Fruit for this wine was carefully Hand picked & destemmed into small open top fermenters, retaining a high proportion of whole berries. One small component contained 100% whole bunches and underwent a period of carbonic maceration prior to being foot stomped - the final blend contains 15% Whole Bunch. Individual fermenters underwent a short pre fermentation maceration before fermenting naturally and being left on skins for up to 32 days before pressing. After a brief period of settling the wine was racked to 225L French oak barriques (30% new) where it underwent natural MLF and matured for 10 months before being prepared for bottling on the 25th of March 2022.

Rapaura Springs have turned plenty of heads with their current releases - the Reserve Pinot Noir is little short of jaw dropping. Drinking beautifully now expect a nose that's ripe, plush and jammed full of seductive fruit and spice smells, while textbook silky mouth-feel leads to a long fine finish. Drink it with five spice duck and rice.

Saddleback is the second label to Greg Hay's Peregrine and the Pinot Noir is made using fruit from the Gibbston and Cromwell Basin sub regions of Central Otago. Light, elegant with black cherry and plum fruit, held together by a fine tannin structure and refreshing acidity.

A Central Otago Pinot with earthiness and depth to wallow in. The pristine cool-climate along with long sun drenched days allowed the fruit to ripen magnificently and produce aromas of deep red cherry, blackberry and cocoa. In the mouth the Squealing Pig is rich and generous with velvet like tannins and a wonderful, long finish.

The enticing Mysterious Diggings Pinot Noir shows a bright purple-red hue, and offers scintillating aromas as well as juicy flavours of red cherries. These flavours and aromas integrate with fresh and clean fruit characters on the dense palate, to provide a soft texture, as well as a long and enticing finale. With a cellaring potential of 1 to 6 years, this delicious red wine tastes amazing with mushrooms, fruit-based sauces and roasted chicken.

You are greeted on the nose with suggestions of bramble and spice, gradually opening up to reveal red and black berry fruits, spice, leather and subtle floral notes.The palate is soft and supple, with cranberries and sweet red berry fruits upon entry. Fine silky tannins entwine a concentrated core of juicy black cherries, dark berry fruits, dried herbs and cocoa before trailing off to a long even finish.

Central Otago Pinot's are generally more user-friendly than Burgundy; Rabbit Ranch is very soft fruit-forward style with soft tannins; best enjoyed young.

Driven to create one of the new world’s great cool-climate vineyards, it took Mike and Claudia Weersing 15 years and a quixotic global journey that included a lengthy stopover in Burgundy before they found their perfect site. Inspired by the climate and soils of that region, the duo finally found their special place in the limestone-rich soils of Waikari in North Canterbury. From here Mike and Claudia established Pyramid Valley and emerged as NZ pioneers of both biodynamic practices and high-density viticulture. For almost 20 years they inspired and/or challenged all those who came into their orbit. Their minute scale and exceptional dedication to their soils and vines led to some incredible wines being produced. First visiting the vineyard in 2007, Steve Smith MW (then of Craggy Range) was one of many affected by what he describes as one the most compelling and unique vineyards he has ever visited. When Mike’s health went into decline, the Weersings were forced to sell and Smith and his partner Brian Sheth acquired the estate in late 2017. The spectre of Burgundy is writ large over the foundation and ethos of Pyramid Valley, yet we should not expect imitations in terms of the style of the wines. Rather they have their own very distinctive style and energy, and this is precisely as it should be with terroir-driven wines; uniqueness is the point. In 2018, Pyramid Valley became a two-property estate when it purchased the Manata vineyard in Central Otago’s Lowburn sub-region. The team quickly applied their precise viticultural standards to what was already considered one of the greatest sites in the region. In just three years, Paulin and his team have doubled the organic matter in the soil and achieved organic certification through BioGro NZ. They also immediately recognised the potential of the block they now call Snake’s Tongue—a nod to one of the many common names used for blue borage: Viper’s (snake’s) bugloss (ox-tongue). Fermented in an open-top concrete tulip, with 25% whole bunches and as much whole berry as possible, the wine matured in 25% new 500-litre puncheons for 12 months, followed by a further six months in neutral oak before being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Deep bright ruby red in colour, Devil's Staircase Pinot Noir is a dizzying fusion of firm fruit, tempting spices and alluring earthen notes. Each drop of this wine is bursting with flavours of black Doris plums, blueberries and bramble fruit that leave one wanting for more. It is characterized as a fruity, rich and full wine with finely balanced acid and firm tannins. The supple richness of Rockburn Devils Staircase Pinot Noir complements a range of savoury dishes. It can be tried alongside game birds such as quail, turkey and duck, or with a fillet of New Zealand salmon.

This has the intensity and depth of flavour the Central Otago region is becoming renowned for. Mocha spice, blood plums and dark cherry characters with a seamless, silky texture and fine tannins that will see this develop for several years yet. 'Making good use of the Gibbston, Lowburn and Bendigo sub-regions of Central Otago, this readily available, quality pinot noir is medium-bodied with rhubarb and cranberry fruit. These silky-on-palate fruit aspects are lifted with hints of graphite minerals.' - 92 Points, Courier Mail, Brisbane, 14 Sep 2013, by Alan Hunter.