Selected for the Fine Wines of New Zealand list
Doctors Flat Pinot is about Steve Davies’ pursuit of wine true to its origin—wine of terroir. The vines are organically farmed with care and harvested by hand. Steve's dedication was recently acknowledged by having this wine included in the Air New Zealand Fine Wines of New Zealand list.
Steve Davies left his job as wine maker at Carrick and set about turning his small organically farmed Bannockburn vineyard into one of the region's best. This release is an absolute stunner. We've always loved the elegance and purity in Steve's wine but in 2020 the stars seemed to have aligned and the result is a Pinot Noir of elegance, charm, flavour length… already a bottle of absolute deliciousness.
Reviews for the 2019 vintage below…
5 Stars & 97/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, December 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Gorgeously composed and gracefully elegant, the wine shows dark cherry, rich floral, dried herb, game and roasted nut aromas on the nose. The palate displays outstanding weight and concentration, combined with refined mouthfeel and fleshy texture, leading to an impressively long velvety finish. At its best: now to 2033."
Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS November 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Complex and distinctive, varietal and quite intense with aromas of black cherry and dark raspberry, savoury dried herb qualities, warm earth and mineral then baking spices from barrel and maturation. Lovely and intensity and richness with core flavours that reflect the bouquet, complex and detailed with an abundance of fine tannins and medium+ acidity. Lush and salivating, mineral and savoury, complex ad lengthy. An excellent wine with concentration and power. Best drinking from 2023 through 2030."
5 Stars Michael Cooper (2019 Vintage)
"Showing obvious cellaring potential, the youthful 2019 vintage is a single-vineyard red, estate-grown, matured for a year in French oak barrels (24 per cent new), and bottled without fining or filtering. Deep, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, savoury and supple, with strong, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, and a finely structured, long finish. Best drinking 2025+."
5 Stars Yvone Lorkin, May 2023 (2019 Vintage)
"Anyone who loves great pinot noir should phone their nearest wine shop now to ask if they have this wine in stock. If they do, hoon down there immediately and celebrate that you’ve carpe’d that diem. If they don’t, wail loudly over the phone that they’ve let you down, then slink over to your iPad to order it online*. This wine is the result of religious attention to detail by winemaker Steve Davies, whose skills are entirely focused on producing just one wine each year from his tiny, organically-farmed, 3ha block. The result is an intensely concentrated tamarillo, black tea and spiced rhubarb rock star in the glass. Soothing yet succulently structured, it bursts with freshness and flavour. It’s a joy to drink now, but tuck some away for another 8 years and you’ll be seriously rewarded. Amazing stuff."
94/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, December 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"From organically farmed vines in an elevated Bannockburn site. This pinot noir specialist makes consistently high-quality wine with a reputation for developing well with bottle age. Quite a concentrated pinot noir with ripe plum, dark cherry/berry flavours together with a seasoning of nutty oak and dried herb flavours. Youthful wine that will benefit from cellaring for at least a few years."
Rated Excellent, 5 Stars & 93/100 NZ Wine Rater, August 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Primary, youthful, new-world nose with aromas of dark forest fruit, blackberry conserve and charry, cocoa, milk-chocolate oak. Fleshy, juicy, tasty wine with a core of dark cherry and black olive flavours, plenty of acidity, robust, chewy tannin and quite a fine finish. Needs time."
Rated Outstanding, Mark Henderson ODT, September 2022 (2019 Vintage)
"Darker fruited, an impression of richness, savoury characters, incense, beguiling & intriguing. Power without weight, deftness, vibrancy and energy evident, super texture. Powerful tannins a corset for the wine with a hint of stalky (?) freshness. Red & dark fruits, savoury notes swelling, ripe yet not ‘sweet’ with a very long, dry close. A compelling example."