MARTINBOROUGH VINEYARDS TE TERA PINOT NOIR 2023

We reckon this continues to be one of the best valued Pinot Noirs around. Made with the same handcrafted discipline as the Martinborough Vineyard, the 'second label' Te Tera Pinot Noir takes a big step into 'first label' territory with its flavour profile and complexity. It drinks beautifully with its dense and juicy dark fruits that have an intriguing floral edge while chocolatey tannins fill the palate. It's nicely weighted with balanced acidity and excellent varietal character.

Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"Made with the same handcrafted discipline as Martinborough Vineyard, Te Tera is an expressive, vivid and eloquent interpretation of one of New Zealand’s most venerable wine regions. Winemaker Paul Mason’s pursuit of perfection starts in the vineyard and can be found in every structured, balanced, nuanced glass.

Juicy dark cherries, thyme notes jostle with a hints of spice on the nose. Soft juicy red fruit characters on the palate introduce the wine with spicy notes in the background. Soft rounded tannins with ripe fruit and a velvety texture make for a succulent finish.

Te Tera Pinot Noir comes from our younger vineyards (vine age ranges from 9-24 years old) within the Martinborough appellation. These vineyards sit on a mix of alluvial and clay soils. Our younger vineyards tend to produce Pinot Noir that features spicy notes on the nose paired with soft fruit flavours and a smooth finish on the palate.

The grapes are 100% destemmed and fermented in open top tanks for around three weeks with entirely with natural yeast. The ferments are hand-plunged up to two times a day before being gently pressed to barrel for a further ten months ageing on lees. All tight grain French oak barriques of which around 15% are new."

Reviews for previous vintages below…

4 Stars Cuisine NZ Pinot Noir Tasting, April 2024 (2022 Vintage)
"Bright in the glass with aromas of rhubarb, raspberry and redcurrants alongside light mixed spice and a hint of rich caramel. These characteristics come through on the moderately concentrated yet clean palate, alongside dried herbs and red summer berry flavours."

Rated Excellent & 93/100 Cameron Douglas MS, December 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"Vivid aromas of dark cherry and black plums, anise and moderately toasty barrel scents, there’s a delicate lifted clay soil quality adding complexity and intensity. Fruity, plush and ripe, fresh and dry, fine velvety tannins with a chalky texture, plenty of acidity and core fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet. Delicious, youthful, taut and dry. A wine for the cellar or to accompany food. Best drinking from early 2024 through 2029+. A wine that punches well above its weight presenting excellent value."

4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2020 Vintage)
"Te Tera ('The Other') is designed for early drinking, compared to its stablemates. Delicious young, but also ageworthy, the 2020 vintage was matured for 10 months in French oak barrels (15 per cent new). Full, bright ruby, it is a mouthfilling, sweet-fruited red, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours, showing very good complexity, and ripe, supple tannins. Best drinking 2023+."