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Kawarau Estate was established in 1992 and is named after the river which slices through the Central Otago's region.
This is a family owned business which specializes in Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris wines.
Kawarau Estate attained full Bio-Gro Organic Certification in 1996 after the three year qualification period. This approach allows the wine to be grown without the use of pesticides and herbicides. The growers strongly believe this allows the influence of location, climate and soils to produce a truly spectular wine indicitave of the unique combinations only this small part of the world can provide.
Organic wine mnaking is strictly regulated so that these wines have lower sulphur residues than non-organic wines and other resides are basically non-existant.
Click here to read more from the grower's website, (pdf document).
Click here to read about the region's climate.
Tasting Notes: Displays black cherries, plums and boysenberries complemented by savory notes. Elegantly structured and a great balance of fruit, tannin and acidity – a stunning vintage.
Winemaker’s Notes: The season was moderate by Central’s standards, with only scattered hot patches through the summer and autumn.
The weather over flowering was unsettled and was the main contributing factor in reducing crop loads. However, frost fighting was minimal relative to previous seasons and the combination of all these factors in conjunction with our canopy management systems, resulted in fruit of excellent quality.
In addition, the vines were tagged during veraison enabling us to harvest selectively to ensure consistent levels of ripeness in the ferments.
Cellar Until: 2011+
Technical Notes: Picked April-May 2005; tons harvested 5.214; tons/hectare 2.14; bottled March 2006; brix at harvest 24; alcohol 13.5%; residual sugars g/l 0
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays dark cherries and plums complemented by spice. Elegantly structured, balanced with silky tannins and a lasting finish.
Vintage Notes: An outstanding vintage for Kawarau – good bunch weights, neither over nor under cropped and excellent quality fruit. An early spring threatened a longer frost-fighting season but it never came.
The mild spring gave way to a long hot summer and an extended autumn. The excessive heat was counteracted with sufficient irrigation to quench the canopy's thirst and for the first time in a long time, we were picking with a green canopy – most unusual for Central Otago, but very welcome. The wines are looking good too – so 2006 could yet prove to be one of Central Otago's best.
Cellar Until: 2012
Technical Notes: Alcohol 13.5%
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays cherries, blackcurrant and raspberry aromatics and flavors. With gentle tannins, this is a refined and elegant wine.
Vintage Notes: An outstanding vintage for Kawarau – good bunch weights, neither over nor under cropped and excellent quality fruit. An early spring threatened a longer frost fighting season but it never came.
The mild spring gave way to a long hot summer and an extended autumn. The excessive heat was counteracted with sufficient irrigation to quench the canopy's thirst and for the first time in a long time, we were picking with a green canopy – most unusual for Central Otago, but very welcome. The wines are looking good too – so 2006 could yet prove to be one of Central Otago's best.
Cellar Until: 2010+
Technical Notes: Alcohol 13.5%
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Growers Tasting Notes: Displaying lime and tropical fruits, this wine is creamy and shows subtle oak handling. A complex wine with a lingering finish.
Vintage Notes: Whilst New Zealand’s harvest reached all time highs, Central Otago, once again, bucked the trend. With hard frost at both ends of the season, the region suffered dramatically reduced crop loads and, in some areas, severe damage to the vines, of which those that survived may take a year or two to recover from.
Needless to say, the low crop loads did however result in fruit of excellent quality allowing Central Otago and Kawarau Estate to maintain its reputation of premium wines.
Cellar Until: 2008+
Technical Notes: Picked April 2004; tons harvested 3.85; tons/hectare 3.40; bottled March 2005; brix at harvest 21; alcohol 13%; residual sugars g/l 1.3
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays butter and toast aromatics complemented by citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Elegant and balanced with a lasting finish.
Winemaker’s Notes: The season was moderate by Central’s standards, with only scattered hot patches through the summer and autumn.
The weather over flowering was unsettled and was the main contributing factor in reducing crop loads. However, frost fighting was minimal relative to previous seasons and the combination of all these factors in conjunction with our canopy management systems, resulted in fruit of excellent quality. In addition, the vines were tagged during veraison enabling us to harvest selectively to ensure consistent levels of ripeness in the ferments.
Cellar Until: 2009+
Technical Notes: Picked April-May 2005; ton harvested 4.630; tons per hectare 3.52; bottled Feb. 2006; brix at harvest 23; alcohol 13.5%; residual sugar 0
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays butter and toast aromatics complemented by mineral and stone fruit flavors. Elegant and balanced with a lasting finish.
Winemaker’s Notes: An outstanding vintage for Kawarau – good bunch weights, neither over nor under cropped and excellent quality fruit. An early spring threatened a longer frost-fighting season but it never came.
The mild spring gave way to a long hot summer and an extended autumn. The excessive heat was counteracted with sufficient irrigation to quench the canopy's thirst and for the first time in a long time, we were picking with a green canopy – most unusual for Central Otago, but very welcome. The wines are looking good too – so 2006 could yet prove to be one of Central Otago's best.
Cellar Until: 2010
Technical Notes: Alcohol 13.5%
Residual sugar 1.6 grams/liter
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays grapefruit and spice aromatics complemented by tropical fruits on the palate. Elegantly textured with a long finish.
Vintage Notes: An outstanding vintage for Kawarau – good bunch weights, neither over nor under cropped and excellent quality fruit. An early spring threatened a longer frost fighting season but it never came.
The mild spring gave way to a long hot summer and an extended autumn. The excessive heat was counteracted with sufficient irrigation to quench the canopy’s thirst and for the first time in a long time, we were picking with a green canopy – most unusual for Central Otago, but very welcome. The wines are looking good too, so 2006 could yet prove to be one of Central Otago’s best.
Cellar Until: 2008+
Technical Notes: Picked April 2006
Tons harvested 8.549
Tons per hectare 8.00
Bottled September 2006
Brix at harvest 23
Alcohol 13%
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company
Tasting Notes: Displays citrus and tropical fruits with flinty aromas. Elegantly textured with a refreshing and lasting finish.
Vintage Notes: Until the autumn, the 2007 vintage saw some variable conditions and stark differences in the micro-climates of Central. Spring came early but was followed by cool fronts and changeable weather through flowering.
The summer heat didn’t arrive until late on in the season but once here, it lingered on giving us an extended, mild autumn. As for Kawarau, we had a relatively successful flowering and although the pinot bunches came in lighter than 2006, the autumn hang time allowed for excellent ripening and the development of complex characters in the fruit. Reminiscent of 2003 and 2005, this vintage’s wines should show excellent structure and complexity.
Cellar Until: 2009+
Technical Notes: Alcohol 13.5%
Winemaker: Dean Shaw, Central Otago Wine Company