Tasting
This 2015 Grand Reserve Pinot Noir is our very best expression of the vineyard to date, with great palate weight and generosity from its rich clay soils. With flavours of black cherry, ripe doris plum and blackberry, alongside aromas of game, forest floor and tobacco, this wine exuded such a depth of concentration it was matured in French oak barrels (25% new) for an additional 24 months and then further aged in tank before its release in May 2023. It will drink well from now but will continue to reveal more with time through to late 2028.

Vineyard and vintage
100% Pinot Noir, the fruit was sourced entirely from the Calrossie Vineyard, a single hillside vineyard located in the lower Awatere Valley in Marlborough, New Zealand that was planted in 2003. Soils are wind-blown gravels over rich clay. The 2015 vintage was a low-yielding one, with a hot and dry summer, typified by taut acidity, crunchy tannins and serious structure which allowed for extended aging.

Vinification
The fruit was hand harvested into small picking bins before being transported to the winery where it was destemmed (100%), and macerated in tank for three weeks. With gentle cap management the fruit was pressed into French oak barriques (25% new) where it was wild-fermented and then matured for nearly four years, two years longer than normal. Once racked from barrel it was then aged in tank for a further three years prior to being bottled unfiltered and unfined (vegan friendly). Contains sulphites.