Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018

Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018French oak Wild cherry & raspberry Cinnamon & vanilla Silky tannins "Good colour, vinous red. Nice intense berry. Good weight of fruit. Soft entry but good depth, fleshy finish" Simon Nash "Ripe and brooding. Dark cherry, plain and spicy, solid tannin and a tone of complexity" Matt Kirby, WineNZ Magazine, Autumn Edition, 2020 "Darker colour, cranberry, mulberry with sweet vanilla spice. Strawberry jam and early character dominate the palate. The nose

• French oak
• Wild cherry & raspberry
• Cinnamon & vanilla
• Silky tannins

"Good colour, vinous red. Nice intense berry. Good weight of fruit. Soft entry but good depth, fleshy finish" Simon Nash

"Ripe and brooding. Dark cherry, plain and spicy, solid tannin and a tone of complexity" Matt Kirby, WineNZ Magazine, Autumn Edition, 2020

"Darker colour, cranberry, mulberry with sweet vanilla spice. Strawberry jam and early character dominate the palate. The nose is much lighter" Barry Riwai, WineNZ Magazine, Autumn Edition, 2020

“Very pretty with red fruits and sweet spice on both the nose and the palate. Bright, cheerful and enjoyable" Susan Hulme, Peter McCombie, MW, Wine Challenge London

"Offering gorgeous fruit purity together with seductive spicy nuances, the wine shows dark cherry, plum, vanilla, thyme, anise and roasted nut aromas on the nose, leading to a concentrated palate that is silky-smooth and wonderfully flowing. It is beautifully harmonious and persistent with a multi-layered mouthfeel. At its best: now to 2026" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Sep 2019

"It's easy to love the pronounced, fruit focused flavours of Wild Earth Pinot Noir with plum, dark cherry, berry, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours. Quite a supple wine with soft, seductive texture" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review

"Varietal and distinctive bouquet of Pinot Noir with aromas of dark cherry and dark plum, no mistaking the aromas of toasty wood with cinnamon and vanilla. Dry on the palate with flavours that mirror the cherry and red stone fruits, fine to moderate chalky tannins and medium+ acidity are contrasted by the fruit and oak flavours. Balanced and well made" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Oct 2019

"Fragrant, savoury, single-vineyard Bannockburn red, matured for a year in French oak barriques (25% new).  Deep ruby, well-structured wine with fresh, youthful cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing excellent ripeness and complexity.  Best drinking 2021+" Winestate 

"A more complex style with raspberries and wild cherries, bramble, white blossom and a hint of herbaceousness. This wine has density, fruit concentration and presence on the palate through oak spice and a luscious weaving of wild fruits providing persistence and length" Cuisine Magazine 2020

A bright garnet coloured Pinot Noir with intense aromas of sweet cherry, strawberry, white blossom, clove, and wild thyme. The warmer aspects of the 2018 vintage has delivered a richly textured wine with generous fruit concentration that is complemented by intricate detail and noteworthy poise. Silky fine tannins, inviting fruit aromas and serious underlying structure showcase the hallmarks of this distinctive Bannockburn site. Harmonious and inviting as a young wine, it will continue to develop and give enjoyment for 10+ years.

The winemaking intention was for transparency in order to showcase the great personality of the vineyard in a vintage that was truly extraordinary. The 2017 - 2018 growing season was unique, with the hottest summer on record and the wettest February in Central Otago, although the rain was welcome as natural irrigation. It was a very early harvest, with each block harvested 3-4 weeks earlier than previous years. The heat of the season rewards with great fruit concentration while still retaining fresh acidity.

This Pinot Noir came from a highly awarded site in Bannockburn. The fruit was hand harvested at optimal ripeness with harvest dates ranging from early to late March, which was on average one month earlier than usual. Several ferments went into the blend ranging from 0-50% whole bunches per fermenter. The resulting blend has around 25% whole clusters, which aids the tannin structure and aromatics of the wine. The total time on skins ranges from 3 to 4 weeks. The wine was aged in fine grain French Oak: 25% new, 35% 1 year old and 40% 2-5 year old barriques for approximately 12 months.