CERES COMPOSITION PINOT NOIR 2022

If you’re in the mood for a Central Otago Pinot with a bit of story behind it, this one should definitely get your attention.

Ceres is a name some of you will remember, although these days the wines live on under the Dicey label. This is a small parcel of existing stock the winery has released, and it’s given us the chance to offer something pretty special at a sharp price.

The style might surprise you. This isn’t your typical bold, fruit driven Central Pinot. The 2022 Ceres Composition is lighter on its feet, more about finesse and detail than power. It leans toward a more classic, almost Burgundian expression, with layers that reveal themselves slowly.

There’s a lovely savoury edge here, think dried herbs and mushroom, alongside cherry and spice, with subtle bottle aged complexity. The tannins are silky and nicely structured, giving the wine a real sense of flow and making it a great match for food. Mushroom risotto would be right at home, but anything earthy or autumnal will sing.

This is a Pinot that invites you to slow down and take notice. And at this price, it’s an easy decision to make.

The Ceres Composition Pinot Noir is a beautifully composed Pinot from the Dicey family in Central Otago. It is no stranger to incredible accolades having taken out the IWSC Bouchard Finlayson Trophy for their 2013 Composition Pinot Noir and the 2015 filled the top Pinot Noir spot at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK.

Ceres’ is the Central Otago brand of the Dicey family. Father Robin and sons James and Matt have had an integral involvement in many aspects of Central Otago wine since the early 1990's. The family were founding partners in Mt Difficulty with Matt being the winemaker since its inception in 1996. They know their stuff!

Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"Described as a year where average growers shone and good growers excelled, Vintage 2022 will be remembered for being close to the perfect season: a lack of frost and wind, warm and wet at the start with a protracted hot dry spell in the middle and a long cool ripening period. Overall a very warm season, small bunch numbers with big berries the fruit was clean and tasty!

Fruit was 50% Cromwell and 50% Bannockburn. The majority of the ferments were destemmed with 10% left with a proportion of whole bunch. 22 days on skins, hand punched down daily. Indigenous yeast, natural malolactic fermentation in barrel. 11 months in oak barrels with 15% new. Bottled unfined and filtered in August 2023.

Nose: red berry. violet florals. sweet brown spice.
Palate: supple. lithe. elegant."

5 Stars & 94/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, July 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"It’s splendidly ripe and enticing on the nose, showing dark cherry, clove, warm mushroom and toasted nut aromas. The palate displays excellent weight and supple mouthfeel, beautifully framed by silky texture and polished tannins, making it sturdy yet smooth and rounded with a lingering satisfying finish. At its best: now to 2032."

Cameron Douglas MS (2022 Vintage)
"Quite light in colour yet still shows a ruby core with a pink rim and developing garnet hue. Aromas and flavours of a developing wine, some savoury dried herb then fruit flavours of plum and cherry with some raspberry moments. Tannins are easy on the palate, dissolving away within a minute, acidity offers a decent crispness and some crunch… Well made and ready to drink from late 2024 through 2028+."