The Hermit Ram, Filed Blend Red, Canterbury, New Zealand

When a skinnsy white has a one-night stand with a fresh pale red wine, this is the fascinating mutant offspring. A true field blend, with the fruit all picked at the same moment, from an old organic vineyard in Waipara (North Canterbury), a stunning area just north of Christchurch. Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Gewürztraminer are the actors in this winemaking drama, and they give a top-notch performance. The one-night stand is actually six weeks on skins before the ageing in amphora. It is the colour of a cloudy rose, and reveals inviting gentle berry flavours and a pleasing mid-palate crunch. The fruit was picked on the proportions it grows in the vineyard. It was destemmed and naturally fermented on skins for 6 weeks. Pressed off in to some ancient barrels and allowed to go through a natural malolactic ferment. This wine was bottled with no fining, filtration or Sulphur.