It is with immense pride that we bring to you our single vendor auction for September/October, and what an auction it is!
When Claudia Elze approached us to auction the wines collected with the late Mike Weersing (founders of Pyramid Valley) we could not hide our excitement. In a short period, Pyramid Valley has become one of the leading biodynamic wineries in New Zealand and has earned a cult-like status here and around the world.
Following are words from the late Mike and Claudia.
"What a joy it was to work with these friends; what an inspiration to see their devotion to and knowledge of their vineyards; what a gift to have had the opportunity to pay homage in our own way, to their skill, good work and kindness. We've spent rainy days digging through inventory to verify numbers, usually a thankless task. But this time, very small caches of older wines, surfeit to our library requirements, have come to a happy light. So, to thank you for your unswerving support, we hope to provide you some liquid solace to brighten moments of seasonal ennui. "Mike Weersing 23/02/65-12/11/2020 Founder Pyramid Valley Vineyards
"Now more than ever it feels only right to share the wines of our life's work. These wines reflect a time of pioneering a place kiwis should be proud of. A full collection of wines, a story book of vintages past. I cannot drink them alone. I will imagine the stories you may share of a man that changed the wine industry in New Zealand forever. I cannot forget those who fostered our time, the restaurants, sommeliers, importers, distributors, retailers, vineyard teams, The New Zealand Bio- dynamic Association and those in soil science. To be part of building a great brand and the endless support from our private customers who became our friends; I thank you. May we always have a glass of wine to raise and reflect upon". Claudia Elze Founder Pyramid Valley Vineyards
These sentiments have been echoed by some of the world’s influential wine writers who continue to praise the work of Mike and Claudia at Pyramid Valley;
“Mike and Claudia Weersing continue to work nature’s magic on their wines. The results are truly unique wines that can only come from these creative hands working out of this pretty patch just inland from the Waipara. Even more exciting is that the quality straight across the estate and growers’ labels just gets better and more consistent each year from this relatively new operation. The Growers Collection is a range of wines sourced from throughout New Zealand that have been grown organically and are made by Mike. The Home Vineyards Collection represents wines that are wines produced biodynamically off the small but beautiful “home” estate in North Canterbury. Both ranges are well worth seeking out.” Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW The Wine Advocate
“American-born winemaker Mike Weersing is massaging the belly of his oversize mud-loving pig. Yes, he is a biodynamist. Based just down the road from Bell Hill in Waikari, N. Canterbury, Mike tenured at Neudorf having learnt his trade in Burgundy, then with Randall Grahm and Ernie Loosen. Having found a suitable site in 2000 situated upon steep clay-limestone soils, he exacted a high-density planting (10-12,000 vines/ha) and imposed biodynamic principles from day one. The 2006 is their debut vintage from their own vines, supplemented by fruit bought in from growers they admire in other regions including the Calvert vineyard in Central Otago where the biodynamically cultivated crop is shared with Felton Road and Craggy Range. This is an impressive range of artisan wines, especially given that this was the first crop from their own vines. One can only imagine what will be produced when they reach the same age as Burgundy Grand Crus, so watch this space!” Neil Martin.
High praise indeed! This once-in-a-lifetime auction offers a wide range of back vintages no longer seen in retail. As all wines are from New Zealand in this sale, we’ve shaped this auction by vineyard to help you browse our catalogue. Across all vineyards, you’ll find various vintages and varietals in the wonderful biodynamic style for which Mike and Claudia were famed. It is worth remembering that these wines are natural and can throw a crust or deposit. This is totally natural. These wines have not been fined or filtered.
Provenance couldn’t be better on these wines as they have come straight to us from the winery via professional storage in Christchurch to be stored in our temperature and humidity-controlled storage facility.
Finally, as with buying any second-hand goods there can be risk. This risk can be mitigated through reviewing widely available vintage reports, critic reviews, inspecting the detailed photographs for each lot, and setting realistic expectations. The reward however, of a fine wine at its absolute peak of maturity, offering its full range of primary, secondary, and tertiary flavours should be significant enough for most to negate the occasional disappointment. So, if the risk-reward scales are deemed favourable, we have a lovely selection of wines at various stages of maturity available in our current auction.
Best of luck with your bids and don’t hesitate to contact us if you would like to know about any of the wines. Please bid responsibly.
