Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Kuratea – in Te Reo Maori translates to light red. This wine should be enjoyed chilled! This is a chilled red made from Pinot Noir. The fruit comes from Stad-Ko Vineyard south of Martinborough village. Two-thirds 10/5 clone Pinot Noir with 25% whole bunch, gently extracted via pump-over. One-third young vine Abel Pinot Noir, gently destemmed. Blended & aged in stainless steel, full malolactic, lightly filtered, with a 40 ppm SO2 addition.
This wine presents a savoury aroma with wild herbs and notes of brambly blackberry jube reminiscent of Black Forest chocolate. The palate is a delightful burst of juicy fruit, offering a light and gracefully refreshing experience, especially when served chilled."
Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, November 2023 (2023 Vintage)
"A wine made to drink cool, even chilled, fresh and lively with a core of bright red berry fruit flavours. Tannins are super fine and acidity sets the foundation in place. Balanced and well made with a chalky texture and flavours of plums and raspberry, some cherry and plenty of natural fruit spice lift, and no oak influences. Best drinking young from day of purchase through 2026."
18.5/20 Joelle Thomson, joellethomson.com, October 2023 (2023 Vintage)
"Chilled Pinot Noir is not only a description of the style of wine but also the low tannins in this medium bodied red, which make this wine suitable for drinking at a lower temperature. This is a vibrant, juicy and deliciously balanced red made entirely from Pinot Noir grapes from the slightly challenging 2023 vintage in which Cyclone Gabrielle made for difficult conditions, despite which, this wine is a great expression of Pinot Noir. It contains 11.5% alcohol as a reflection of harvest dates and winemaking but the wine is entirely dry. It's made from old vine 10/5 (25% whole bunch with gentle pump overs) and new plantings of Abel clone Pinot Noir, all grown at the Stad_Ko Vineyard (the new name for the old Arapai Vineyard). Delicious."