Thursday, 14 April 2016 13:26

Falcon Ridge Estate

Written by  Neil Hodgson
Falcon Ridge Estate vineyards were carefully designed, engineered and shaped via extensive earthworks, deep ripping and top soil replacement. Falcon Ridge Estate vineyards were carefully designed, engineered and shaped via extensive earthworks, deep ripping and top soil replacement.

Nelson geologist Alan Eggers has spent the vast majority of his working life searching for and extracting minerals from the ground.

He is ensuring the environment is returned to a better state than when the mining companies arrived.

His travels around the world also introduced him to the intrigue and delights of wine. His love of rich Australian reds and his desire to return to his home country encouraged him to find the perfect site to create a small vineyard where he could grow full-flavoured Syrah, rich Pinot Noir, zesty Sauvignon Blanc.

As a fifth generation local whose great grandfather Hans arrived from northern Germany in the 1850's, Eggers believes Nelson provides perfect conditions for winegrowing.

"With the Nelson climate, the right soils and sub soils, good viticultural management on free flowing elevated sites (as in Europe and California) and hand tending the vines, I see no reason why Nelson cannot produce premium wines that compete with North Island reds, Central Otago Pinots and Marlborough Sauvignons."

Using his understanding of soil science and international experience, he set about finding a piece of land that had elevated and valley floor contours, where he could use his skills to improve the ecology. Nine resource consents later and almost three years of re-contouring a hill and valley, creating lakes, wetlands and a site suitable for an elevated vineyard, his dream is coming to fruition.

Located in Spring Grove - Nelson, Falcon Ridge Estate vineyards were carefully designed, engineered and shaped via extensive earthworks, deep ripping and top soil replacement. The vines have been close planted on elevated, sunny, north facing, well drained Moutere Gravel sites. The Sauvignon Blanc was planted in Wai-iti Valley river silts and gravels on the flat in 2012.

However the vineyard is only part of the Falcon Ridge story. The extraordinary amount of time and money that has been poured into creating a stunning site and establishing something very special is astonishing.

Five diggers, two earthmoving scrapers and four articulated Cat trucks were used full-time to move soil and re-contour the land over more than two years. The estate is also a major native planting restoration project.

"We have planted over 400,000 native trees and plants over the first five years and then undertaken maintenance spraying and weed control until the plants get established."

The property also includes a 12 hectare mature native totara forest remnant in a QEII Covenant.

"We built several dams, a lake, have undertaken feral flora and fauna pest control, rehabilitated the totara forest and constructed around 14km of walking tracks through the forest, the vineyards and around the lakes and wetlands.

"We have another lake to excavate and intend building a restaurant and winery in a superb sunny location beside the mature totara forest and lake overlooking the lower Sauvignon Blanc vineyard so the public can also enjoy both the wines and the natural setting."

Of course none of this has come easily or cheaply, because of the scale of earthworks proposed a number of locals were strongly opposed to many of his resource consents. Alan says; "They simply didn't understand the science and engineering behind the proposals and were concerned about things like the dams bursting and flooding them out of their homes. When it comes to the dams we have actually solved their regular flooding problems by controlling the high storm event flows in the dams, discharging the flood waters over days instead of a few hours and ensuring the small rivers and creeks are properly contoured and riparian planted to manage flood waters. So their properties and land are now in better shape (and improved value) than before we started because they no longer flood regularly.

"I guess that has been the really frustrating thing, people, including council staff, just didn't trust us to do the right thing because they simply didn't understand the vision, the geology and science as much as we do. We understand the need for caution with new developments, but when we are trying to use my knowledge and skills to create something special for future generations the opposition I came up against was disheartening at times. But we persevered and got there in the end."

The lakes and ponds at Falcon Ridge Estate are now home to native ducks, dotterels and fresh water crayfish, native falcons patrol the ridges and vineyards, native birds are populating the forest, lakes, wetlands and native plantings. The streams (once dry most of the year) now are permanently trickling, the land has been cleared of gorse, broom, blackberry, barberry and every other pest plant including old man pine, nettle and feral weeds.

Falcon Ridge Estate is only the second place in New Zealand known to have a colony of the very rare coprosma Melicytus 'Waipapa' growing in the wild that is being protected and encouraged.

A elevated site has been prepared for a future lodge and when the resource consent is granted a new pond will be developed on the flats by the Sauvignon Blanc plantings and another building site created for the restaurant and winery facility. With one of the Nelson region's main cycleway routes running along the front of the property, the main south highway just across the flats, the restaurant and winery, along with the native bush walks, will become a key recreational destination.

And the neighbours? Well one is still unhappy with the development but others now appreciate what has been achieved. They regularly seek permission to walk the meandering bush tracks to take in, and enjoy, the beauty and natural environment on this stunning 42 hectare environment Eggers has created.

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