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Aurum Wines

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Red Mezz
Red Mezz
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
1
Review
3
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Editor Pick

Wonderful Boutique Winery

  • July 10, 2009
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Red Mezz from Inverness, Scotland
Wonderful Boutique Winery

The second stop on your wine tour of Otago should definitely be Aurum.
Set just a few minutes drive out of the little town centre of Cromwell in the centre of Otago in New Zealand's south island you find this beautiful little family run vineyard.

The setting is incredibly idyllic - a small little entrance building surrounded by the hills of Otago, brilliant sunshine and fields of vines.

This was one of my favourite little wineries due to the atmosphere. Because Cromwell is much smaller than its white wine producing cousins up north, the wineries have a much more personal feel - and when you stumble onto a good one, you really feel as if you have discovered a gem that no one else knows about.

Where the Wooing Tree across town may be known for its astonishing Pinot Noir - Aurum has a delightful selection (including Pinot) which are unlike any other wines I sampled in New Zealand.
Beautifully distinct and obviously crafted with a great deal of love and care - this is a vineyard to savour.

The hostess could not have been more pleasant. We wandered in on a sunny Otago day at the beginning of spring - several days after a surprise snowstorm - and were quickly welcomed into the cellar door as if we were long awaited guests.

There was no feeling of taking up the hostess time with tasting; we stood long chatting, sampling and discussing the wines - savouring the uniqueness of them all and thoroughly enjoying the experience.

Though they did have a wonderful selection of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris on hand for sampling - it was the Riesling I found a bit of a revelation. It's a wine I've never had a connection with in the past, and was shocked to find myself rolling the flavour around my tongue and deciding to buy a bottle.

This is a beautiful little vineyard, and well worth a visit while you sample, or simply as you pass through.

From journal Cromwell - New Zealand's best kept secret...

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