines and Jim Jerram of Ostler Wines are today celebrating double successes with gold medals
for their 2010 Waitaki Valley Pinot Noirs.
Awarded by the prestigious 2013 London International Wine Challenge, this echoes the 2012 event when the John Forrest
Collection 2009 Pinot Noir was awarded a gold medal together with the Ostler Caroline 2009 Pinot Noir 2012 also winning
gold at the equivalent event in Shanghai.
Waitaki Valley in New Zealand’s picturesque North Otago, was first planted in 2001 and the vineyards are mostly small,
intensively managed and produce a range of distinctive cool-climate wines. The key viticultural characteristics are the
area’s cool climate with warm summers and long, usually dry, autumn seasons. Its geological origins are complex with
limestone, alluvial greywacke and schist being found in close proximity at different sites.
John Forrest, delighted with the result said, “This second success really solidifies the credentials of the Waitaki
Valley as a world-class wine-growing region, producing wines that can truly capture what it is that makes great Pinot
Noir.” He continues, “Whilst challenging from a viticultural perspective, it reinforces the maxim that the greatest
expression of a grape variety often comes from its ability to ripen under extreme conditions.”
Jim Jerram, owner of Ostler Wines explains, “For us this is the culmination of 13 years of working closely with our
viticulturalist and winemaking brother-in-law, Jeff Sinnott whose vision when we prospected in 1998, has been fulfilled.
It is also about our dedicated and enthusiastic team who produce wonderful fruit under very challenging, ultracool
viticultural conditions.”
As a further endorsement, Jim said, “At Pinot Noir 2013 in Wellington in January it was clear Waitaki Pinots stood out
as a distinct style. It prompted one of the US's most influential Pinot critic’s Matt Kramer to write lyrical about the
Ostler Caroline in his column over two successive months of 'Wine Spectator'.”
ends