Trading Places - Smuggling Abel Clone

When I was last in New Zealand, I was given a few cuttings of Abel clone Pinot Noir, a "suitcase clone", originally from Romanee-Conti. The vines are virus-free, and have been credited with giving extra-substance to the wines of Ata Rangi.

I struggled to get the cuttings to grow when I returned to the UK in April 2007, and they didn't really get moving until the autumn. They were, seemingly, stuck on Southern Hemisphere time. I am not quite sure how I got them through the winter in leaf - south-facing window, reflective foil - but they made it. The original budwood has now given me a couple of vines, and with flowering close, I have successfully chip-budded them onto a few ailing rows of Pinot Gris.