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Welcome to Lime Rock e-cellar door

Lime Rock Wines are based in Central Hawke's Bay, New Zealand and have been established since 2001. The wines were all grown on a single vineyard with steep limestone slopes and with many different aspects from 270 meters above sea level to 230m on the lower slopes. The site is frost free and our management of the vines has followed an ecological philosophy (Rodger has Ms App Sci in Ecology), with a principle of minimum disturbance to the ecosystem. All fruit is carefully handpicked.

Our speciality is aged Pinot Noir, mostly on ungrafted vines, and comprise some nine different clones that adds to the final complexity. We also produce Pinot Rose', Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Gruner Veltliner and Pinot Gris, although the later two have mostly sold out. We deal direct with customers.

Our wines are carefully cellared in a controlled environment warehouse at a constant temperature that is important for the storage of our older wines that date back to 2004.

Our logo depicts the elements that dominate our sense of place. The Ruahine Ranges subdue the westerly weather fronts and effectively place us in a rain-shadow. The limestone hills comprise a tilted 2-3million year old sea bed, filled with crushed oyster, scallop and barnacle shells (coquina) that provide a free draining base that is covered with wind blown sediments (loess) from the westerly plains. This layer is a fine clay and is shallow at the tops of the hills and deeper at bottom where the vines are more vigorous and riper slightly later.

The slopes allow the cold air to drain downhill and the site is frost free. The vine roots penetrate the micro-pores in the limestone base and have access to water and minerals, conquently the vines are rarely irrigated.

Finally, our ecological management practices involve not disturbing the soil surface, therefore no cultivation under vines that may change the soil structure and impact on the soil microfauna and flora, specifically mycorrhizae that provides nutrients to the vines in exchange for sugars-a symbiotic relationship.

Reviews

A high proportion of our wines have been awarded 4.5 to 5.0 stars, by various critics.

Jancis Robinson MW included our 2009 Pinot Noir in her Top 100 Red Wine list in 2012 and the same wine was selected for the Master Sommeliers Graduation Dinner in the UK.

Our 2008 Pinot Noir was awarded the Trophy for Pinot Noir at the Australian Boutique Wine Awards in 2011 at Sydney. Our wines were previously distributed in Australia by Heart and Soil.

Our complex 2020 Coquina Sauvignon Blanc (5 stars Michael Cooper) includes wild ferment, part barrel ferment, tank ferment and part skin contact (destemmed by hand!)