Originating in 2012 as a side project for Theo Cole when he was working as the winemaker at Mountford Estate in New Zealand, the wines of The Hermit Ram (named after a favourite etching hanging in Theo’s house) have always been made with a consideration for terroir and natural farming. The fruit is selected from various small parcels around the Waipara Valley and Canterbury and Theo strives to use a hands on method with minimal additions. Each parcel is processed and approached differently as the unique expression of each resulting wine is paramount. In the past New Zealand was often lumped into the group of ‘new world’ countries mass producing wines that showed little flair or individuality. Happily the wines of The Hermit Ram and other NZ supporters of minimal intervention/high personality wine growing are here to change that opinion for the better, championing a more natural, ethical approach to farming and striving to produce wines of great character and even greater drinkability.
Ripe, expressive macerated sauvignon blanc from Canterbury. A far cry from what some less-than-respectable Aussies might call b*tch diesel. Enough about the management here, though. This wine has bursting tropical fruit character and lots of freshness.
