The First Paddock is Two Paddocks original vineyard. Planted in 1993, it is among Central Otagos oldest vineyards, superbly situated in upper Gibbston, meticulously tended and planted to carefully selected Burgundian Pinot Noir vines clones. This wine is typically sourced from the same 25 rows of Clone 5, planted in 1993. Hand harvested and sorted then a 50% whole bunch indigenous ferment in a dedicated First Paddock French oak vat. Matured in 30% new French oak with the balance in older wood for an extended 14 months of barrel maturation. The First Paddock Pinot Noir is typically dark, brooding and spicy, with dried herb aromatics and a textured palate showing brightness, finesse and elegance on a long finish.

Marlborough isn't only capable of producing Sauvignon Blanc, some fine examples of Pinot Noir are coming our too. None better than this excellent wine from Delta Vineyards. Extremely fragrant on the nose and packed with squeezed forest berries, oak, spice, and some herbal, thyme-like notes. The palate displays vibrant red fruit flavours balanced by silky, fine tannins.

Elegantly concentrated flavours of vibrant dark berry and black cherry fruit showing succulence and rich intensity. The palate is guided by very fine-grained, chalky tannins, with soft acidity providing drive & liveliness. A silken seduction framed & balanced with fine tannins providing the most elegant structure.

Fromm's passion for Pinot Noir is reflected in the attention to detail shown in the vineyard and throughout the winemaking process. Carefully selected clones and rootstocks, together with intensive vineyard care and low cropping, means the vines produce fruit that illustrates the terroir in which they were grown. Today in the Fromm stable of vineyards there are eleven clones, 4000 - 5000 vines per hectare, with crop levels around five to six tonnes per hectare. The blend which makes up each years La Strada Pinot Noir by Fromm depends on what nature has given in each of their vineyards. Invariably, the wine is strongly varietal, fruity and has immediate appeal.

The Fusilier Vineyard is named in honour of proprietor Sam Neills father, Major Dermot Neill, a soldier in the Royal Irish Fusilier Regiment for 20 years before returning home to Dunedin, New Zealand, where he ran the family Wine & Spirit business, Neill & Co. Planted entirely in 2000, The Fusilier is 5.6 hectares of Pinot Noir on rolling northerly facing terraces at the western end of Felton Road and bordered by the vineyard of the same name. Soils consist of deep alluvial fans made up of varying depths of silt, sand and gravel layering, all derived from mountainous raw schist parent material. Grapes for The Fusilier are hand picked and sorted in the vineyard, naturally fermented with one-third whole-bunches in a 3.5 tonne wooden vat, followed by a five-day cold soak. The wine is then transferred to medium and light toast French barriques (one-third new) for 11 months maturation. Light filtration prior to bottling. Fusilier Pinots typically show spicy red fruit, dried herb and wildflower aromatics leading to a feminine, lithe and textural driven wine.

Fruit for this lovely Pinot was selected meticulously, destemmed in stainless steel tanks, and subjected to wild fermentation. Post aging in French oak barrels for about 10 months, the wine was fined and bottled for release. Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir 2014 shows a medium purple hue, with light pink highlights along the edges. The blissful nose gives off scents of dried herbs, mushrooms, red fruits and violets while the supple palate is packed with black and red cherries coupled with nuances of tobacco, spice and leather. The medium-weighted palate has a great structure and finesse, which mesh well with the fine and grainy tannins to provide a lengthy mineral finale. A suggested food pairing with this wine is smoked hoki.

This Organic Pinot Noir is a pure expression of the pristine marine environment which inspires its name. Showing vibrant notes of fleshy red and blue fruits framed by hints of dried spice and cocoa, balanced by silky yet firm tannins. Nature has crafted its finest work.

Founded by Steve Planthaber, originally from Adelaide but post school left for the South Island of New Zealand. A move to Marlborough with his partner Kirsty Sutherland cemented his love for all things wine. Hard not to be inspired when meeting the Sutherland’s who were one of the pioneers of viticulture in the region, part of the original success of Cloudy Bay followed by establishing their own estate Dog Point. Steve was keen to find his own path and after 12 years running the production and operations at Cloudy Bay decided to begin his own wine brand, Settlement. Settlement, named after the stunning Amphitheatre single vineyard site in the Omaka Valley, is dedicated entirely to the production of organic, old vine single vineyard expressions of very special sites in Marlborough. Doesn’t get any more Southern Valley than this site, right in the Omaka Valley. High density of clay in this soil, lots of very good Pinot Noir sites in this sub-region. The Settlement Vineyard is the youngest of the 4 sites, planted in 2009 but a beautiful amphitheater, steep hillside vineyard, 4000 vines per hectare so high density plantings. North/North West facing. Hand picked/sorted, 70% destemmed/30% wholebunch. Short pre soak then wild fermented in tank, Pressed to barrel then aged for 18 months in French oak, 35% new. Francois Freres and Mercurey Oak. Complex, youthful, pure and fresh. Aromas and flavours of dark red cherry and fruit spices, there’s mineral rock and stone quality, plum and black currant. Delicious on the poalate, but still very youthful, a taut texture driven my tannins and acidity, but cushioned by a core of fruit that collectively will see this wine age well. Dry and lengthy on the finish with flavours that mirror the bouquet. Best drink from 2024 through 2034. Excellent. - Cameron Douglas MW, 94 Points