Maori Point
Estate Pinot Noir 2020 750ml

GROWING SEASON

The COVID-19 vintage... The 2020 growing season was relatively moderate and settled for the vines, quite unlike the uncertain and tumultuous situation for humans around the world. Moderate summer temperatures, and an average-sized crop with excellent late season ripening lend elegance rather than power to the wines. Harvest of our Pinot Noir commenced April 15th. 

VINEYARD & WINERY PRACTICES

We believe wine should express where and when it is grown and made. We follow organic principles and then proceed further, nurturing the soil and indigenous microflora by making our own compost and planting native vegetation. Vine pruning, leaf pulling, straightening shoots, and harvesting are all done by hand. At least fourteen different areas of the vineyard are harvested and fermented individually in our winery that is adjacent to the vines. Small fermentations by native yeasts, worked by hand and exposed to ambient temperatures, articulate different facets of vineyard and vintage. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally during the eleven months the wine is in barrel (primarily French oak, 22% new). We rack once in summer, use minimal sulfites, and do not fine or filter. 

TASTING NOTES

The moderate heat and settled growing season of 2020 interacted with the classically challenging Central Otago terroir of Māori Point Vineyard to create a beautifully poised Pinot Noir, displaying layers of delicate flavours and soft silkiness on the palate. It offers precise cherry, raspberry, and plum, interwoven with cinnamon, caramel, and roasted nuts. Supple tannins provide an ethereal, silky mouthfeel, supported by refreshing acidity, providing lightness to the palate. Match with grilled salmon or mushroom dishes over the next 7+ years.