Winery notes (2022 Vintage)
"Immerse yourself in the captivating aromas of chestnuts, licorice, and eucalyptus, complemented by delicate toffee notes and a subtle hint of pepper. Experience a well-balanced palate that seamlessly blends fruit and tannins. Discover the elegant interpretation of dark cherry and sweet-tart flavours, enticing you to savour every sip of this remarkable Pinot Noir.
Hand-picked on the 17th ,18th, and 21st March. Each clone was small batch vinified with a small percentage of whole cluster per ferment. Cold Soaked for up to 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle plunging each day, followed by post maceration of up to 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 21-26 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (27% new) where the wine aged for 12 months during which malolactic fermentation occurred naturally."
95/100 JamesSuckling.com (2022 Vintage)
"This is very structured for a 2022 vintage, with fine, linear tannins that run the length of the wine, giving backbone, focus and a tight fruit structure. It's very typical for a Central Otago pinot. So much clarity and focus to this.
Reviews for the 2021 vintage below…
5 Stars Michael Cooper (2021 Vintage)
"Certified organic and biodynamic, the 2021 vintage was estate-grown at Bendigo, hand-picked from vines planted in 1998, and matured for a year in French oak barriques (26 per cent new). Full, bright ruby, it is enticingly perfumed, with mouthfilling body and deep, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, nutty, savoury and complex. A very harmonious wine, delicious in its youth, it's also well worth cellaring."
Rated Outstanding & 96/100 Cameron Douglas MS, September 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"Fantastic bouquet with a sense of place and time, aromas of forrest berries and bracken, mineral and wood spices, fresh dark cherries, plums, wild black currant and porcini mushroom. Completely delicious on the palate, texture driven and youthful, flavours of pinosity and sense of place with flavours of soil and spice, core of red fruits and fine toasty barrel qualities. Firm tannin s nad medium+ acid line, a long finish with pinosity, charm and elegance. Great drinking from late 2023 through 2030+."
5 Stars & 96/100 Sam Kim, Wne Orbit, August 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"This is stunningly beautiful and engaging; the complex bouquet shows sweet cherry, olive, game and roasted nut characters, leading to a splendidly layered palate that's silky and creamy. The wine offers terrific fruit purity combined with seductive savoury nuances, finishing impressively long and velvety. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2036. "
Rated Excellent, 5 Stars & 94/100 NZ Wine Rater, August 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"Perfumed, vinous, complex almost Barolo-like bouquet with aromas of roses, sun-drenched strawberries, graphite, dark chocolate and creamy, vanilla pod oak. Youthful, concentrated wine – silky and textural with fine, savoury tannins."
94/100 Mike Bennie, The Wine Front, December 2022 (2021 Vintage)
"This has depth and levity, richness and yet balance. It’s red and black cherries, mushroom, alpine herbs, ginger and clove spice. All of this in good measure, a gentle seasoning for the potent fruit character. Great length of flavour, a web of fine, lacy tannins lending some shape but the wine does spread luxuriously and softly in the palate. Great drinking. Enriching."