| 11 “ There will also be a lovely wood fire in the winter, because we do get a lot of people coming in from the bike trail at that time of year.” T T Richard Loader A wine story that is well worth telling Rosie Menzies has been Carrick’s passionate winemaker since 2018. Carrick Wines REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Overlooking Bannockburn Inlet at the southern end of Cromwell and with the Dunstan Cycle Trail on its front door, award-winning Carrick Winery is in the midst of building its new, purpose-designed cellar door. The new cellar door, which is due for completion in March, will replace an existing, smaller cellar door and will lend itself well to telling the story about the wines and connecting with its customers. “Sometimes, our restaurant ends up being used for wine tastings, but you’re never able to convey the story behind the wines, and deliver a really nice connection to customers, just because the restaurant gets so busy,” says Rosie Menzies, who has been Carrick’s passionate winemaker since 2018. “The new cellar door will free up the restaurant, enabling it to focus on what it does really well, while creating a custom-made space where we can host small and really large groups, focusing specifically on the wines and our story. “We get a lot of people coming off the Dunstan Cycle Trail now, and the new cellar door will build upon that opportunity. “We also host a lot of touring groups from all over the world who come in and enjoy tastings.” Nestled on the cycle trail side of the restaurant, the cellar door will afford stunning vistas right over Bannockburn Inlet, the vineyards and Carrick’s gardens, which produce vegetables and herbs for the restaurant. Rosie says the cellar door is an important piece of the winery’s infrastructure, and is something that she has felt strongly about since commencing with the winery. “We are a winery, and without a cellar door you miss out on being able to connect with customers around your wines, sharing them with people to appreciate. “Much of the vision, look and feel of the cellar door has come from the winery’s co-owner Ali Cleland. It will accommodate up to 70 people, and its vaulted ceiling will give it an even greater sense of space. “There will also be a lovely wood fire in the winter, because we do get a lot of people coming in from the bike trail at that time of year. It will be a nice, warm, and cosy place to try the wines.” In keeping with Central Otago’s sunlight, soils and temperature, pinot noir is the predominant wine grown and produced by Carrick Winery. Chardonnay also features strongly in its lineup, followed by pinot gris, riesling, sauvignon blanc, and pinot blanc. Concern for the quality of grapes and what was being sprayed on the vineyard resulted in Carrick Winery becoming certified organic in 2008. For Rosie, organic is synonymous with quality. “You have to be a really good farmer to grow well organically. Growing organically does require a lot more work in the vineyard to achieve a high quality of product. “Proof that we’re on the right track with our wines was at the 2018 New Zealand Wine of the Year Awards, when we won trophies for Best Organic Red and Best Organic White wines. In 2021 we won the Sustainable Winery of the Year award at the New Zealand Organic Wine Awards.” Coming Soon... Carrick Winery 247 Cairnmuir Road, Bannockburn, Central Otago
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