A Sense of Mount Difficulty

GREAT WINE IS A CONVERSATION AND
MOUNT DIFFICULTY STRIVES TO CREATE
WINES WORTH LISTENING TO

Wine lovers in Johor Bahru were recently delighted by a rare and valued opportunity when they met face-to-face with Matt Dicey, winemaker from Mount Difficulty Wines who flew all the way from Central Otago, New Zealand, the southernmost wine-growing region in the world. In conjunction with his visit, JJ Wines and Tapas hosted several wine tasting events showcasing signature wines of Mount Difficult, including three master classes conducted by the winemaker himself.

The Winemaker

Matt Dicey, who was born into a family of viticulturists in South Africa, moved to New Zealand when he was five. His relationship with wine can be traced back to one of the family skiing holidays down Central Otago when his father fell in love with the land, subsequently bought his own plot and started planting his first vineyard in Bannockburn in the Cromwell Basin of Central Otago.

With three generations of grape growing background, it is probably no surprise that Matt found a passion for wine and after obtaining his Masters degree in Chemistry he went on to pursue a Masters degree in Oeneology and Viticulture. Matt developed his skills and experience in the wine industry by working in both domestic and international vintages including a four years wine journey through the wine-making regions of California, South Africa, France and Italy. He joined Mount Difficulty in 1999 and has since been making great wines in a region rich with wild beauty and wonder.

The Winery

Situated in Banncokburn, Central Otago, Mount Difficulty Wines is renowned for the Pinor Noir it produces. The range of wines features its entry-level (drinking young) Roaring Meg, the Flagship Bannockburn Pinot Noir and its Single Vineyard Premium Pinot Noir series. There are also the Growers Series which showcase best quality wines from different sub-regions outside the home base of Banncokburn. Other varietals include Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris are also grown here.

The Terroir

Matt sees Bannockburn, with its dramatic landscapes and extreme climatic conditions, as a special  area for growing grapes. Because of its pseudo-continental climate, the area has notable daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations. The nature of its diverse and complex soil compositions has coaxed the best out the Pinot Noir grape, a notoriously fussy grape to grow and work with. All these essential elements have contributed to the production of its excellent Pinot Noir with distinctive profile. In fact, Bannockburn is one of the few places in the world outside Burgundy where the fastidious Pinot Noir varietal has found a home.

The Wines

Matt presented his wines with pride and the let the wines speak for themselves at one of the wine tastings in The Brew Orchestra, a cafe in Johor Bahru. Johor. The fruit-driven, easy drinking Roaring Meg was a good ice breaker after which one was greeted by the Pinot Gris with its familiar stone fruit flavour of peach, nectarine and pear, a touch of mineral on the palate and a spicy end note.

Then came the flagship Bannockburn Pinot Noir, rich with a wealth of dark stone fruits and spices, a tannin adding to its intensity and style. The participants also had the pleasure of sampling Mount Difficulty’s top range gold label Long Gully Pinot Noir, a wine of delightful complexity and depth with refined tannin complemented by dark fruits that dominated the palate along with hints of cloves and violets.