Craftsmanship defined by land
We met Jan Kux, winemaker at O:Tu on one of his recent (and frequent) visits to New Zealand. In Marlborough to oversee the blending of the 2014 vintage before flying to Auckland to discuss the new vintage and attend media events, his busy schedule allowed time for a meeting to discuss the rebirth of a brand and try some O:Tu wines.
Jan began as chief executive and winemaker for O:Tu in 2010. Since that time he has stepped down from the former role so he could focus more on wine quality.
The name O:Tu plays on Otuwhero, Maori for Blind River, which is where the company’s vineyards are located in the southeastern corner of the Awatere valley.
Jan’s journey to becoming a winemaker of international standing is an interesting one. Born in Libya, he has American citizenship and is based in Switzerland with his wife and young family. He studied law and languages at university in Austria but it was the opportunity to study winemaking that changed his life completely.
‘‘I have been working in the wine business since 1991 and have done vintages in France, Germany and the US; in many different winemaking conditions and in many different styles. I’ve also had experience in running wine companies in Germany and Bordeaux,’’ he says.
Work offers flowed in but first he chose to work for one of his winery ‘‘idols’’, Koehler Ruprecht, one of Germany’s oldest and most distinctive wineries. From 1996 to 1999 he immersed himself in making fine dry riesling.
‘‘Then came a job offer in Saxony, East Germany, 10 years after the wall came down. It was quite an experience because this winery was in an old baroque castle called Schloss Wacherbarth, situated between Dresden and Meissen. It was a leading winery of the old communist regime.
‘‘I was 29 at the time, a young Western kid (dropped off behind the lines) and it was a very exciting experience. We made wine in a tent for the first two years because the focus of the project was to build a new winery on the site and create a tourist attraction.
‘‘My mission was to build the winery from scratch,’’ says Jan. ‘‘And I’m very proud of it. Its capacity is small by Marlborough standards – the intake is 100 tonnes a day. But there was diversity in what we were working with; 14 or 15 varieties over a harvest spanning about two months – starting late August to late October. It was difficult, we were producing sparkling white, still white, sweet white and red wines.’’
After Schloss Wacherbarth, Jan worked as a consultant for another of his ‘‘idols’’, the forefather of organic viticulture in Europe – Heyl zu Herrnsheim. ‘‘I worked there as completely as CEO and winemaker before I started my own company, NOA (Naturally Organic Viticulture), in 2008. NOA is based on all the good things that I’ve come across while running and developing wineries. I now work with 15 properties in Europe as well as O:Tu.’’
Jan is quick to emphasise that he isn’t an agent, consultant, mentor or flying winemaker. His role is more akin to business development – with a focus of developing distinctive wine styles.
The idea that he might be here making wines with a European touch doesn’t sit well.
When O:Tu’s investors put Jan on a plane bound for New Zealand he thought New Zealand sauvignon blanc was all about the Wairau Valley and questioned whether it was possible to create something different.
Jan discovered that the O:Tu vineyards were in the Awatere, at the edge of the sea with lots of wind, north-facing slopes and soil variability, saw possibilities and was very excited.
While terroir is a hackneyed term, it describes what was at Jan’s fingertips as he set about creating singular wines.
O:Tu wines are released a little later – and this is all about acidity. ‘‘Wine isn’t fun if acidity is getting the better of you. Acidity is important but the wines need a little more fat, more flavours. I believe our wines have that difference.
‘‘There’s a lot of pleasure in drinking sauvignon blanc that has a little age. It brings out the characteristics of the wine.’’
This is a bold move – but Jan insists O:Tu is about being bold, different and approachable.
Most O:Tu wines are exported to China with two made for the New Zealand market. We queried the company’s focus on sauvignon blanc when the Chinese preference is for red wines.
‘‘It’s a tough one,’’ Jan admits, ‘‘but basically they’re very open to anything, and that’s our approach.’’
With this is mind, O:Tu has produced a sweet wine which is popular with women in China; it has been developed to suit Chinese consumers and will match a broad range of Chinese dishes.
O:Tu was the only wine served at the 17th International Shanghai Film Festival, the Chinese equivalent of the Golden Globes, something Jan and his team are justifiably proud of.
O:Tu and Blend 102 are available in New Zealand through Glengarry Wines, Wino’s, Super Liquor or by email request. The complete range is available to trade and if you see the Prestige on a wine list, try it.
O:TU Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013 ($22.99)
Just launched to ensure softer, richer elements shine through. The prickly, mineral aroma is underlined with riper, golden delicious notes. Plenty of ripe gooseberry and zesty citrus flavour. Crisp and fresh with some underlying weight and texture thanks to lees ageing. Very approachable. O:Tu 2013 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Blend 102 ($27.99)
This single vineyard blend has a soft melon, citrus and stone fruit aroma. The palate is big and fullbodied with soft, creamy acids. Peach, melon, gooseberry and lime flavours are met with some mineral towards the finish, ensuring fine balance and moreish appeal.
O:Tu 2012 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc Blend 202
Tank ferments and some oak ageing result in a lively, powerful wine with an emphasis on tropical fruitiness with a hint of nuttiness rather than oak. Concentrated yet subtle, finishes lively and crisp with some flinty minerality.
O:Tu Prestige Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012
This wine was our personal favourite. Minimal intervention means no blending, no fining and no oak. The full aroma carries hints of caramel, honey and melon. The palate is complex with golden delicious apple, cantaloupe and gentle spice flavours proving you can deliver a very different, yet delightful, sauvignon blanc without too much fuss. An integrated, sumptuous wine displaying both power and delicacy.