As one of the greater Wairarapa’s senior winemakers, Paddy Borthwick has a wealth of experience not only in winemaking, but also the performance of varieties and understanding of sites in the region. Paddy has the ‘Falloon Block', planted to Pinot Noir over 20 years ago by John and Philippa Falloon at Bideford as one of his resources, and the fruit has made a number of single vineyard wines under the Paddy Borthwick label. Being a bit further out, it ripens a little later than the ‘Home’ blocks, so offers much potential in blending as well as insurance from weather.
Joining Paddy’s team recently has been Briony Carnachan working in the Wairarapa for several years, previously at Urlar with Carol Bunn and before that with Jane Cooper at Matahiwi. Before that she was at Ara and she gained her initial training at Delegats. Paddy tells me that she will take on the role of making the ‘Left Hand’ Pinot Noir, the foil to the ‘Right Hand’ made by Paddy, as she "fits the left brain thinking perfectly”!
There will not be a ‘Paddy Borthwick’ Pinot Noir from ‘Home’ block fruit for 2017, though the fruit was of a reasonably good standard. Paddy did not want to compromise his brand, so the Pinot Noir fruit went to his second label. Here, I review the new 2017 Paddy Borthwick ‘Falloon Block’ Pinot Noir, the fruit from this block faring better than the ‘Home’ block. It is mixed with some of the best fruit from the main Borthwick vineyard. www.borthwick.co.nz
