This wine was received as a tasting sample.
2013 Loveblock Pinot Noir, Central Otago — medium ruby in the glass with earthy, blackberry aromas and just a hint of smokiness. Dusty earth, blackberries, hints of berry bramble are supported by silky tannins and lively acidity. The finish is moderate in length and the weight of the wine is on the light side of medium. 13.5% abv. SRP $37
The Loveblock Pinot Noir offers me everything I enjoy in Pinot — relatively light body, silky tannins and earthy, berry bramble and blackberry flavors. All of these qualities make this wine easy to enjoy on its own and makes it a lovely companion to food. One of my favorite Pinot Noir pairings is pizza and the Loveblock made the perfect match for our grilled chicken and bacon pizza topped with avocado and mixed greens. Salad, pizza and wine all together. Perfect.
Loveblock is the creation of Erica and Kim Crawford, who are no longer associated with the brand bearing Kim’s name. This labor of love is rooted in the hillside vineyards of Loveblock Farm overlooking the Awatere Valley in New Zealand’s Marlborough wine region. In addition, Erica and Kim are farming 20 acres of Pinot Noir in Central Otago further south on the South Island of New Zealand. This vineyard, which is dedicated to Pinot Noir and called Someone’s Darling, is the source of the Pinot Noir in this bottling.
To lend increased complexity, Someone’s Darling is planted to a variety of Pinot Noir clones. Soils are sand over schist in this, the warmest, portion of Central Otago. Someone’s Darling vineyard is farmed sustainably and is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ). Viticultural practices at Loveblock Farm above the Awatere Valley follow organic principles and the vineyards are certified by BioGro New Zealand.
In case you’re curious about the name of the vineyard, I was, this from the Loveblock website gives us an explanation:
We named the block “Someone’s Darling” as legend holds the following: in the mid-1800s, a local farmer found the body of a young man on a nearby property. He buried him and for the lack of name, identity or kin, he simply engraved on the coarse wooden cross “Someone’s Darling”.
It must be thrilling for Erica and Kim Crawford to turn the page and begin such an exciting, new chapter in their wine life. Tasting this delightful Pinot Noir and learning their story has made me curious about the other wines in the Loveblock line up. Based on the quality of this 100% Pinot Noir I would not hesitate to choose a Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc, both of which also are widely distributed, from Loveblock.
Cheers!
I did not know that Kim was no longer associated with Kim Crawford. When did that happen? I’m curious because I have an opinion on the wine past to present
I believe it was about 2003. Here is a reference: http://www.magazinestoday.co.nz/loveblock/ There is a lot happening in the wine world and it is hard to keep up. I didn’t realize they had left the brand either. I always learn so much when writing a post about the wines we taste. Cheers, Lori!