Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021

Wild Earth Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021French oak Cherry & sage Ripe red apple Silky fine tannins "Its gorgeously styled and expressed with sweet cherry, violet, olive and roasted nut characters with a hint of warm mushroom nuance. The palate delivers outstanding concentration and fine flow, wonderfully complemented by silky texture and supple tannins. Splendidly charming and graceful with a persistent refined finish. At its best: now to 2033" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2022 "Deep, bright

• French oak
• Cherry & sage
• Ripe red apple
• Silky fine tannins

"It’s gorgeously styled and expressed with sweet cherry, violet, olive and roasted nut characters with a hint of warm mushroom nuance. The palate delivers outstanding concentration and fine flow, wonderfully complemented by silky texture and supple tannins. Splendidly charming and graceful with a persistent refined finish. At its best: now to 2033" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2022

"Deep, bright ruby-red, slightly lighter on the rim. The nose is softly full, with youthful aromas of dark cherry and strawberry entwined with herb, earth and a smoky layer. Medium-bodied, dark cherry and strawberry aromas have a taut core, unfolding raspberry, cinnamon, thyme and a hint of smoke. Lively acidity compliments the sweet fruit; fine structure of supple tannin leaves a silky mouthfeel. This youthful Pinot Noir possesses a range of succulent fruit with spice and herb on a silky tannin mouthfeel. Match with grilled lamb and crispy pork belly over the next 4-5 years" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, Aug 2022

"Already enjoyable, but well worth cellaring, this regional blend of Bendigo, Bannockburn and Pisa grapes was hand-picked and matured in French oak barrels (24% new).  Deep, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, savoury and supple, with generous cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing very good complexity, fresh acidity and great drinkability" Winestate Magazine, Jul 2022

"WOW – what a great bouquet – very earthy with a smoky soil quality, there’s a rich core of fruit with dried raspberry and plum, some black currant then aromas of wood spices and a fine dried herb savoury quality. Dry and delicious on the palate with flavours that mirror the bouquet. Ripe fine tannins layer in mouthfeel and acidity adds freshness and purity. Delicious, fresh, dry, varietal and lengthy, a wine for drinking from 2023 through 2030+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Aug 2022

"Very fragrant, ethereal, herb-infused bouquet with aromas of macerated black cherry, ripe berries, crushed thyme, wild mushrooms, cinnamon and smoky oak - all very appealing. In contrast to the dramatic nose the palate is quite elegant, supple and silky with a core of spicy cherry flavour, sappy tannins and nice freshness" NZ Wine Rater, 2022

"Jen Parr makes Wild Earth Pinot Noirs for owner Quintin Quider, a Pinot devotee who sources grapes  from vineyards in Bannockburn, Pisa and Bendigo for this silky, smooth, fresh new Pinot Noir. A portion of whole bunch fermentation adds firm elegant tannin structure to this wine, providing backbone with balance and lifting aromas of red and dark cherry notes into a gorgeously drinkable, subtly spicy young Pinot Noir with very good ageing potential for five to six years. It’s a medium bodied, dry style with lightness in the mid palate" Joelle Thomson, Aug 2022

Bright garnet hue with intriguing aromas of ripe red apple, cherry, cedar, sage, wild thyme, and mushroom. The palate has great concentration with intricately woven layers of sweet red and blue/black fruit, dried herb and distinctive earthy flavours complementing a highly focused palate with great intensity and length. Silky fine tannins, vibrant fruit and intense aromas complement a serious structure with so much finesse. Harmonious and inviting, this Pinot Noir is drinking beautifully as a young wine and should continue to deliver enjoyment for 15+ years.

The 2020-2021 growing season had a relatively warm, dry spring with some late November frosts to fight, followed by good weather at flowering resulting in excellent yields in the Cromwell Basin. Some rain events over the Christmas holidays kept us on our toes but autumn returned to warm temperatures allowing consistent ripening. Thee weather stabilised in February and remained relatively warm and dry all the way through harvest in April, leading to idyllic conditions. The combination of challenging and favourable periods resulted in a Pinot Noir with intense colour and a highly concentrated core.

Our 2021 Pinot Noir is a Central Otago blend that represents the best attributes of the selected vineyards and of course, the 2021 season. The fruit was hand-harvested at optimal ripeness with harvest dates ranging from late March to late April 2021. Several different ferments went into the blend ranging from 0-50% whole bunches per fermenter with the resulting blend having around 18% whole clusters, which aids the tannin structure and aromatics of the wine. The total time on skins ranges from 20-28 days. The wine was aged in fine-grain French oak barrels: 24% new, 30% 1-year-old and the balance was 2-5 years old for approximately 12 months. Our winemaker, Jen Parr, selected fruit from exceptional Central Otago vineyards in Bannockburn, Bendigo and Pisa showcasing the high quality of the season.