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Stonecroft was established in 1982 and was one of the first vineyards in the Gimblett Gravels. The original owners of the vineyard, Dr. Alan and Glennice Limmer, took a calculated risk planting vines in an area not recognised as having potential for grape growing. Stonecroft’s neighbours then included a rubbish dump, a drag race strip, a gravel quarry and an army firing range. The owners’ initial application to construct a winery on the site was rejected by the local council. Luckily this decision was overturned on appeal and so the way was paved for wineries to be established in this region, now known as the Gimblett Gravels.

Although able to produce their own wine after the winery was approved, the original owners then embarked on a lengthy process persuading the local council that the area should be zoned for viticulture. This involved a legal battle with a company intent on quarrying for gravel in the area. Litigation continued for almost a decade and during that time Stonecroft remained the only winery in the vicinity.

 

The court case was finally won in 1992 and investment in wine industry activities poured into the Gimblett Gravels winegrowing area.

 

Stonecroft’s first vintage was in 1987 and then in 1989 the first Syrah was released. This was the first Syrah produced commercially in New Zealand in recent times. Stonecroft later went on to produce the first commercially produced Zinfandel in New Zealand (in 1998).

 

Rebirth of Syrah

‘The story of how Stonecroft’s Alan Limmer rescued the country’s last surviving Syrah vines from certain extinction is the stuff of legend.’

-Paul White, The World of Fine Wine, Issue 25 2009

 

A single row of vines comprises Stonecroft’s original Syrah planting. This row was established in 1984 and the vines are the oldest producing Syrah vines in New Zealand. The vines were rescued by Dr. Alan Limmer from the viticultural research vine collection at Te Kauwhata research station. Dr. Limmer had heard that the Syrah part of the collection was due to be disposed of as part of a restructuring of the Te Kauwhata vineyard. These vines were originally imported from Australia and were part of a research programme to test virus elimination techniques (which was successful). The entire Syrah collection was uplifted by Dr. Limmer and planted at Stonecroft.

 

When these vines were planted, they were the only source of Syrah vines in New Zealand. Stonecroft gave the wine industry free access to this material. There had been very little interest in producing Syrah in New Zealand, but the wine industry’s interest increased following Stonecroft’s earliest releases of wines made from Syrah. Many of New Zealand’s Syrah plantings are still derived from this clone; TK00080 (now commonly known as TK, Heritage or the Limmer clone).

 

The original vines proved to be of high quality and well suited to the Gimblett Gravels terroir. There is debate over the origin of the clone. Previously it was assumed that it was a 1960’s import from Australia, but recent evidence suggests the clone may have been from Adelaide’s early botanical collection. In any event the clone is likely to be a pre-phylloxera one, possibly linked to the high quality Sirene clone still used by a few Rhône producers today. Recent research by Dr. Paul White suggests this material is derived from original early imports of French Syrah which James Busby sent back to Sydney’s Botanical Collection in 1831-32.