Craggy Range: the Aussie winemaker at a New Zealand icon
Rebecca Gibb MW meets Julian Grounds, the punk-rocking, surf-loving 32-year old who was headhunted for the role of chief winemaker at this eminent Hawke’s Bay estate...
Julian Grounds could be describing himself when he discusses his hopes for the future direction of Craggy Range’s wines: ‘A lot of personality and not as much polish.’
The self-deprecating Aussie winemaker has been groomed for his first introduction to the London wine trade, sporting a new hair cut and a crisp shirt, but the 32-year-old is a little less starched beyond these shores.Grounds was born into a wheat-growing family in Albany, a remote part of Western Australia, and grew up loving punk rock and ditching school to go surfing. When he signed up for a viticulture and oenology course aged 17 (not yet legally allowed to drink), no-one could have guessed the heights he would attain.
There followed impressive roles at Margaret River’s Leeuwin Estate, Oregon’s Ponzi Vineyards, Yarra Valley’s Giant Steps and back to Margaret River with McHenry Hohnen before being headhunted for the role of chief winemaker at New Zealand’s Australian-owned Craggy Range following Matt Stafford’s resignation.
Grounds moved his wife Sara and two young children to the rural Hawke’s Bay town of Hastings in early 2019 to take the reins.
There’s a move toward organic viticulture at Craggy, with conversion having started at at its Te Muna Road and Gimblett Gravel vineyards in 2018, while there are plans in place to trial high-density plantings (10,000-12,000 plants per hectare) on the recently expanded Te Muna site.
Grounds has also purchased concrete tanks from Italy with a view to extending maceration time with its key Bordeaux varieties.
In the Pinot and Syrah department – Grounds’ weak spot – expect greater experimentation, whether that’s in picking decisions, whole-bunch choices, wild fermentations, extraction regimes (he prefers pump-overs to plunging), and the use of concrete eggs.
The goal? ‘I’m looking for fragrance that’s not from ripe fruit and oak.’
When it comes to Craggy’s already-excellent Chardonnays, he says: ‘The wines will have an element of profoundness: texture, weight and complexity.’
While Craggy Range has made many successful reds, there has been a sense that its top Hawke’s Bay cuvées were trying too hard to be perfect. Grounds’ appointment sends new signals. ‘There wil be an evolution in the level of excitement,’ he says. ‘There will be a higher level of risk taking.’
Watch this space.
Tasting the Craggy Range Wines
Craggy Range, Sophia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2016
<p>A delightfully perfumed expression, with the Cabernet Franc portion bringing violet and graphite top notes to Merlot's plummy base; the integrated oak reminiscent of festive spices. A mid-weight style with lots of sinew and abundant but supple tannins. This bottle was a little tense and needs time to relax, so there's no rush to drink. Decant.</p>
2016
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Kidnappers Vineyard, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2011
Very precise and creamy with a hint of development, bringing a Chenin-like almond note alongside delightful lemony acidity. A quiet wine that's elegant and linear. Holidng together beautifully and will continue to drink well to 2023.
2011
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Le Sol, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2016
This was the first time that stems were use in Le Sol. A low-yielding vintage due to a cool and wet start to the season and then a dry, warm finish. A mid-weight Syrah with pepper, cinnamon spice and blackberry fruit. A sinewy finish with skin tannins providing a savoury, mouthcoating finish.
2016
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Sophia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2013
A rich Bordeaux blend offering black fruit and fine herbal character. A fleshy style reflecting its Merlot dominance, with structured gravelly tannins. Long length with lingering tea-leaf fragrance. Starting to develop but it has time is on its side.
2013
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Les Beaux Cailloux, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2017
An expansive Chardonnay offering sympathetic hazelnut-like oak, high concentration of fruit and a burst of fine acidity and savoury hints on the finish. A delight to see Les Beaux Cailloux back after leaf-roll virus laid waste to the original vineyards. You'll need to wait to see it return to true greatness but this vintage shows it's well on its way.
2017
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Le Sol, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2011
While there's a rich creamy texture, this Syrah remains elegant: a mid-weight example that's mature with delicious scents of Christmas cake and pencil lead lingering long with resolved tannins. This underrated vintage has come good.
2011
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Aroha, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2017
There's a hint of oak-derived vanilla and nougat on the nose but it's well integrated with the damson fruit and savoury nuances. An expansive style with a silken texture and delightful supple tannins that coat the mouth.
2017
Craggy RangeMartinborough
Craggy Range, Kidnappers Vineyard, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2017
Ripe and supple with nectarine fruit. Sumptuous yet delicate with a fine burst of acidity – no doubt in large part thanks to ihe site being right on the Pacific coast.
2017
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Aroha, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2011
A ripe and sweetly fruited plummy Pinot that's starting to develop with savoury spice. Gorgeously silken textured with a firm line on the finish and a rather awkwardly grippy tannin structure that's slightly detracting. Drink now to 2023.
2011
Craggy RangeMartinborough
Craggy Range, Aroha, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2013
This ripe yet herbal Pinot is now showing a savoury and earthy character. There's a lovely plump sensation on the mid palate and a tea leaf note that's characteristic of the 50% whole-bunch fruit used. Now developing in terms of flavour but still has a little chewy grip. Long, fragrant finish.
2013
Craggy RangeMartinborough
Craggy Range, Kidnappers Vineyard, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2013
Richness of fruit on the mid palate: round and full bodied with an attractive medicinal and ground almond note. Huge concentration but retains its silken texture and elegance. Ready to drink now but will age well.
2013
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Le Sol, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2013
An highly fragrant wine with bags of rosemary influences and a hint of coconut with attractive resolved mouthcoating tannins. A rather 'Aussie' example in terms of its ripeness and overtness.
2013
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Sophia, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 2011
A blend of 60% Merlot with the two Cabernets and a sprinkling of Petit Verdot, this is round and supple, offering a developed example of a Hawke's Bay Bordeaux blend. There's still plenty of vanillins from the oak, along with savoury nuances and mouthcoating tannins. It's a mid-weight, mid-intensity vintage but well done.
2011
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2019
A tad reductive at this very early stage but there's no doubting the fleshy, opulent ripe fruit with gentle acidity. Elegant and fresh with a brightness that makes you feel alive.
2019
Craggy Range
Craggy Range, Aroha, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand, 2016
Rich and deeply coloured. Lots of sweet fruit with a hard acid profile and disappointingly unfriendly tannins, which comes as a little unexpected for Aroha. It's in an awkward phase right now, but will it come around? Time will tell.
2016
Craggy RangeMartinborough
