Artisan Wine Depot was offering a deal on Mud House 2014 Central Otago pinot noir at $16 per bottle. We bought four bottles on a whim. Subtle aromas of cherries with hints of leather and tobacco greet you. Be sure to swirl vigorously, as this wine is a little shy about exposing itself. On the palate, pure grape juice with bright acidity on the finish.
[pullquote]The Mud House founders were a courageous couple who set sail to travel the world, only to arrive in Marlborough and fall in love with the place. After preparing the land and planting vines, they used the local earth to build their home – a mud house. That home became the brand name.[/pullquote]Mud House is an interesting place. The name is literally part of the winery’s history. Stephanie Hahn, their U.S. representative, filled us in.→
The “People” page focuses exclusively on those who grow the grapes and make the wine. Forthwith (click any image for a larger version):
 Winemaker Cleighten Cornelius |
 Viticulturist Tracy Taylor |
Second, they operate three vineyards in Central Otago, Marlborough, and Waipara Valley. Each has its own vineyard manager. Central Otago is the source for pinot noir, Marlborough for chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, gewürztraminer and pinot gris, and Waipara Valley for riesling. They source merlot grapes from vineyards in the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne regions of New Zealand’s North Island. And their website is among the most informative we have seen for technical details about each wine.
 Tom Bullen manages Central Otago vineyard |
 Jean-Luc Dufour Nev Gane Tom Bullen manages Waipara Valley vineyard |
 Nev Gane Tom Bullen manages Marlborough vineyard |
They also have half a dozen single-vineyard wines. They make pinot noir from the Claim 431 and Dambuster vineyards. Sauvignon blanc comes from Woolshed. Pinot gris uses grapes from the Home Block. Chardonnay comes from Hungry Hill. And Riesling grapes are from Hungry Hill. (I listed these because New Zealand vineyard names are, um, colorful.)
Finally, Mud House has been an official wine supplier for the Emirates – New Zealand team in the America’s Cup competition. What more could you want
[…] the various wineries. We discovered them through our friends at Artisan Wine Depot and wrote a lengthy review. In the process of writing that review we made contact with Stephanie Hahn, their representative. We […]
The price for the pinot noir was quite cheap, to be honest. If I had known that they were offering this wine bottle for a mere $16, I would have bought a few of these bottles. It’s a shame I didn’t know this before.