Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesA fresh and balanced pinot with a firm and gorgeous density of dried strawberries and orange peel. Some tight chewy tannins. Medium-bodied. Bright and crisp. Racy. Tight at the end. This will age wonderfully. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drink or hold.
Juicy flavors of maraschino cherry, strawberry preserves and black cherry compote are fleshy and forward, but more complex nuances of spice, herb, forest floor and white pepper emerge slowly, creating a tremendous sense of harmony on the finish, which goes on and on. The tannins are velvety, imparting an appealing sense of traction. Drink now through 2031.
The 2018 Block 5 Pinot Noir shows its typical dark earthiness and sous-bois notes, black cherry fruit and hints of mocha. It's medium-bodied and plump in the mouth, with plenty of flesh, supple tannins and a long, softly dusty finish tinged with clove, cinnamon and cocoa. It should drink well for at least a decade.
Central Otago is located on the southern end of New Zealand's South Island (latitude 45º south) and shares with Oregon (45º north) similar viticultural challenges: late frosts in Spring, early frost in Autumn, a growing season that may be curtailed overnight. Yet the climates of both are surprisingly similar to Burgundy's Côte d'Or: hot in summer, cold in winter. Central Otago is New Zealand's only wine region with a continental - rather than maritime - climate, which results in greater diurnal and seasonal shifts in temperature.
Home to the globe’s most southerly vineyards, which are cultivated below the 45th parallel, Central Otago is a true one-of-a-kind wine growing region, but not only because of its extreme location.
Central Otago is more dependent on one single variety than any other region in New Zealand—and it isn’t Sauvignon blanc. They don’t even make Sauvignon blanc there.
Pinot Noir claims nearly 75% of the region’s vineyards with Pinot Gris coming in a far second place and Riesling behind it. This is also New Zealand’s only wine region with a continental climate, giving it more diurnal and seasonal temperature shifts than any other.
The subregion of Bannockburn has enjoyed the most success historically but the area’s exceptional growth has moved to the promising regions of Cromwell/Bendigo and Alexandra districts. Central Otago is known for its fruity and full-bodied Pinot noir. With the freedom to experiment here, growers and winemakers are easily exhibiting the area’s great potential.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”