Jurassic Ridge
Waiheke Island
Facts.
First Vintage: 2005
Scale: 1.6 Hectares… Gigantic!
Range: Syrah, Montepulciano, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, Rosé
Cellar Door: Yes, a quick walk from the ferry terminal
“Typically we do 6-9 years of bottle-ageing in the cellar before release – to allow slow, natural development in the bottle”
About
“Our philosophy in the vineyard is to strive for continuous improvements in quality every year – we have no interest in quantity!”
Jurassic Ridge grows Syrah, Montepulciano, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Grigio (4,000 holes dug by hand. All hand planted…). The vineyard is located on the Western Approaches of Waiheke Island in a unique mesoclimate which is similar to that of Bordeaux. The vineyard – sits precisely on the ridge line – on a residual core or root of an ancient tectonically-folded mountain once more than 3,000 metres high – which is predominantly composed of massive, 5,000m deep, sequences of greywacke sediments from the Upper Jurassic period some 155 million years ago. These are injected here and there with basaltic lavas from deep in the ocean trench. The resulting iron and magnesium rich cracking clay soils derived from these rocks – not unlike those of Burgundy – are also blessed with layers of volcanic ash from nearby Rangitoto eruptions 600 years ago. Ideal for viticulture. Think Bordeaux on Burgundy plus volcanics! Terroir Magic!
Lance (owner/winemaker) wanted to find another block to grow different grapes in optimal terroir. In 2016 they found a small block in the Waihope Valley, in the Southern Valleys sub-region of Marlborough, where they planted Sauvignon Blanc on two ancient river terraces composed of windblown glacial loess sils over stony riverbed deposits and alpine Jurassic greywacke. Their Sauvignon Blanc is lees-aged Sancerre style, made from whole bunch pressed grapes that are handpicked from low-cropped single fruiting cordons. Lance only ever makes this wine when the grapes are in excellent condition.
Jurassic Ridge/Terrace wines are truly out of this world. They are all natural, 100% single vineyard, single varietal, single vintage (no blending from other vineyards or vintages). Lance’s emphasis on finding optimal terroir shows in his wines, you can taste it, your senses can feel the quality. Simply, a must try (over and over again).
“Our speciality wines are natural, 100% pure single vineyard, single varietal, single vintage wines i.e. with no blending from other vineyards or vintages. Our current release natural ‘slow wines’ that are available from our online shop at www.jurassicridge.co.nz and widely shipped internationally and nationally” – Lance, Winemaker
