GIBBSTON VALLEY CHINA TERRACE PINOT NOIR 2020

Gold Medal – NZ Organic Wine Awards 2022

Winery notes (2020 Vintage)
"From an elevated, gently sloping terrace, China Terrace Pinot Noir shows the benefit of altitude in Bendigo, with perfumed red fruit, complex spice, and a savoury structural thread. The wine immediately exhibits Bendigo’s richness, in the form of plentiful dark fruits and spice on the nose. A generous, seamless palate unfolds with regal ease. Whilst coated in richness, the wine is graceful, finishing with purity and finesse.

The China Terrace Vineyard is located in the Bendigo subregion of Central Otago. Gently sloped and north facing, it has 4 clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay planted over some 7 hectares. Being over 320m, it retains a coolness relative to Bendigo’s natural warmth. This, and the complex accumulation of loess, clay and schist in its soil, gives wines of fresh, bright complexity."

Reviews for previous vintages below…..

Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2020 (2019 Vintage)
"Complex, varietal, fruity and alluring scents of dark cherry and dried raspberry, dark red apple skin and baking spices of oak. There’s a mineral layer with scents of stones and silty loess. On the palate – equally complex and concentrated with vibrant and precise flavours of red berries, plums and baking spices reflecting the bouquet. Toasty new barrel layers, medium+ acidity and firm tannins provide for texture and foundation. Well made, youthful and ready to enjoy from 2021 through 2029+."

5 Stars & 95/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review (2019 Vintage)
"From a gently sloping, high-altitude Bendigo vineyard. Ripe, intense, pinot noir with plum, red cherry, dried herb, subtle red rose petal and smoky oak flavours. A stylish complex wine with cellaring potential."

96/100 Jamie Goode, wineanorak.com, January 2019 (2017 Vintage)
"33% whole bunch. A touch of roast coffee on the nose with lively, sappy-edged black cherry fruit. Concentrated yet very fine with silky, fleshy black cherry and blackberry fruit with incredible detail and elegance. Such a lovely wine with great potential. Thrilling stuff."

5 Stars Michael Cooper (2017 Vintage)
"Estate-grown at altitude (320 metres above sea level) in the China Terrace Vineyard, at Bendigo, the 2017 vintage was hand-picked and matured for 10 months in French oak casks (22 per cent new). A graceful, highly refined red, it is sweet-fruited and supple, with vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, complex, strong and savoury, and a scented bouquet. Delicious young, but capable of lengthy cellaring, it’s best opened mid-2020+."