Pinot Noir, Te Manaia, Marlborough, 2012

Made in an elegant appealing style which can be enjoyed when young but will also benefit from a little cellaring allowing it to develop more complex characters.

Tasting: Lovely lifted nose with red cherry and mocha notes combined with savoury, spicy aromas. Savoury, gamey flavours with hints of leather balanced with elegant tannins add complexity to this wine which delivers a long elegant finish. This wine will continue to develop complexity over the next couple of years.     

Wine Making: A range of Pinot Noir clones were hand harvested.  The grapes were crushed and put into open tanks and fermented with wild and inoculated yeasts.  The fermenting wine and skins were hand plunged 2 to 3 times daily. After ferment the wine was left on skins for 14 days before being pressed, settled and racked to tank.  The wine was then aged in French oak barrels for 10 months.

Certified Organic: Asure Quality.

Diet: Suitable for a vegan diet.        

Analysis: Alcohol 13%,  Acidity: 5.5 g/L

Silver - Sakura Wine Awards

It is nicely lifted on the nose showing spiced cherry, stewed plum, game, mixed spice and toasted nut characters, leading to a juicy palate that is rounded and flavoursome. The wine offers ripe berry flavours together with rich savoury notes, finishing smooth and spicy. 4 Stars - Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2018