Recently I reviewed & enjoyed a bottle of the 2011 Wrights Reserve Gewurztraminer so was looking forward to my first ever taste of a Vegetarian Society approved Methode Traditionelle Blanc De Blanc, made from organically grown Gisborne Chardonnay using biodynamic techniques.

Wright’s Vineyard & Winery claim they make the only New Zealand organic certified Methode on the market as far as I can see they’re probably “Wright” (excuse the pun.) I tasted this first in a large Montrachet glass and then a Champagne flute to better experience it, and it’s a lovely drop too.

Bright medium straw coloured in the glass with a bead that lasted for ages, a little ‘wiff’ of bread / yeast in the nose then some typical Chardy stone fruit / floral notes come through. It has lovely crisp citrus & stone fruit balanced by some creaminess on the palate with a long and dry but succulent finish.

All the Wright’s Methodes are made traditionally just as the French do with their Champagnes – bottle aged for 1 year, hand riddled & manually disgorged. There’s a great wee clip here on Country Calendar where Geoff talks about the process of making this Wine & Nicola chats about the lifestyle and what they love about it.

If you’d like to try a lovely vintage bubbles from an organic vineyard, then I can recommend the 2010 Wrights Entity Methode Traditionelle Blanc de Blanc. To find out more and where to buy this wine visit the Wrights Gisborne Vineyard & Winery website.