Wine With Wanda

Love Leads at Loveblock Winery in New Zealand

 

"Going organic is a choice, and for us, feels like the right thing to do. Our intention is to nurture the ecosystem of the soil and the vines and give back to its roots as naturally as possible. Ultimately, I believe the resulting wine is better and truer to its terroir.”
 Erica Crawford, Founder & CEO of Loveblock Winery

When Erica and Kim Crawford stood on the hills high above the hustle and bustle of Marlborough's Awatere Valley, they fell in love with the breathtaking view below and the untamed land at their feet. They aren't kidding when they say "Loveblock was forged from a love affair with a view and a challenge."

When Erica founded Loveblock, she hired the best winemaker she knows -- her husband and award-winning winemaker Kim Crawford. I met Kim several months ago and his commitment to authentic and quality winemaking has earned him well-deserved accolades in New Zealand and around the globe. 

I recently interviewed Erica for my Instagram Live series. Watch the video above or on YouTube. During our conversation, we discussed Loveblock's commitment to low intervention farming, which they believe enables the wine to show its true and naked terroir. We also discussed Erica's disdain for wine snobs! You'll even learn why so many wines from New Zealand are bottled under screw cap. Grab a bottle of Loveblock, watch the video, and discover why “Loveblock is a true love story, it is one of depth and dedication." Erica and I tasted three Loveblock wines during our chat. 


Loveblock Pinot Gris 2018, Marlborough ($22.99) 
Dry but fruit-forward with lingering flavors of stone fruit and lime. Quite luscious! 
 

Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Marlborough ($28)
Not aggressively zesty but absolutely vibrant, this elegant Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and juicy with flavors of white peach, tropical fruits, and a hint of herbs. 2% Pinot Gris in the blend adds a lush roundness. Rated 90 points by Wine Spectator and recently featured as their Wine Pick of the Day.


Loveblock Pinot Noir 2018, Central Otago ($29.99)
Rated 93 points by Wine Spectator and #46 on their Top 100 Wines of 2019, this medium-bodied Pinot Noir has vibrant red fruit flavors and a hint of earthy mushroom. 

A True Taste of Alsace: A Conversation with Winemaker Eddy Leiber-Faller of Domaine Weinbach

 

Winemaker Eddy Leiber-Faller of Domaine Weinbach in Alsace, France was the special guest on the fifth episode of Wine With Wanda on Instagram Live. Planted with vines since the 9th century and established as a winery in 1612 by Capuchin Friars, Domaine Weinbach was acquired by the Faller brothers in 1898 and has been in the family ever since.


100% Pinot Gris. "Subtle and delicate nose of honey, with smoky and buttery notes.
Rich and well-structured on the palate, with a creamy and rich texture to finish." 

Watch our chat and tasting here or on YouTube. We sipped Domaine Weinbach Pinot Gris Cuvée Laurence 2017 ($56.99) and Domaine Weinbach Riesling Schlossberg Grand Cru Cuvee Ste. Catherine 2017 ($64.99) while discussing Eddy's return to the family business after a career abroad in banking, the charms of Alsace, and biodynamic and organic winemaking. Eddy even gave me some recipe tips!

 Did you know that Alsace is one of the most geologically diverse regions in the world and has 13 distinct soil types? Those soils really imbue wines from Alsace with a tremendous mineral character and the region is renowned for their superb white wines. Domaine Weinbach is an excellent example of the beauty of wines from Alsace. 


100% Riesling from 40-60-year old vines."Elegant and balanced, this wine reveals delicate floral aromas with a mouth- watering minerality. This full-bodied Riesling holds a lean acidity which is well-suited to food pairing."

Can't Buy Me Love But I'll Take a Bottle of Loveblock Wine!

Many of my friends tease me about being a hopeless romantic and I'm fine with that. One of the many reasons that I adore chatting with winemakers is their tendency to share my full wine glass perspective on life - why do anything halfway? Love and Mother Nature are the most powerful forces on the planet and devoting one's life to winemaking requires an optimistic but strong spirit that can withstand Mother Nature's mercurial moods. Whether the harvest is magnificently perfect or heartbreakingly challenging, a winemaker maintains a loving, patient, and respectful bond with nature. Erica Crawford of Loveblock brings all of this and more to the beautiful wines that she and her winemaker husband, the renowned Kim Crawford, produce in New Zealand. 

"We want to make the best wine we can, wine that speaks with the voice of naked terroir. To do this I hired the best winemaker I know." - Erica Crawford

Committed as partners in life and business, Erica and Kim also share a special connection with their vineyards, perched high on the hills overlooking Marlborough's Awatere Valley. The Crawfords purchased the untamed terrain in 2006 and as it was being cultivated, using organic and sustainable practices, Erica began to affectionately refer to it with the pet-name Loveblock. 


“I am Erica’s husband and the winemaker here at Loveblock. Making wine is really the only thing I have ever done; I’ve been doing it for almost 30 years now." - Kim Crawford
image courtesy of Loveblock

For the Crawfords, winemaking is a labour of love and passion and their wine absolutely expresses this energy. Elegant without pretension, Loveblock wines are evocative reminders that real wine tells a story. 

 Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc 2017 ($21.99)
An elegantly restrained Sauvignon Blanc that is vibrant but not aggressively zingy. Beautifully balanced stone fruit, tropical, and herbal flavors are supported by refreshing acidity and mineral texture. 


Loveblock Pinot Gris 2014 ($21.99)
And the fantastic flavor lingers on and on in this charming expression of Pinot Gris. Fresh but nuanced with an approachable complexity. 

Loveblock Pinot Noir 2014 ($29.99)
New Zealand has become one of my favorite regions for Pinot Noir and Loveblock's is stellar. Fruit-forward but quite sultry with plenty of finesse. 

To learn more about Loveblock, visit their website. Cheers! 

Wanda's Wine of the Week: Terlato's Flavorful and Far-From-Boring Pinot Grigio Friuli 2016

Each week I taste quite an array of standout wines, so picking just one to showcase is no easy feat. Quality is always of utmost consideration but I'm also drawn to wines that surprise me in the very best ways. New varietals, small producers, and lesser known-regions are always intriguing. But I also appreciate beautifully crafted classics and well-made wines that offer great value. The choices for Wanda's Wine of the Week will be hard to predict but that's part of the fun. Cheers! 

I know, I know - you're wondering how a Pinot Grigio could possibly be my wine of the week selection. Just the other day I published an article encouraging you to try Italian white wines that ARE NOT Pinot Grigio. I absolutely stand by my advice to explore as many Italian wines as possible but don't get it twisted -- I am NOT anti-Pinot Grigio. Yes, I'm against boring and badly made Pinot Grigio wines that exploit the immense popularity of this ubiquitous varietal but offer very little flavor and nuance. However, I AM a fan of beautifully made Pinot Grigio that expresses a sense of place and displays vibrant flavors and textures. And when I find a Pinot Grigio with personality and finesse, I get really excited and have to let you know all about it. Terlato Pinot Grigio Friuli DOC 2016 ($22.99) is such a wine.

Terlato's vineyards in Friuli Colli Orientali
image courtesy of Terlato

Produced from grapes grown in hillside vineyards in Friuli, a region in the northeast of Italy which is widely recognized as one of the finest for the cultivation of Pinot Grigio, Terlato Pinot Grigio has lively aromas and crisp & fruity flavors.

Clad in their signature plaid shirts, meet vine pruners extraordinaire Pierpaolo Sirch & Marco Simonit- the winemaking team behind Terlato Pinot Grigio.

Terlato Pinot Grigio winemakers Marco Simonit and Pierpaolo Sirch are renowned agronomists who are in demand around the world for their immense skill in nurturing healthy vines that grow expressive and quality grapes. This dynamic duo's talent and expertise are on full display in Terlato's impressive Pinot Grigio with its exuberant flavors of white peach, melon, pear, and apricot that are balanced by crisp minerality and bright acidity. Say arrivederci to boring Pinot Grigio and give this elegant beauty from Terlato a swirl! 

Loveblock Makes New Zealand Wines with Heart & Soul

“Loveblock is a true love story,” founder & CEO Erica Crawford said,” it is one of depth and dedication." 

A conversation with Loveblock winery founder Erica Crawford reminds you that love isn't just an emotion - it can be a catalyst for creating something truly special. When wine industry veteran Erica and her award-winning winemaker husband Kim stood on the hills overlooking Marlborough's Awatere Valley in New Zealand, they fell in love with the stunning view. They purchased the property in 2006 and to make the wines, Erica jokes that she “hired the best winemaker I know – my husband." They devoted themselves to creating authentic wines from the wild terrain that had stolen their hearts and the result of their commitment can be tasted in how eloquently Loveblock wines express a sense of place.


“The land has its own rhythm and we respect that,” Erica says. “We don’t try to change that rhythm. We submit to that and the deep, intimate relationship it demands from those who work the land. We are the custodians of the land, and our reward is the elegant, yet complex wines made from the grapes we grow.”

Sauvignon Blanc put New Zealand on the map for wine lovers but not all are created equal. The global popularity of the wine has flooded the market with many industrial wines but Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc is an ode to quality winemaking.


Grown in accordance with organic certification standards, Loveblock's Sauvignon Blanc grapes are sourced from estate vineyards in Marlborough. While many Sauvignon Blancs from New Zealand can be aggressively grassy, Loveblock is proof of the power of subtlety. Pale and almost clear, it has luscious flavors of white peach with just a hint of herbaceousness and outstanding minerality. Pair with fresh oysters, sashimi, and virtually any light & fresh seafood dish. Suggested retail price for Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc 2015 is $24.


Another beauty from the Loveblock portfolio is their deliciously dry Pinot Gris. Its delicate flavors of lime and green tea paired brilliantly with this dish of sea scallop ceviche from Grand Banks in New York City. An absolutely delightful wine that is perfect for al fresco dining. Suggested retail price for Loveblock Pinot Gris 2013 is $26.99



I'm having quite a love affair with Pinot Noir from New Zealand and Loveblock is one I can commit to! Sourced from their Someone's Darling estate way down south in Central Otago, this wine showcases dark fruit flavors with a touch of spice. Balanced and luscious with a lively acidity, this wine is so easy to love. Suggested retail price for Loveblock Pinot Noir 2012 is $34.


Kim and Erica Crawford

"Our vineyards, one at the north end of New Zealand’s South Island, the other at the south end, might be hundreds of miles apart, but love surely connects them" says Kim.  


Visit the Loveblock website to learn more about their wines. Cheers!