KUMEU RIVER RAYS ROAD PINOT NOIR 2018

Winery notes (2018 Vintage)
"Rays Road is Kumeu River’s new vineyard site in Hawkes Bay. This limestone hillside is at 180 m altitude, with a northerly aspect. It is dry-farmed to yield high quality grapes for wine under the Rays Road name for our Kumeu River label. Pinot Noir had been planted by the previous owners in 2008 with a variety of clones. We are very excited by the Pinot Noir from this limestone hillside, and the future of this vineyard is certainly very bright.

The grapes for this wine were hand harvested, de stemmed then lightly crushed before being fermented with wild yeast in stainless steel tanks. After the malolactic fermentation this wine was matured for 12 months in seasoned French Oak. The resulting wine is bright, fragrant with ripe cherry and other red-fruit aromas. The palate is supple, deceptively concentrated with a distinctive limestone edge. It is delicious now, and we have no doubt that this complex wine will enhance further with bottle age."

93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, May 2020 (2018 Vintage)
"Very attractive bouquet with an immediate almost urgent scents of light red fruits, light brown baking spice moments and moderate+ complexity. On the plate a delicious wine with a varietal package of light red fruit flavours, old-school small red apple skin, fine chalky textured tannins and acidity bring tension and poise, with just 10% new barrel this wine does not need cellar time for the oak to integrate, though the wine wine does need time to harmonise completely. Balance – soon, medium++ length and medium+ complexity. Best drinking from mid to late 2021 through 2025."