The ’27 Seconds’ label was created by Pete and his wife Alanna Chapman in North Canterbury as their response to alleviating human trafficking into slavery. Every 27 seconds, somewhere in the world, a person is sold into slavery. Most people believe slavery was an issue of the past, but Pete and Alanna were horrified to discover that depending on which measures are used, between 21 to 45.8 million humans are globally trafficked to become slaves.
Pete and Alanna are from the Chapman family who are the proprietors of Terrace Edge vineyard in the Waipara Valley. Pete is the fastidious viticulturist who turns out very high quality fruit for the excellent Terrace Edge wines. With a forecast of surplus grapes, they decided what they could do best with the fruit to help the survivors of modern day slavery, and that was to make good wine with all the profits going to negate in some way the horrors of the slavery phenomenon.
Once embarking on this cause, Pete and Alanna found wonderful support from the wine industry around them to see their project succeed. The entire process from grapes to bottled wine was either discounted or given at no cost. This included the fruit from the Terrace Edge vineyard and its harvesting, the winemaking at the Greystone facility, bottles, screwcaps and packaging, label and label design and marketing material.
All of the profits of the sale of ’27 Seconds’ wines goes towards counselling, education and the teaching of a trade for survivors, and legal assistance to testify against perpetrators, these activities going through their partners Hagar (www.hagar.org.nz). To participate in this good cause, all one need do is to purchase ’27 Seconds’ wine through the website www.27seconds.co.nz Here I review the new wines, the second release from Pete and Alanna. As one can see from the winemaking detail, these have been made with quality in mind.
Bright, pale peach-pink colour with some depth, a little lighter on the edge. The nose is full with fresh aromas of savoury quince and strawberry fruit along with mouthwatering chalky minerals, unfolding nuances of red florals. This shows good depth and intensity with aromatic presence. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate has gently sweet and concentrated flavours of savoury strawberries and quince with subtle, lifted red floral elements and thirst-quenching minerals. The fruit forms a positive core with good depth and drive, and the wine carries along a fine-textured line with lacy, background acidity leading to a softly dry, textural finish. This is a gently rich and concentrated dry rosé with savoury fruit flavours on a thirst-quenching palate and fine-textured line. Serve with antipasto and tapas over the next 2 years. A blend of 80% Syrah and 20% Pinot Gris from the ‘Terrace Edge’ vineyard, co-fermented in stainless-steel to 13.0% alc. and 6 g/L RS. 17.5+/20 Nov 2018 RRP $19.00
27 Seconds Sauvignon Blanc 2018
Even, bright straw-yellow colour with lemon-green hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is elegantly presented with finely packed aromas of gooseberries and passionfruit with tropical fruit elements and fresh herbs. This is refreshing and mouthwatering with good intensity and penetration. Dry to taste and medium-bodied, the palate is elegant and a little slender in proportion with a finely bound core of passionfruit, gooseberries, fresh herbs and snow peas. The mouthfeel is bright and lively with refreshing acidity enhancing the fruit sweetness, and the wine carries along a zesty, delicately textured line, leading to a light, nuanced finish of passionfruit, gooseberries and tropical fruits. This is an elegantly presented, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc with passionfruit and gooseberry flavours, crisp acidity and a lively flow. Match with Pacific Rim fare over the next 2 years. Fruit 80% from the ‘Terrace Edge’ vineyard and 20% from a neighbour’s, fermented in tank with 5% in barrel to 13.0% alc., the wine undergoing light batonnage. 17.5/20 Nov 2018 RRP $18.00
Moderately deep ruby-red colour, lighter on the edge. This has an elegantly concentrated nose with aromas of red cherry and berry fruit harmoniously entwined with a layer of nutty oak, unfolding a little dried herb interest and detail. Medium-bodied, the palate is somewhat restrained, with soft and light flavours of dark-red cherry and berry fruit along with a layer of nutty oak, melded with fresh and dried herbs. The fruit is supported by very fine-grained, flowery tannin extraction and integrated acidity. This has a taut core that shows good linearity and drive, and the wine carries to a long, fine and firm finish of fruit and oak. This is an elegant, restrained Pinot Noir with cherry and berry fruit along with nutty oak on a fine-textured palate with good linearity. Serve with poultry and pork dishes over the next 3-4 years. Hand-picked fruit, clones 777, 667, 5, Abel, 10/5 and 115, from the ‘Terrace Edge’ vineyard, cropped at a low 4 tonnes/ha and fermented to 13.0% alc. the wine aged 11 months in 20% new oak. Certified BioGro organic. 17.5-/20 Nov 2018 RRP $24.00
