NZ Pinot Noir

Mon Cheval is a small family owned wine brand in the Waipara Valley, which is the heart of the North Canterbury wine scene - one of New Zealand's highest quality Pinot Noir regions.

Prima Donna is the top Pinot Noir and best red from Pegasus Bay Winery, made from a blend of barrels tasted by the winemaking team and chosen for their quality and superior style. It is produced by Mat Donaldson and his winemaking team, who aim to create the most complex and balanced Pinot Noir possible in this wine, which is part of Pegasus Bay?s reserve series wines. 

Traditional Burgundian winemaking sees the inclusion of approximately one third of the grapes in this blend fermented as whole bunches. The maturation is in French oak, approximately 45% new, for 18 months, using oak barriques from selected artisan Burgundian coopers.

This wine drinks well now and can also age superbly for 10 years and further, in cool cellar conditions.

* Prima Donna Pinot Noir is produced only in vintages regarded as exceptional quality. 

This fleshy, savoury, super silky and earthy Pinot Noir is made from grapes grown on a small .8 of a hectare situated on the road to Castlepoint in the northern Wairarapa. The first vintage was 2016 and the wine is a  collaboration between winemakers Karl Johner and Raphael Burki. All grapes in this smooth Pinot were hand harvested with 20% whole bunch to provide floral and fruit aroma lift and silkiness. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak, 20% new, and bottled without filtering or fining. It is vegan friendly.Lime Hill Pinot Noir is made from a small vineyard of .8 of a hectare situated on the road to Castlepoint in the northern Wairarapa. The first vintage was in 2016 and the brand is a  collaboration between winemakers Karl Johner (of Johner Wines at Gladstone) and Raphael Burki, who have been making wine together since 2009. 

This wine is bottled without any filtering or fining. It is vegan friendly.

Commercial Description

Introducing Lawson?s Dry Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2022 ? a wine that will truly captivate your senses! From the first whiff, you?ll be entranced by its enticing aromas of lemon, honeysuckle and brioche, with subtle hints of smoke and bees? wax. But that?s just the beginning! On the palate, you?ll experience a rich and full-flavoured wine that offers a perfect balance of concentrated, ripe fruit and toasty French oak, offset by a refreshing thread of fresh, citrus acidity. Every sip is an indulgent treat that lingers on the palate, leaving you wanting more. This is a wine that you won?t want to miss out on!

Awards:
New Zealand International Wine Show 2023 ? Gold medal (double gold).

National Wine Awards Aotearoa New Zealand 2023 ? Gold medal.

Cuisine Magazine 2024 ? 5 Stars.

Dish Magazine 2024 ? Gold medal.

Commercial Description

Indulge in the captivating aroma of Lawson?s Dry Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2020. Savour the intoxicating blend of ripe red berries and black cherries, beautifully complemented by subtle hints of smoky vanilla, oaky notes and a touch of spice. The palate is round and generous, offering an explosion of bright berry and cherry flavours, with just a hint of sweet vanilla. With its perfect balance of power and elegance, this wine is sure to captivate your taste buds and leave you longing for more. Order yours today and experience the ultimate in Pinot Noir luxury.

AWARDS:

Drinks Business Global Pinot Noir Masters 2024 ? GOLD

New World Wine Awards 2023 ? GOLD ? 95 points.

?New Zealand as a whole performed extremely well in this year ?s Pinot Noir Masters, but if there?s one region where elegant reds are reliably good, it is Marlborough. This part of the country may be lagging in reputation behind Martinborough and Central Otago as a source of fine Pinot, but Marlborough certainly delivers when it comes to quality for the price?. Patrick Schmitt MW, Global Wine Masters.

2022 LION'S TOOTH CHARDONNAY

Season summary 

Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Pale lemon straw hue. Mineral complex nose of mandarin, cashew nuts, and crushed limestone. Great depth. Taught, focused flavours envelop the palate. Lemon curd, mandarin peel, nutty flavours unfold. Great length and drive with saline acidity.

Viticulture
Planted from 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and a second planting in 2018, farmed biodynamically from inception. Steeply inclined, east facing home block. Beautiful soils, with nut and crumb structure and great mineral fertility: 30% clay, 15% active lime. Harvest date: 28 April 2022.

Winemaking
Crushed and soaked for 2 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment, in aged French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for 5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in September 2023.

Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 1 3 % pH: 3.29
TA: 6.8g/L SO2: 50ppm
Other additives: None
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes
409 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.

2022 EARTH SMOKE PINOT NOIR

Season Summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Vibrant garnet with great clarity. The nose has brooding aromas of dark fruits, spicy complexity and florals. Dense, compact palate with a core of umami raspberries and a savoury, resinous complexity surrounded by soft fine tannins and a saline, palate-activating structure. A pure, vibrant and expansive expression of Earth Smoke.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and farmed biodynamically from inception. An expansive, east-facing slope.Strong, beautifully structured soils; 30% clay, 15% active lime.

Winemaking
Carefully hand sorted, fully destemmed and fermented with yeasts from the vineyard, gently fermented using infusion methods for 21-27 days. Settled in tank before being transferred to French wooden barrels. Elevage of 18 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 5.2g/l SO2: 40ppm
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes
410 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.

2022 ANGEL FLOWER PINOT NOIR
Season summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm. 

Tasting note
Light garnet hue. With a beautifully expressive nose of rose petals and dried herbs, the complexity leaps out of the glass. Silky texture, with crushed red fruits and with a velvet mineral acidity. Fine tannins support this elegantly floral and savoury expression of Angel Flower in 2022. Great length, subtle flavours that linger long. A elegant wine that has understated power.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and farmed biodynamically from inception. A beautiful, very steep, north-facing block. Coarse, shallow soils that enhance the aromatics; 15% clay, 5-10% active lime. Harvest dates: 20 April 2022

Winemaking
Carefully hand sorted, fully destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts using infusion methods for 21-27 days. Settled in tank before being transferred to French wooden barrels. Elevage of 18 months, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.

303 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.
pH:3.91
Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 13.5%
TA: 5.0g/L SO2: 50ppm
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes

2022 FIELD OF FIRE CHARDONNAY

Season summary
Under the influence of La Nina, the vines had good growth and good flowering conditions which resulted in solid yields. 200mm in February had us on edge, but diligent viticulture and a dry March and April allowed us to hang the fruit out till the end of April and achieve optimum ripeness. The resulting wines are an elegant expression of our Waikari farm.

Tasting note
Green lemon hue. Complex nose of minerals, flint, lemons and limes. Taught yet rich and concentrated, flavours reminiscent of lime and samphire. Fine and compact phenolics frame the wine and drive the long, moreish, mineral finish.

Viticulture
Planted between 2000-2002 at 11,111 vines/ha and a second planting in 2018, farmed biodynamically from inception. This unique, south-east facing site has varied soils, graduating from top to bottom on the slope, through primarily shallow (10-15cm) glauconitic clays over well drained limestone. Harvest date: 29 April 2022.

Winemaking
Crushed and soaked for 4 hours prior to pressing. Wild ferment, in aged
French oak barrels. 12 months on lees in barrel, then aged on light lees for
5 months in stainless steel prior to bottling unfined and unfiltered in
September 2023.

Chemical Analysis
pH:3.3
Alcohol: 13%
TA: 7.0g/L SO2: 50ppm
Other additives: None
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes

2022 SNAKE'S TONGUE PINOT NOIR

Season summary
Warm spring conditions resulted in steady growth with flowering early- December. The new year brought both rain and snow leaving a dusting on the ranges, but thankfully warm, dry weather followed through to harvest resulting in perfectly ripe fruit. Veraison took place at the beginning of February and harvest commenced in April.

Tasting note
Bright ruby hue. Complex, alluring nose of dark fruits, cherries and cloves, invoking forest floor and wild thyme. A powerful wine with flavours of complex red fruits and game meats. The mouthfeel is plush and silky, while the structure unfolds into a juicy and evocative expression of this very special piece of land.

Viticulture
From the Snake’s Tongue parcel planted in 2007 at Manatu Estate in Lowburn, Central Otago. Abel clone meticulously farmed to the highest standard in its third year of organic conversion producing stellar fruit. Soils are predominantly loess over deep silts that have developed pedogenic lime deposits. Harvest date: 12 April 2022

Winemaking
33% whole bunch with the remainder gently de-stemmed to maintain a high percentage of whole berries. Fermented using wild yeasts in an open top concrete tulipe fermenter for 21 days. Aged in French barrels for 12 months, 30% new oak, then blended and aged for a further 6 months in oak prior to being bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Chemical Analysis
Alcohol: 13.5% pH: 3.82
TA: 4.6g/L SO2: 55ppm
Suitable for Vegetarian/Vegan: Yes
497 cases of 6 x 750ml bottles produced.

Kin by Te Kano is a quintessential expression of Central Otago Chardonnay. Made with sustainably farmed grapes from our Estate vineyards, Kin references the family ownership and Kowhai regeneration project that stand at the heart of our philosophy and provides an easy-drinking and delicious introduction into the Te Kano range.

Superb savoury Central Otago Pinot Noir with fragrant perfumed flavours of red cherries, cranberries and wild thyme, made from hand picked grapes grown on the Te Kano estate vineyard in Bannockburn, home to the winery's new cellar door and tasting room.

The grapes are fermented in separate vineyard lots then blended together and the finished wine is aged in French oak for 10 months, developing spicy notes which complement the wine's red cherry, red berry and wild thyme flavour notes. 

It's dry and medium bodied with a smooth soft character.

Central Otago at its liveliest and at an affordable price.

We're excited to have such a tasty new Central Otago Pinot Noir for under $30 retail, full of dark summer berry aromas and succulent flavours of plums underpinned by savoury notes of spice and vanilla. The 2021 Mount Michael Pinot Noir made with a natural yeast fermentation and pressed to allow an extended period of maturation in French Oak, 10% of which was new - a modest amount, which provides softness to the wine while allowing fruit flavours to shine. 

‘Luta’, is a wine producer based in Nelson and the name is derived from Lutum, which is Latin for clay and pays reference to the Moutere clays of which the grapes are grown.

Bright, fresh aromatics of tamarillo, strawberry, cherry, violet and a hint of old wood. This wine is plump and fleshy with bright red fruits dominating the palate. Tamarillo, blueberry and vanilla pod linger on the palate while being rounded out with soft plush tannin.

All clones were destemmed and fermented together in a stainless steel tank for 6 days then pressed and left to finish fermentation in tank before being transferred to a mixture of old French barrique, puncheon (70%) and stainless steel (30%), for maturation.

This wine was aged on fine lees for 10 months before being racked and blended in stainless steel and aged for a further 6 months and bottled in October 2022.

Pinot Noir makes up over 80% of Central Otago's vineyards and it suits this cool climate because it is one of the earliest ripening red grapes in winemaking and can be harvested before the region's frosty winters set in. Roaring Meg is one of Central Otago's most popular wines and is named, cheekily, after a lady of the night during the infamous gold rush days in this southern region, in the 1800s. 

It's a light bodied, fresh and smooth red wine with notes of spice and cedar; made for drinking early in its life rather than aging.