By Cameron Douglas MS

What do you need to establish a quality wine brand in New Zealand? For me it includes vision, the right soil, well tended vines, a very good winemaker and a business mind overseeing the balance sheet. If you haven’t heard of Mt Beautiful wines and the Cheviot Hills take note!
A relatively new wine sub-region in North Canterbury, the Cheviot Hills lie a little further north than the Waipara area and close to whale watching Kaikoura.
The entire land area between the Waiau and Hurunui rivers (which is a considerable amount) was once solely owned by William Robinson. After his death in the late 19th Century the government historically acquired the land as part of a project, dividing it up into smaller parcels to promote and settle more people into animal farming and crops. In 2004 The Teece family made the next step when they planted vines for wine.
A cool temperate climate, warm summers, manageable rainfall, ample sunshine and a soil based on mudstone, under gravel and silt loams convinced the Teece clan this was the right decision. I agree. Satellite and topical views of the land reveal a specific and challenging vineyard layout. The proximity to the river and a series of micro-climes based on plantings at 12.5 to 67 metres makes for an intriguing terrôir.
At the helm in the winery is consultant Sam Weaver. Sam is the co-owner and wine maker for the Churton brand (Marlborough) and his passion for sauvignon blanc and pinot noir are particularly reflected in the quality of the Mt Beautiful wines.
With three key varietals in the portfolio Mt Beautiful is well placed to focus on quality. Riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot noir are all well suited to the South Island’s cool climate conditions. Some pinot gris is planted as well. All wines are closed with screw tops and the simple, yet tasteful wine labels feature a particular script based on the handwriting of Allan Teece (the father of founder David Teece).
Tasting the wines reveals strong attention to detail.
The North Canterbury Riesling 2007 has aromas of citrus and apple with a rock/granite minerality and signs of complexity as the wine starts to mature a little. There is a light lees note and a terpene edge. The palate is firm and dry with a youthful acid grip – this wine will reward if cellared. Flavours are reflected on the palate in a crisp and firm finish.
The Sauvignon Blanc ’08 Cheviot Hills has vibrant, youthful aromatics with lashings of tropical fruits especially mango and passion fruit and a herbaceous Marlborough-esque feel. The palate is equally vibrant with racy acidity, a touch of minerality and plenty of charm. Strong fruit finish with a medium plus length. A great aperitif wine to pair well with vivacious, fresh food – oysters with fresh lemon juice spring to mind.
The Pinot Noir 2007 has a dark ruby red centre with purple highlights. On the nose there are dark stone fruit aromas of black-forest cherry and doris plum followed by a spicy oak hit. On the palate the wine is dry with strong ripe fruit character, juicy sweet cherry, a touch of cola, dried and fresh herb nuances – medium weight, chewy youthful fruit tannins and oak. Will easily contrast medium-rare meats with an earthy theme to the dish.
For restaurateurs I could recommend all three wines, but if you had to make a choice it would be pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. These balanced, well-made wines have a great future in the local market (as well as internationally) if they continue to develop in the direction they have indicated.