One of the wonders of the Wairarapa is the ’Mystery Grape’ or ‘Mad Red’ variety that rears its head if you fossick around, and dig deep enough in Martinborough. The grape appears in a number of wines, usually blended, and if certain winemakers are questioned, they acknowledge its use in some of their good wines. The variety turned up in Martinborough the 1970s, imported illegally as a cutting, originally thought to be Syrah, but after genetic testing not so. There is the opinion that it may have some hybrid parentage, this accounting for the resultant wines’ rather confected, wildly sweet and spicy, rustic nature. Such is the distinctiveness of the wine that it has become a funky component to add a layer of complexity and interest in a blend. The only commercially bottled wine that is based wholly on this mysterious grape is Vynfields ‘Mad Rooster’. Kaye McAulay and John Bell inherited a few rows of the vine, and hesitantly making a wine from it, sold it ex-cellar door. However the interest in this unique wine was such they planted more by way of cuttings to meet the demand. Vynfields now has three rows of plants, and the average annual production is less than 40 cases. There is still not enough, but we at Regional Wines have obtained a small allocation.

The fruit for the Vynfields 'Mad Rooster' 2008 is treated gently and winemaking is sensitive, as in Pinot Noir production, to enable the purest fruit expression possible. 100% destemming, fermentation to 13.5% alc, and 12 months in 3 y.o. French oak barrels. The wine is deep ruby red with garnet hues and carries a remarkably ‘civilised’ nose if hybrid provenance is involved in the parentage. Lovely red, boiled-lollies, sweet red berry fruits and an aromatic lift feature on the nose. Medium-weighted, this has juicy, sweet and savoury flavours, with a touch of Middle Eastern spices, quite intriguing in the make-up, with low tannin impact and decent acid tension providing a wine that is immediately accessible, and one that will accompany all manner of hearty foods such as pizza, pasta, barbecued meats and surprisingly Indian curries. Some mysteries are delightful, and this wine is one.