Dr Andrew Hedley Supplied

Framingham Wines was rated top winery in The Real Review’s Top Wineries of New Zealand in 2018 and 2019. While the team at Framingham deserve to share the credit for that result, there is little doubt that winemaker Dr Andrew Hedley deserves the biggest pat on the back. When he’s not making wine in Marlborough, Andrew is scouting around for vinous oddities to import and distribute, mostly to his wine enthusiast mates.

Bob Campbell MW: Framingham was rated top winery in The Real Review’s Top Wineries of NZ in 2018 and 2019. That’s quite an achievement. How does it make you feel?

Andrew Hedley: You know, I am pretty sanguine about this kind of thing and tend not to get carried away by the good or the bad things that people say about my work! For everyone that gets it, there are always more who don’t, so you learn to take the rough (lots of that) with the smooth (a little bit of that).

I’m much closer to the end of my time at Framingham than the beginning. I’m quite comfortable in my own skin and I generally know when we have achieved what I want to with any particular wine, which may not be what the market or the norm expects, so I don’t worry too much about other peoples’ opinions, and the wines are certainly not made with wine shows in mind! It’s amazing how many wines are sh—t one day then amazing the next, just ‘cos of a few words or a little sticker. That said, it is nice when someone can see merit in what you are doing on a daily basis!

BC: It’s probably not coincidental that riesling is the star as well as being your personal passion. What is it about riesling that you find so appealing?

AH: Yes, well riesling may be the star in some sense of the word, but not in others. While I do enjoy the feeling of riesling flowing through my veins and sustaining me, that really isn’t the case for many wine drinkers at large, is it?; I think that’s well established.

Riesling’s strengths are also its weaknesses; the myriad of styles it is able to successfully support just confuses most people and presents an unnecessary challenge for the same group that just a tiny little bit of interest could solve, and the grape’s ability to transmit some site-specific textures and flavours is also a well-established concept to enthusiasts, but the reality is most punters don’t care one little bit about any of that stuff. In my experience, riesling is getting harder to sell, not easier, despite the fact that it is generally fantastic value compared to many other wines.

For Framingham, you can say it is a strong suit, but I think all of the wines I make here are up to scratch and the same care and attention has gone into all of them, not just riesling. Of course, people like pigeon holes and sticking things in boxes, so it becomes “yeah, well riesling is the only thing worth looking at with Framingham, where else should we go?” So advantages and disadvantages, economically it is relatively unimportant here.

However, consumption in my kitchen remains at optimum levels and, you know, I am still learning so much stuff that can be brought into play with other wines because of that. I am hopeful of getting to my version of Himmel as a result. Gimme danger in the meantime.

BC: Framingham has a vineyard with Marlborough’s oldest riesling vines. How important is vine age to the quality of riesling?

AH: In fact, it is not true that Framingham has the oldest riesling vines in Marlborough, that’s disinformation peddled by those who would prefer it to be true, but I think there is at least one plot that is a couple of years older than our vineyard, so not the oldest and it’s probably annoying for the guys who do have the oldest vines! But for sure our vineyard is 38 years of age, which is old for New Zealand, and it is a relatively significant planting at 18 acres or so.

I was in Germany at the International Riesling Symposium in 2017 and one of the sessions involved a presentation by an academic from Geisenheim, which suggested that there were no physical attributes that could be scientifically found in wines made from older vines that would distinguish them sensorily from wines made from younger vines. That guy was brave! Uproar ensued from the floor, insults were hurled and skirmishing broke out. I can remember Erni Loosen being especially animated by some of the claims made. Highly entertaining!

I also recall a quote, maybe from an Australian winemaker, saying that old vines are vital (if you have them) or are not important at all (if you don’t have them). When I go to Germany to visit and talk with producers, they generally start a tasting with their entry and mid-tier level wines and say,

“These wines come from our younger vines.”

“How old are they? say I.”

“Up to 40 years old,” invariably comes the reply.

There seems to be a view for sure that once vines get to 40 years or so then they will start to consider them to be included in the top, higher price (but still incredible value by the way) wines. In my mind, older vines seem to maybe behave a bit more predictably/less variably year on year, maybe due to the better-developed root systems etc, and I think that maybe if the same people are working with those vines for a long time, it is important not to underestimate the importance of experience and knowing your vineyard’s foibles to the process of turning those grapes into good wine.

BC: Rank in order of importance; wine, punk rock, golf and photography.

AH: Can’t really. For too long wine has been further up that list than it should be, so let’s put that last. The music and the attitude from my formative years has turned me into what I am, too late to do anything about that, but it has given me the freedom to think for myself and not give a f—k what anyone else thinks, so it has been important but is generally just on in the car these days, though I do still get to gigs but it’s very expensive to do so when you live in Marlborough. Don’t seem to have much time for golf or cricket these days, same with my cameras, that needs addressing as soon as possible! Maybe the camera comes top. Today.

BC: Where to from here?

AH: Somewhere else I guess, I’m open to all and any offers!! Really.