Loveblock is the latest chapter to unfold in the remarkable Kim and Erica Crawford story.
Moving on from the staggering success of their own label, they are today focusing on two very elevated spots in the Awatere Valley where they are making very terroir-focused wines.
Sited in such stunning scenery, Erica and Kim adopted organic processes to produce their precious, pristine offerings, allowing the remarkable sites to be fully expressed in their remarkable wines. As they say themselves: “We have learnt that the rhythm of the land is immoveable, that we need to submit to it and respect it to get the best from it.”
Organic grape cultivation eschews the use of synthetic fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers, and other artificial processes. The wines themselves are regulated through legislation that can vary from country to country. One of these certification challenges is derived from the USA, where wine and food are conflated under organic regulations.
There, in order to protect various food products, the term ‘organic wine’ can not be applied because of the sulphur present, resulting in the designation ‘made from organic grapes’. We encounter that in New Zealand when the producer labels both their domestic and exported product with the one label. Labelling confusion aside, organic wines are strong in New Zealand with a now impressive 10% of total production organic.
Certification is important. Whilst transitioning to fully certified organic, producers may refer to ‘being in transition’. The two certifications recognised in New Zealand are BioGro and AsureQuality.
Loveblock wines are certified organic and the feature winery at Dida’s this month.
DIDA’S, 60 Jervois Road, T: 09 376 2813, www.didaswinelounge.co.nz
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Published 4 March 2022