The
Judge Rock vision is elegant sensuous intimate Pinot Noir.
Paul and Angela Jacobson (nee Chiaroni)'s vineyard is situated on a sloping alluvial fan at Hillview Road below the airport plateau on the outskirts of Alexandra, Central Otago, New Zealand. The soil consists of 27m depth of fine schist and greywacke river sands. The vineyard is sheltered from the north western and southern winds.
The Chiaroni family was started in New Zealand by Ambrogio(Ambrose) Chiaroni,
from Germasino, (prononced Jer-maa-zi-no) near Dongo and Lake Como, Northern
Italy. He was Angela's great great uncle and he established an art and stone
importation and retail business at 24 George Street in Dunedin. Later Mansueto
and Ambrigio (junior) his nephew and Angela's Grandfather came out in the
1890s and they settled in Invercargill and Dunedin respectively and ran
art businesses there.
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The inspiration for our wine label Judge Rock comes from the little known schist landmark called Old Judge Rock on the southern road entry into central Otago at Millers Flat where Paul grew up. The only reference I have found is in Historic Central Otago by FWG Miller illustrated by Colin V Wheeler published by AH Reed 1970. To avoid confusion we have used Judge Rock rather than Old Judge Rock as our label. Paul left the family orchard for university and a career in civil
engineering vowing never to be involved in horticulture. |
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Judge Rock Vineyard
We have 8 hectares of westerly facing slopes with 4 hectares planted in 13,000 Pinot Noir vines with the oldest vines planted in late 1998.
The clearing of the old peach, apple, pear and plum orchards, including relocating sprinklers, seemed like a Sisyphean task. Paul spent hours on his trusty (not!) Massey Ferguson 35 tractor. Some of the more forgettable moments include being bellied on top of a smoldering tree stump pile one evening and being so concerned about the tractor going up in flames that he put the overhead irrigators on all night!
Our Pinot Noir clones include Pommard 5 & 6, 10/5, 13, and Dijon 667, 777, 113, 114, 115. Most of the vines are ungrafted but future plantings will definitely be on rootstock. Our sandy soils may inhibit phylloxera? We would like to follow organic-biodynamic principles and applied Preparation 500 in January 2004.
WE have New Zealand's 1st St Laurent wine.
The Jacobson-Chiaroni family; Paul, Angela, and Sam, Tony and William have all worked on the vineyard along with various friends, relatives, students, Farmhelpers and other part time workers.
Paul first made a barrel of pinot noir in 1996 when we lived in Marlborough and each year since then he has made a barrel from fruit initially from Marlborough and since 1999 from Central Otago fruit. He gave a 1996 bottle of Pinot Noir to Brendon Burns of the Marlborough Express who wrote it up saying; "if that is the standard an amateur can produce, Marlborough has a great future in Pinot Noir." Paul has worked as a cellar hand at Highfield, Isabel Estate and William Hill. He returned to Central in 1997 after being away for 25 years.
The Chiaroni and Jacobson families are the centre of our stories.
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| Tony Jacobson | William Jacobson | Angela Chiaroni | Not be forgotten Hine our lovely boxer. |
Limestone sculpture Ngati (2003) by Roger E Morris (REMO)
Millers Flat's artisan of painting, print making and sculptor.
for more info Roger's website
In
2005 our son environmental scientist Sam Jacobson was selected in NZ
University Rugby League team for the World Cup in Brisbane. They won,
beating Australia in the final with Sam scoring the first try and mentioned
in dispatches for his solid defence.
Recently Sam has been playing for the West Australian rugby league team the Rockingham Sharks
they came 2nd in the 2009 competition with Sam being named in the paper West Australian side and winning most consistent player and best player.
Pinot Noir from Judge Rock has amazing powers!
Sam is looking for profesional contract in Japan or UK in either rugby or league. Make him an offer quick.
Jacobson or Jakobsson
My (Paul's) great grandfather was Matts Edward (Jakobsson) a Swedish-Finnish sailor who settled in (jumped ship? )in Port Chalmers Otago and settled in the coastal Catlins, Romahapa, South Otago. He was an able bodied seaman from Torku Finland and married Ellen Agnes Kelly, born in Kilkenny Ireland on 21/3/1875 at Glenomaru.
My Great grandfather Matts Edward Jacobson, known as Edward was son of Jakob Mattson B 13.12.1820 Terjarv D 28.1.1879 Nykarleby Finland and Maja Johansdotter B 26.7.1816 Nykarleby D 10.4.1874 Turku Finland
Edward and Ellen Jacobson, the names was anglised, had the following children Mary Jacobson b 1.4.1876, Edward Jacobson b 8.8.1877, Annie Elizabeth Jacobson b 21.12.1879, Agnes Ellen Jacobson b 21.12.1879, Thomas Alexander Jacobson b 22.12.1880, James Jacobson 6.6.1882, Seline Margaret Jacobson 20.5.1885, Henry William Jacobson 7.7.1886, Luisa ? Florence Jacobson 21.10.1887, James William Jacobson 8.6.1889, Louisa Jane Jacobson 11.10.1890, John Jacobson 2.7.1892, Sydney Jacobson 15.1.1894, Reginald Martin Jacobson 20.8.1895, James Herbert Jacobson 30.1.1898
Edward Jacobson died 21.7.1904 my great granddad and wife Helen Agnes Jacobson are buried in the beautiful Romahapa cementary in the Catlins, South Otago.If you are descendent of a Edward Jacobson please lets us know. thanks Paul Jacobson
Holiday snaps from Judge Rock
Christmas Day 25 December 2009
The meal the Pinot Noir and the snooze.