Bilancia

Back in 2002 Warren & I did the Advanced Wine Assessment Course at the Australian Wine Research Institute. At the time most of the palates in the room were very new world / OZ focused, few had experienced enough ‘Euro piss’ to get their heads around it. The styles between new and old world were much more distinct than today. Warren was one in the room who had a the understanding of what made great one from both new and old world. A winemaker with a very sharp palate.

Fast forward a year and I found myself in Hawkes Bay meeting at Esk Valley Estate for a winemaking position.

Naturally I took the opportuntity to drink with Warren & Lorraine. A time when I had hair and was charged with building the BBQ if we were going to eat!

It was clear the potential of Hawkes Bay to make great wine was starting to being realised. At the front of the queue, Warren looking after Trinity Hills and establishing Bilancia with Lorraine.

There’s a great diversity of sites in Hawke’s Bay. Most are relatively flat, some on rolling hills. Around those hills, the geology like much of New Zealand, running along a fault line, can be extreme. Warren & Lorraine, not afraid of a little manual labour decided to plant on a virtual cliff face!

As much as the name Bilancia is about equilibrium and harmony, I reckon you could add staying upright, balanced, whilst working their ‘la collina’ vineyard by hand!