Black Estate winemaker Nicholas Brown has been awarded 2022 NZ Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine
The Damsteep Vineyard is located in the north east of Waipara Valley at the foot of the Omihi Saddle in North Canterbury. The combination of sandstone/limestone soils with some clay has given the wine its bright fragrant, floral/violet flavours and a silken texture. There is palate filling succulence balanced with minerality. A very attractive Pinot Noir.
Winery notes (2020 Vintage)
"This Pinot Noir is grown on a 5.5 hectare vineyard with 9 different parcels of various northeast, north, and north-west facing slopes, with an altitude between 140 to 180 meters above sea level. The vines here were planted in 2000 and grow on clay overlying fractured limestone and sandstone soils. Organic and biodynamic farming practices have been used since 2012. The Damsteep Vineyard has been fully certified organic with BioGro since March 2017.
Deep Ruby hue. Fragrant aromas of wild raspberry, dark plum, sandalwood, vanilla and sea spray. Flavours of silken and bright wild forest fruits and graphite. Supple and elastic mid pallet tannins that are contained with bright and pure minerality. Typical white rock tension creates a long and vibrant finish. This is an un-fined and unfiltered wine with small amounts of sediment. Please allow the bottle to stand and settle before pouring. Decanting will allow maximum expression of aroma and purity of fruit to emerge. Drink now to 2029.
100% De-stemmed, not crushed, 70% Whole berries. 4 days cold soak at ambient temperature. Yeast for fermentation was propagated from a vineyard starter. Fermentation lasted 10 to 12 days with hand or foot plunging one to 2 times per day. Pressed after 28 days on skins and drained to tight grained French 500 and 228 Litre barrels 3 to 10 years old. Malo-lactic fermentation was completed in spring. 12 months barrel maturation, then racked to stainless steel tank where the wine settled for 2 months. Bottled without fining or filtration. Sulphites added."
5 Stars Michael Cooper (2020 Vintage)
"Certified organic, the deep, bright ruby 2020 vintage was estate-grown in the Damsteep Vineyard, planted in 1999 'at the top of Waipara Valley', fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Still a baby, it has a floral, very fresh bouquet. Strongly varietal, it has intense, ripe, vigorous cherry, plum and spice flavours, a hint of herbs, savoury, nutty notes adding complexity and supple tannins. A very elegant wine, it should be long-lived; best drinking 2024+."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, August 2022 (2020 Vintage)
"Pure, ripe, fresh and varietal with an enticing and complex bouquet, fruit and savoury led with scents of black currant and black cherry, dried herbs and dark roses. There’s also a core of minerality and with wood spice highlights. Taut, youthful, savoury and complex on the palate. An abundance of chalky tannins, red berry fruit flavours, wood spice and clay limestone flavours. A delicious wine with pinosity that will be ready to drink from 2024 through 2034. In the meantime servewith food."
93/100 Nick Stock, JamesSuckling.com (2020 Vintage)
"Perfumed aromas of wild strawberries, lavender, cloves, pink peppercorns and citrus zest. Medium-bodied, with firm yet silky tannins and bright acidity. Sophisticated pinot. From organically grown grapes. Unfined and unfiltered. Drink or hold. Screw cap.”