Immerse yourself in the captivating aromas of chestnuts, licorice, and eucalyptus, complemented by delicate toffee notes and a subtle hint of pepper. Experience a well-balanced palate that seamlessly blends fruit and tannins. Discover the elegant interpretation of dark cherry and sweet-tart flavours, enticing you to savour every sip of this remarkable Pinot Noir.
“Elegant, concentrated Bendigo fruit with fine tannins and length.” *(Full review available at JamesSuckling.com, subscription required)*
⭐ **94+ pts – The Wine Advocate, Erin Larkin (Dec 2023)** “Fine chalky tannins with energy and drive.” *(Full review available at WineAdvocate.com, subscription required)*
⭐ **5★ – Michael Cooper** Recognised for excellence in Central Otago Pinot Noir.
⭐ **The Real Review – Top Wineries of NZ** Quartz Reef named among New Zealand’s leading producers.
Rating Excellent to Outstanding by Mark Henderson (Jun 2024)
2021 Vintage:
98 Points by Winestate Magazine (July/August 2022)
95 Points by Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews (Jun 2022)
Classic and 5 Stars by Michael Cooper (May 2022)
The 2022 growing season and the subsequent harvest was defined by adequate and timely rain and a warm dry ripening period. This combination of nature’s irrigation from October through December left the vines quite happy with prolonged flowering and good fruit set. The superb ripening weather that followed from January through the end of April really brought home some quality fruit. The team started picking with the crews in the vineyard as the bubbles began to arrive late February and was quickly followed by Pinot three weeks later. With some good yields and pronounced quality the Pinot is tucked away in barrels. The sheep are grazing in the vineyard and we begin pruning in the coming weeks to reset and get ready for another ride around the sun.
Hand-picked on the 17th,18th, and 21st March. Each clone was small batch vinified with a small percentage of whole cluster per ferment. Cold Soaked for up to 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle plunging each day, followed by post maceration of up to 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 21-26 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (27% new) where the wine aged for 12 months during which malolactic fermentation occurred naturally.
Alcohol: 14.0% Bottling Date: 7th September 2023 Ageing Potential: 6 – 9 years
