Author: Lin

30 July 2024 in Blue Earth Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Blue Earth Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Rosé

Are you organic?  We tried.

We are big believers that good wine comes from healthy soils and healthy plants.  It is a guiding principle for how we manage our vineyard.  Many years ago we decided to give going organic a try.  The only significant change we had to make was to stop using herbicides on grass and weeds under the vines.  Many of the other issues could be managed by intensive canopy management.

So began a three-year trial of using alternative grass and weed control measures.  Winter was easy.  We could run sheep in the vineyard.  But they had to be out before bud burst in Spring. 

24 June 2024 in Uncategorised

We love them and we hate them

Our 25-year celebration story this month is about birds. That joyful song we regularly hear when we step outside becomes ominous when grapes or olives are ripening.  They can decimate a crop. Either by eating the berries or olives (starlings, thrushes and blackbirds), or pecking holes (waxeyes) which allows disease to develop.

When we first started growing grapes, most vineyards were using side nets. Long rolls of netting that we would stretch out either side of the row of vines, covering up the fruit. We were assured that so long as we pulled it tight and clipped it well at the bottom, that our grapes would be safe.

6 May 2024 in Blue Earth Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Rosé

Harvesting – Is it the best time of the season?

Usually the answer is yes, but sometimes it has been challenging.

There are a few harvests that really stand out in our memory.  One of them was our first harvest.  We were still at the naive and inexperienced stage.  We had been walking up and down admiring this beautiful fruit for weeks.  Then the harvesting crew came in with a professional eye.  Fruit that wasn’t good enough was dropped.  Fruit that showed any sign of not being ripe enough was ignored.  Shoulders on bunches were cut off, as they weren’t ripe enough to go into the wine.  Berries which the birds had pecked through the nets were flicked off. 

20 December 2023 in Blue Earth Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Medals for all three of Blue Earth Olive oils

We were delighted to get medals for all three of Blue Earth Olive oils at the New Zealand olive oil awards.  The Tuscan blend got a gold, and the Classic and Intense blends won silver.  The judges described the Tuscan blend as “Vibrant aromas of black pepper, almond and rocket that transfer well to the palate.  Lovely in the mouth with a long lingering finish”.

Purchase Blue Earth Olive Oil

Gold Award at New Zealand Extra Virgin Olive Oil Awards (2022) for Blue Earth Tuscan Blend Olive Oil


7 April 2022 in Blue Earth Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Rosé

Good advice for visiting the Wairarapa

Cameron Douglas’s good advice for visiting the Wairarapa.

“I recommend two-three full days are needed to explore the region properly. With huge smiles and welcoming hospitality in so many places, great wine, in fact, fine wine alongside some excellent dining options, a trip to the Wairarapa should be a destination goal for 2022.”

Where to visit in the wonderful Wairarapa — Cameron Douglas, MS
A trip to the Wairarapa should be a destination goal for 2022…