Friday was a big day. I took some friends of ours up to the Daniel Schuster winery (well worth a visit by anyone passing through Waipara), and we were able to taste a barrel sample of Limestone Hills’ first wine (thanks Tom and Marie). A big moment. Nervous, moi? A little, perhaps, so don’t expect analytical tasting notes. After six months in the barrel (there’s only one), it’s a very pleasing tipple. Elegant, I’d say, with a good complex nose. Delicate, not a big, dark blockbuster. I’m biased, of course, but it’s a wine I’ll be very happy to drink on a regular basis. Should be bottled before next year’s harvest, and we’ll have 11 or 12 cases to put in the shed that passes for a cellar. I don’t plan to sell any, but bottles will be available for friends and anyone dining with us will probably get more of it than they really want. I’ll have more detailed tasting notes after bottling.

The name’s based on the geology of the vineyard. A large active fault cuts across it, dividing the solid limestone that underlies the farmhouse and cottage from the more rubbly, but still lime-rich subsoil beneath the main truffiere. I have all summer to design a label…