Two Paddocks Picnic Riesling, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2019

Featuring the Proprietor’s Grandfather, Sydney Neill – Wine Merchant, on the label, Picnic Riesling is our perennial favourite and a wonderful introduction to the pleasure of Central Otago Riesling. We think it is just as much a dinner wine as a luncheon – equally enjoyable at home outdoors, as at the Captain’s Table. Organically grown on two small blocks at Two Paddocks home vineyard (HQ), The Red Bank Farm & Vineyard, in Earnscleugh Alexandra. Hand harvested and crafted in to a delicious off-dry fresh style appealing to just about everyone on the planet…

Vintage Comment:
Two Paddocks 2018 harvest will be remembered as the earliest picking date on record. A warm spring that quickly turned in to a hot summer with much warmer night time temperatures than are typically experienced in Alexandra. Ideal conditions over flowering, which was a month early, began on the 20th November. Again, perfect growing conditions meant veraison also began a month early on the 20th January and then the extreme heat and dry finished abruptly on the 1st February. Cooler temperatures over February / March thankfully slowed ripening down and intensified flavour development, but harvest still began nearly a month earlier than typical on the 14th March and was over by the 11th April.

Accolades:
91 Points James Suckling.com, Nick Stock Contributing Editor