Gold Medal – Aotearoa Regional Wine Competition 2024
Winery notes (2023 Vintage)
"The 2023 vintage yielded beautiful fruit from each of our sites, which we have simply guided gently through to the bottle with minimal handling. Our “hands-off” approach delivers a pure expression of Central Otago to your glass; an expressive nose and deeply fruited palate displaying vibrant notes of red and black cherry, rich mocha and supple, silky tannins leading into a very long finish. As always this wine shows classic Rockburn elegance, integrity and balance. Enjoy with friends over the next 4-9 years."
Rated Outstanding & 95/100 Cameron Douglas MS, July 2024 (2023 Vintage)
"Immediately enticing bouquet with complexity and spice, ripe red berry fruit aromas of raspberry and plums, some blackcurrant and dried herb complexities. Dry and complex on the palate with flavours, textures and a delicious mouthfeel. Judicious use of oak with some toasty spice layers, varietal and new, ripe tannins and backbone of acidity. Well made with best drinking from as early as late 2024 through 2034."
Reviews for the 2022 vintage below…
5 Stars & 95/100 Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, April 2023 (2022 Vintage)
"Seductive and inviting, the bouquet shows sweet plum, rich floral, clove and toasted nut aromas, followed by a silky-smooth palate offering finely layered mouthfeel combined with plush texture and grainy tannins. It's supple and flavoursome with sensual complexity. At its best: now to 2032."
4 ½ Stars Yvonne Lorkin (2022 Vintage)
"Winemaker Malcolm Rees-Francis has selected fruit from their Parkburn and Gibbston Valley Back Road vineyards to star in this, one of New Zealands most consistent and reliably tasty pinot noirs. The nose of the 2022 shows classic cherry, black tea and raspberry jus notes on the nose and palate. A seam of smoky spices and sandy tannins stitch together a cloak of blueberry and cocoa characters. Nicely made and a wine list classic."
4 ½ Stars Michael Cooper (2022 Vintage)
"This consistently stylish blend of Parkburn (principally) and Gibbston grapes typically has concentrated cherry, plum and dried-herb flavours, silky-textured and perfumed. The 2022 vintage was estate-grown and hand-harvested at Parkburn, in the Cromwell Basin (85 per cent) and at Gibbston (15 per cent), and matured for 10 months in French oak casks (33 per cent new). Ruby hued, it is a fragrant, supple, strongly varietal wine, with very good depth of ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, finely integrated oak adding complexity, moderate acidity and gentle tannins. A very smooth, harmonious wine, it's already drinking well, but likely to be at its best 2025+."