{"id":7619,"date":"2023-01-25T06:28:58","date_gmt":"2023-01-24T17:28:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=7619"},"modified":"2023-01-25T06:28:58","modified_gmt":"2023-01-24T17:28:58","slug":"winemaker-series-greg-lane","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/?p=7619","title":{"rendered":"Winemaker series: Greg Lane"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7619\" class=\"elementor elementor-7619\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-082bb19 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"082bb19\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-113a804\" data-id=\"113a804\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9239171 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9239171\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>I\u2019ve taken my trusty Pinot-guru <b>Curt Thomas<\/b> along on a trip to Central, and we\u2019re at the iconic Mt Difficulty Tasting Room on Felton Road in Bannockburn, for a bite to eat, and a pre-lunch tasting and chat with winemaker Greg Lane.<\/p><p><b>Greg Lane<\/b>: What are you tasting?<\/p><p><b>WineFolio<\/b>: I went for the Chardonnay, and Curt is on the Long Gully Chenin Blanc. I have been here before and chatted to Matt Dicey before having a very nice lunch last time &#8211; we\u2019re repeating that trick again today, before heading over to the Calvert Vineyard.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>Where were you before you took the hot seat here &#8211; it was Amisfield wasn\u2019t it? I\u2019d been trying to track you down when you were there.<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: Yes, I\u2019ve had a few jobs since coming over from Adelaide. New Zealand is home for me now. I was in Marlborough with Foley Wines for a bit, and then came down to Central. When Matt finished up it gave me a good opportunity here. I\u2019m pretty happy to end up at this famous winery &#8211; it\u2019s awesome.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: We don\u2019t hear quite so much about Mt Difficulty in Auckland as we perhaps used to? I know people couldn\u2019t travel down here for months, during the pandemic. Did the restaurant close completely during that time?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-187dd5a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"187dd5a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fc20752\" data-id=\"fc20752\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74a6e45 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"74a6e45\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"551\" src=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721-1024x768.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-7620\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12721.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1d0a83d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1d0a83d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-4233743\" data-id=\"4233743\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fa98a95 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fa98a95\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>GL<\/b>: Well, New Zealand is still our biggest market by a long way. It did, but at least it came back. And we\u2019re about to build a whole new room starting in May next year.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: I\u2019m sure I heard about that. Because on a beautiful day it seems like there\u2019s lots of room here, but on a not-beautiful day, and everyone inside, it gets quite tight for space.<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: Yes, it can be a cosy tasting room. And we have to be mindful to offer different types of experiences. Kiwis sometimes want something a little more relaxed &#8211; so a glass of wine and pizzas on this side; and keep the restaurant side separate. The other thing we\u2019ve done in terms of adapting, is to get our online sales right &#8211; and as a group we\u2019ve worked to get that right.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1f4449c\" data-id=\"1f4449c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a6333c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9a6333c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>And the development in Martinborough is still going. I was up there two weekends ago, and they\u2019ve got to the stage of lining the inside\u2026 so it is up and out of the ground. They\u2019re talking about April 2023. It looks awesome, and it is great for the region.<\/p><p>There\u2019s a little bit of Chenin in Central Otago, and I think it is a great variety for down here. It\u2019s in that off-dry style but retains good acidity. It is from Long Gully just down the end in Bannockburn. The Sauvignon is primarily from Bannockburn as well &#8211; all hand-picked and wild-fermented in tank. We get fruit purity but retain texture. They tend to be a little more tropical, with a little more hang time. Good weight and texture, and I think we get a nice edge from the lees contact.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-16364ce elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"16364ce\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c4a7298\" data-id=\"c4a7298\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c17c50b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c17c50b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>For our ros\u00e9, it is all Abel clone Pinot, and it is from our Swansong vineyard down the end of Felton Road. Because it is so close to Mt Difficulty at the end of the gorge it loses the sun quite early. So west-facing but a fairly cool site and beautiful for ros\u00e9. All hand-picked and wild fermented in barrel. Looking for texture with a nice lift in the fruit, but it is that weight from the barrel ferment that makes a difference.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: You have a vineyard up in Bendigo don\u2019t you? We were up at Prophet\u2019s Rock yesterday and I was trying to recall what the other vineyards were.<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: Yes, the Ghost Town vineyard. It is next door to Prophet\u2019s Rock. It\u2019s an amazing view, and quite different even though it\u2019s only fifteen minutes down the road. One of the reasons I came back to Central Otago was the fact that you have such varied sub-regions to make wine from. And in Bannockburn it is all about the different soil types in a very close area. We\u2019ve got the four single vineyards &#8211; Pipeclay, Mansons Farm, Long Gully and Target Gully. (Points at a map) &#8211; there to there is about 200 metres &#8211; that\u2019s on clay, that\u2019s on gravel, that\u2019s on deep loam, and that\u2019s alluvial.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-729cc9b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"729cc9b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a7521b\" data-id=\"9a7521b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81b0970 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"81b0970\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-7623\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Bannockburn-and-Roaring-Meg-Pinot-Noir.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3f3b8ae elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3f3b8ae\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b8ca0b4\" data-id=\"b8ca0b4\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5b4458a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5b4458a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>WF<\/b>: Is there a pressure &#8211; or more pressure &#8211; to perform in a group like Foley Wines? They want to have those tiers of product from your \u2018Roaring Meg\u2019 up to the $100 single vineyard wines and that scope; but is there a pressure to deliver all those price points, varietals and medals? Are you quite marketing or strategy-led\u2026 or can you just make the best wine you can and hope that people will like it?<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: What we work really hard on, as a group, is establishing a similar language about what we think good, or quality, wine is. The medals and the awards and stuff are probably more important at the entry-level, supermarket wines. One of the important things with Foley as a company is that we don\u2019t behave like a classic corporate &#8211; with an overarching winemaker and they determine what everything is going to be like. We\u2019ve got five wineries with five winemakers, and we\u2019ve got separate viticultural teams. All the back of house &#8211; bottling and warehousing is all combined.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: So you\u2019re getting the benefits of scale where you need it, but you\u2019re also being left alone where that is needed?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-c11520f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"c11520f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-10f7779\" data-id=\"10f7779\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a5b37c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8a5b37c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>GL<\/b>: It\u2019s a nice spot to be in. Keeping that individuality is part of the story.<\/p><p>I\u2019ll grab a Pinot for you &#8211; the Bannockburn 2020 is basically our flagship wine &#8211; it\u2019s what we\u2019re known for. Portions of whole bunch in the ferment is probably around 30% and in the final blend it often comes out to be around 10%.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: So whole bunch is something you\u2019re into, personally?<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: I am, yeah. I\u2019ll probably play around with it a little bit more. I like the spice and the perfume, and that ethereal lift that you get with whole bunch. That\u2019s just one little thing that I\u2019ve been working with. All the different ideas are important because it gives points of difference, interest and individuality to the wines, for sure.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6d76952\" data-id=\"6d76952\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e7b3be9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e7b3be9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>WF<\/b>: And do you think it takes a while, in the job, to start to understand it all &#8211; how what you\u2019re know working with all comes together?<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: I was listening to a podcast by Dominique Lafon from Burgundy, and he said it takes ten years to understand a vineyard. You need to see a few different vintages a couple of times before you know it. This wine comes from across Bannockburn. It probably ends up being about 70% Felton Road and 30% Cairnmuir Road. The Felton Road site tends to be a lot fleshier, with finer tannin and more red fruit spectrum. Whereas the Cairnmuir site is more schist-based soils &#8211; and not dissimilar to Bendigo type soils.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-226696f elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"226696f\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b952f15\" data-id=\"b952f15\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1209c0d elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"1209c0d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"490\" src=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir-1024x683.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-7625\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Mt-Difficukty-Bannockburn-Pinot-Noir.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-36187a8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"36187a8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c2b5726\" data-id=\"c2b5726\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dcc04b6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"dcc04b6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Bannockburn was never heavily glaciated. The Hawea glaciers came to about Northburn, but this area was never really mixed up by the glaciers. There are different stratas of clay &#8211; and if you see the blue-gray clay &#8211; that\u2019s clay from Lake Manuherikia &#8211; the historic lake that covered all of Central Otago. The gold that people came to mine was in the top layers, and in the sluicings you\u2019ll see these towers where they knew if they got to the blue clay they had gone too far.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p>So certainly a story much more about clay &#8211; a more fertile soil. And the Cairnmuir site can be more blockier, more structure and tannin. A bit simpler in their fruit profile, without the complexity of Felton. The cool 2020 vintage brings more acidity, and I really like that. The cool vintages tend to be the best for us, with that nice acidity, more restraint on the fruit and they age really well. A lot of people were worried about how light in colour they appear, but 2017 was also light when it was bottled. And this is the Ghost Town, from Bendigo. There\u2019s some real power and texture there. Lovely cola bottle, dark flavours and rockier tannin that you get from that schist.<\/p><p><b>WF<\/b>: Wow, it tastes of the place doesn\u2019t it? Rosehip, baked earth, root beer.<\/p><p><b>GL<\/b>: Also &#8211; this is a Long Gully 2017. Our oldest vineyard, which was the third vineyard planted in Bannockburn, after Felton Road and Olssens. It was pretty scrappy down here &#8211; just a few sheep and some briar before they put vines in. Long Gully for me is always the most even and has the best flow in terms of those single vineyards. It has that classic Bannockburn fruit, in the cherry spectrum, with good flesh on the palate and fine tannin. Even from a young age they seem to be quite locked-in together and quite seamless. We do a barrel selection basically and it gets another three months in oak. And about 20% new oak.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-d1072c9 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"d1072c9\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-7107faa\" data-id=\"7107faa\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bb025a6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bb025a6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"980\" src=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12777-768x1024.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-7621\" alt=\"Mt Difficulty\" srcset=\"https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12777-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12777-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/winefolio.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/PFW12777.jpg 950w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fd0f87e\" data-id=\"fd0f87e\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b4b7cee elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"b4b7cee\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Finally, Manson\u2019s Farm 2016, so back to a warmer, earlier sort of vintage. Manson\u2019s Farm is not far from Long Gully and it is the boniest soil I\u2019d say we have. The vines are super low-yielding, and it always seems to have brooding fruit and lots of structure. For me, this is like our Pommard, with a firm, iron-like tannin. In a cooler year you might get a bit of darker, violet florals. This one has a dusty Nebbiolo thing, which I like. If they have the 2015 on the list in the restaurant &#8211; have that!!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve taken my trusty Pinot-guru Curt Thomas along on a trip to Central, and we\u2019re at the iconic Mt Difficulty Tasting Room on Felton Road in Bannockburn, for a bite &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7624,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews-with-nz-winemakers"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Winemaker series: Greg Lane - 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