Winemaker Notes
Very dark, deep, ruby-red with purple hues. Intense, with aromas of Juniper and dark fruit, plums boysenberry and black currents. This is followed with earthy violets, jasmine and cumin. Juicy, full-bodied with flavors of honey, orange peels fresh grapefruit. A dry firewood with herbal thyme and sage, Syrah-style spice. A balanced wine with lengthy tannin showing the small amount of whole-bunch stems and fresh acidity showing the co-fermented Chardonnay, yet still finishing rich and smooth.
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.”
Rolling hills evolve from a scenic coastline to form an ideal setting for Sauvignon Blanc vineyards. Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay rank in after New Zealand’s prized varietal as most widely planted in Nelson. The region is slightly cooler and has more precipitation on average compared to Marlborough.