Neck of The Woods is the wine brand AJ Johnson started in 2016. AJ, who is also in the television industry, began his wine journey in the vineyard and working with the wine at Mountford in North Canterbury. Before starting his own brand, he flitted between wine and television for around 15 years. AJ does not own vineyards but runs his business as a negociant and has good relationships with producers in Central Otago, Hawke's Bay and Marlborough.
The artistic label on this Pinot Noir features the pioneer of NZ Pinot, customs officer Malcolm Abel, who coincidently was also an Auckland winemaker. In his work as a customs officer, he confiscated a cutting of a Pinot Noir clone believed to be from the legendary La Tache Vineyard in Domaine Romanée Conti. Understanding the significance of the smuggled plant material, Malcolm Abel paid for it to be put through quarantine at Te Kauwhata, the state-owned viticulture research station. The vine eventually ended up in Ata Rangi vineyard and winery in Martinborough and is now widely used across NZ.
The 2019 vintage was a magical one, apart from the small crop. Frost hit during flowering, affecting bunch size and resulting in low yielding crop. However, the low crop boosted concentration and quality. With the above factors and having Jen Parr as the winemaker of this wine, you can see the magic in this Neck of The Woods Pinot Noir 2019.
