Wine · North Canterbury, Canterbury
Hermit Ram
Low-intervention North Canterbury wines from winemaker Theo Coles.
- Founded
- 2012
- Founded by
- Theo Coles
- Based in
- North Canterbury, Canterbury
Making it since
2012
Their story
The Hermit Ram is the personal label of Theo Coles, a New Zealand winemaker who also makes wine for Kalex in Central Otago. His home turf for Hermit Ram is North Canterbury, on the east side of the South Island.
His first vintage came in 2012 from Limestone Hills, a tiny, densely planted vineyard in the Waipara Gorge owned by Gareth and Camille Renowden, with black soils over limestone. Since then he has added fruit from small growers around Canterbury and built a following for skin-contact whites, field blends and whole-bunch reds.
How it's made
The vineyards Coles works with are farmed naturally, and the wines are made with very few additions. Many whites ferment on their skins for weeks, and sulfur is kept low or left out. Wines are aged in old barrels or clay vessels such as amphora, as with this Salty White.
Why we carry them
We like Hermit Ram for showing what North Canterbury tastes like with a light hand in the cellar. Pour the Salty White slightly chilled with oysters or a plate of olives.
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