Everyone loves a Martinborough Pinot Noir

Especially one from the renowned Dry River Road - All of our Stonecrop pinot noir grapes are carefully handpicked to ensure that only the best fruit makes it to the bottle.

VINTAGE NOTES:

In 2011 the Martinborough region experienced warm temperatures at flowering and a very even fruit set with good crop levels which, due to good summer temperatures, led to an early veraison. The fruit reached optimum ripeness with great flavor concentration and arrived at the winery in excellent condition. The good physiological and flavor development at lower sugar (brix) levels allowed the wine to show good flavor and Pinot texture.

Stonecrop is a member of the New Zealand Sustainable Winegrowing program and is an accredited SWNZ vineyard. The practice of Sustainable Winegrowing helps to improve the performance of our vineyard with a focus on the conservation of natural resources. We are committed to using natural methods to control pests and diseases, which means a reduction of chemicals and sprays, creating a healthy environment for soil and vines resulting in the production of the best quality grapes possible.

WINEMAKER NOTES:

The fruit was 100% destemmed and fermented for 8 days in small fermenters by clone with hand plunging at six-hourly intervals, post ferment maceration and gentle pressing off. Careful barrel selection using French oak Damy and Cadus barrels to balance the tannins and 16 months maturation in 20% new oak resulted in a well balanced wine.

Nose:    Ripe intense classic aromas of soft plum and black cherry with developing gamy and earthy complexity.

Palate:  Rich fruit dominates the palate supported by soft tannins that have developed a silkiness with bottle age.  A concentrated, full-bodied Pinot Noir yet elegant and balanced, with mineral, fruit and oak flavors, showing classic Pinot Noir complexity and supple texture.

Stonecrop & Oyster Inn

We are proud to announce we have produced a wonderful pinot noir for our friends at The Oyster Inn in Waiheke, New Zealand.

Season's Greetings from Stonecrop Wines

Fall Dinner with Stonecrop

A special Fall dinner held at the original Montauk residence of Carl Fisher - Exquisite food prepared by Chef Jason Weiner, perfectly paired with our three wines. 

Chestnuts Galore

A good friend of has two mature chestnut trees in her yard and since she is not fond of chestnuts we were lucky enough to receive this year's crop. This particular nut is hard to find in these parts, sometimes you can find a sad looking package in one of the 'gourmet' stores, but more often than not the lovely deep brown lustre has faded from the shell.

We had enough to experiment - A thick creamy soup (Stephanie Alexander) chestnuts roasted in the oven and then sauteed in butter and salt, and a rich casserole with parsnips, carrots, mushrooms, cooked with sherry, rosemary and juniper berries, a Nigel Slater recipe. The casserole would go very well with turkey for Thanksgiving. I served it with a barley risotto and sprouts with roasted red pepper, and of course plenty of our 2011 pinot noir on hand.

A Fine Montauk Summer

One for the record books - Day after day of glorious weather, every day a beach day, every evening dining outside. The fruit trees produced a hefty and healthy crop as did the tomato vines. We had a small beet crop but they were gorgeous golden and ruby gems. The wild arugula gave us salad each day and the shiso leaves were picked and made into batches of pesto (using pistachios and miso) some frozen so we can enjoy that exotic flavor during the winter months. The fresh, green, fennel seeds were harvested and used in the bread. Beach plums were picked and made into jelly and bbq sauce. Now we are well into fall and the fishing is starting to heat up, the bluefish are easy to catch and are perfect for smoking, a few batches of pâté have been made and shared with friends. But we are eager to catch some Stripers. Goodbye summer 2015, it was swell.

 Golden and red beets with kale - white peach and burrata - paired with our 2015 pinot noir rosé

 White peach, Bartlett pear and tomato 

 Grilled white peach, burrata and wild arugula salad - Loosely based on an Alice Waters recipe

 The 'bread' made every week without fail - using the fresh fennel seeds, other ingredients: flax seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, some pickle juice, white and wholemeal flours.

 Nashi pears

 Local skate, dusted with paprika, beefsteaks and a sicilian cauliflower dish with black olives.

 Local Montauk clams - Vongole

One afternoon's white peach harvest 

  Iacono chicken, tomato, homemade croutons and white peach salad.

 Red beet salad with avocado and salad greens

 Beach plums

 Smoked bluefish pâté

South Edison Montauk

Located a block from the beach South Edison is big on locally sourced ingredients including the freshest greens from #balsamfarms, #amberwavesfarm and #goodwaterfarms. Stonecrop's 2011 Pinot Noir is available by the glass - perfect pairings include braised baby octopus tacos, mezcal braised bone-in short rib and the house made stracciatella with braised beets and pork vinagrette with opal basil.