Winemaker Notes
Redolent of violets, roses and wild cherries. The Whole bunch palate gives line and length to the wine and creates a fresh texture to compliment the masses of aromatics.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Winemaker Theo Coles has turned out a full-bodied, dense 2018 Whole Bunch Pinot Noir that went unsulfured until bottling. By contrast, the nose shines with refreshing herbal notes and florals. In the mouth, the wine juxtaposes its volume and weight of purple fruit with mouthwatering brininess and silky, tea-like tannins on the long finish. I suspect another year or two in the cellar will do it good, but it's easy enough to drink now.
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.”
On the central eastern coast of the South Island, Canterbury includes a collection of small and varied subregions. The region is cool and dry with low rainfall and light, infertile soils. Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are well-suited here, with Pinot Gris coming in third place.