Gold Medal – New Zealand Organic Wine Awards 2024
Winery notes (2019 Vintage)
"Our flagship Pinot Noir, sourced primarily from our southern block. It carries the name of Surveyor – John Turnbull Thomson linking both the land and its fruits to the vineyard owners, PM and David Hall-Jones family heritage.
Terroir in a glass – very site specific, sophisticated and unique. On the nose, blackberries, spice, violets and wild herb aromatics. Medium bodied with an interesting mix of red fruits and savoury notes. A complex, high energy wine, perfect to enjoy today or to patiently cellar."
5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, February 2023 (2019 Vintage)
"Gracefully styled and seductively complex, the bouquet shows dark cherry, dried herb, smoked game, warm mushroom and roasted nut aromas. The palate delivers excellent concentration and fleshy texture wonderfully framed by layers of fine tannins. Gorgeously composed and expressed with a prolonged delectable finish. At its best: now to 2033."
5 Stars Michael Cooper, May 2023 (2019 Vintage)
"The outstanding 2019 vintage was estate-grown at Lowburn. Full, bright ruby, it is a mouthfilling, very rich red, with deep, beautifully ripe flavours, savoury and harmonious. Full of youthful vigour, it's a benchmark wine, likely to be at its best from 2025 onwards."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2023 (2019 Vintage)
"This wine takes several hours to open up and show its true self. A wine of potential requiring cellaring to fully integrate and develop. The first nose reveals a savoury earthy complexity with wild thyme, rosemary and winter spices. Fruit follows with plum and cherry then as the wine opens up a strawberry and and dried raspberry quality. Taut and dry, firm tannins and plenty of acidity puts a squeeze on the palate. The core fruit flavours offer contrast and context for the variety. Well made, complex and quite lengthy with best drinking from 2025 through 2034+."