Dinner with Paul Pujol of Prophet’s Rock Wine

Paul is a great raconteur. Raised in Hamilton with a French father and Kiwi mother, following his university studies he worked in various wine regions in France. Later, Paul became the first non-French head winemaker at Maison Kuentz-Bas in Alsace, since the estate’s founding in 1795. Here they produce wines from six Grand Cru vineyards. Today, Prophet’s Rock Pinot Gris and Vin de Paille show a deep connection with Alsace.

Paul Pujol of Prophet’s Rock Wine

Paul joined Prophet’s Rock in 2005. Since 2009, Paul has worked with François Millet of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé, the highly regarded estate from Chambolle Musigny, in Cote du Nuits. The domaine dates back to1450 and today is owned by the 20th generation of this aristocratic family, who managed to survive the French Revolutionary period as exiles in London.

This partnership with François Milleth has resulted in the chardonnay Cuvee aux Antipodes Blanc, using grapes from the Kopuwai Delta Vineyard, located on a terrace overlooking the Clutha River. We tasted this outstanding wine with Butter poached snapper, clams and chardonnay veloute. A perfect pairing.

Butter Poached Snapper

Asparagus & Chardonnay Veloute

Paul explained how chardonnay shines in Central Otago however the region’s wave of development in the 1990s was during the “anything but chardonnay’ period and the grape was not planted. He commented that it makes sense that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay would work together in the same region, just like in Burgundy. This is slowly changing.

Prophet’s Rock philosophy to closely manage the vines to ensure healthy fruit and for minimal intervention in the winemaking to show the distinct characteristics of the Bendigo terroir: the high elevation, ancient glacial terraces of schist ground down to clay. The wines undergo a wild ferment and are aged in old oak for up to 18 months. Bottled unfiltered. Simple wine making.

We tasted Pinot Noir from the Home Vineyard 2018 and the Retrospect 2014, both elegant wines showing long ageing potential and paired with Milk-fed lamb, asparagus and spring green sauce. It was a thrill to taste milk-fed lamb again, which we used to cook in my Christchurch restaurant with lamb from our family farm.

Pinot Noir from the Home Vineyard 2018

Milk-Fed Lamb

Paul has created his own Vin de Paille using grapes dried on racks as Central Otago does not have the humidity to develop botrytis. The grapes are picked ripe and then naturally dehydrate on the racks. They need to be hand-sorted every week to check for mould and the ferment can take up to 13 months. This is a very slow process resulting in a luscious, complex wine. This wine was paired with the classic Onslow donut with macerated strawberries and creme fraiche.