Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2023
Winery notes (2021 Vintage)
"The Martinborough growing season saw small crops with above average summer temperatures, leading to good ripeness and concentrated fruit. The 2021 Escarpment Martinborough Pinot Noir is an assemblage of the best Pinot Noir vineyards across the district, with sixty percent of the fruit for this wine from the Te Muna Road sub region. The fruit was hand harvested and crushed to open top fermenters, with minimal intervention until it was pressed. Plunged just once a day for gentle extraction and then left to macerate on skins for an average vat time of 20 days. It has been aged in French oak barriques (15% new) for 11 months followed by a further 9 months in stainless steel tank before bottling without fining or filtration.
Fashioned true to the Escarpment style, this wine showcases the savoury complexity and structure that made Martinborough famous. Notes of turned earth and spice, sit behind lifted perfume and dark fruit flavours. It is a wine of immediate appeal, but also depth and character. Herbs de Provence, wild game, and fresh mushroom are also present. The palate is soft and subtle with ripe tannin, and classic varietal characters. It is medium bodied and a true expression of Martinborough Pinot Noir. Enjoyable on release or better after 5 years. Serve with any good Asian cuisine, Beef Bourgogne or full flavoured fish."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, June 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Most if not all escarpment Pinots Noir need to be given the time to develop, build complexities and show their true potential. This was the legacy that Larry Mackenna and his team set, today’s team led by Tim Bourne is continuing this legacy easily showcased in this wine. Aromas and flavours are rich and taut, complex and detailed. A wine that opens up to reveal its potential after 3 days open. Dark berries and plum, spices and dried herb, savoury and complex, mushroom and smoke. Lengthy, dry and complex. Best drinking from 2026 through 2036."
94/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, March 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"Delicately aromatic wine with floral, savoury/dried herb and cherry/berry flavours. The wine has weight and structure giving it obvious complexity and longevity. Aeration is strongly recommended."
94/100 David Walker Bell, WineFolio.co.nz, July 2023 (2021 Vintage)
"A collection of fruit from across the best of Martinborough’s vineyards – 60% of it from Te Muna Road specifically. A medium-depth of ruby-garnet red in the glass, with that classic ‘Martinborough’ perfume of dark red fruits, rare steak, lavender and an earthy ‘forest floor’ savouriness. Medium-bodied and lithe into the palate, where that juxtaposition of plush pomegranate and redcurrant juice meets dried herbs and roast mushrooms. There’s a nice rasp of tannin across the palate, and subtle oak definition. Again, the character of this wine continues to be defined – more purity and finesse… less grunt. Sharper, with less blunt power. I like this. "
Reviews for the 2020 vintage below…
94/100 Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, January 2023 (2020 Vintage)
"Aromatic, red cherry and raspberry liquorice scented red, bits of spice in there too, the woody kind. Plush texture, smooth as, good concentration but also lift, a kind of creaminess to feel with blood orange tang and twiggy-clove wood spice to finish. Quality feel here. Complex too. One for the cellar."