Pinot Noir

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.

Deep and ripe Pinot Noir from a selection of five vineyards in Waipara. Great concentration and oodles of fruit. 

About the winery...

"The company takes its name from an early Canterbury resident, surveyor and farmer, Englishman Charles Torlesse. He gave his name to the Torlesse mountain range which part circles the Canterbury Plains and was at one time the largest land owner and farmer in North Canterbury and founder of the nearby town of Rangiora. Interestingly, the name Torlesse is given to the underlying bedrock from which most New Zealand soils are derived ? Torlesse, the terroir of New Zealand!



Our winery first started its life as a farm woolshed. In 1987 it was converted into a winery for Glenmark Wines by John McCaskey and Torlesse Wines moved to Waipara in 1991 and still share the production facilities. Many additions have made the winery self-sufficient in all aspects of winemaking from crushing to bottling, a claim that some wineries can not make."

Top value from North Canterbury, one of the great Pinot Noir regions of New Zealand thanks to its dry hot summers and long autumns, which allow the flavour development of ripe black cherry aromas and deep earthy notes, which make this incredibly affordable Pinot so inspiring. 

As this vineyard ages we are beginning to see some lovely old vine characters showing through. Deep crimson in colour, the nose shows profound ripe fruit characters, exotic earthy spice notes and a hint of toasty oak. In the mouth the wine is firm up front, showing classic black cherry and damson plum fruit with lovely density and poise. The tannins are ripe & powdery giving an impression of mocha and liquorice.Structural acidity gives the wine great length of flavour, allowing the fruit to run its full course through the palate.

The best parcels of fruit from the Wairau Valleys are managed in small batches. A ?hands off? approach was used to retain colour and allow the fruit to showcase distinct Marlborough Pinot Noir character. A period of cold soaking to gently extract flavours and colour prior to fermentation. The wine was matured in a mix?chosen because it gives a unique style to the wine and helps to build complexity.

Whitehaven Wines began life in 1994 as a romantic business for a couple of corporate escapees, Sue and Greg White, who had given up life in the rat race of Auckland for another kind of life aboard their yacht. When sailing around the country, they took shelter in the Marlborough Sounds from Pacific storms and fell in love with the region. An easy thing to do when harbouring in the spectacularly pristine waters of the Sounds. They decided to settle there on terra firma once more and try their hands at wine production, hiring a winemaker and beginning a business which has now been around for 26 years. Greg has sadly passed away now, leaving a legacy as well as his wife and daughter, Sam, to run the winery. Their winemaker is Peter Jackson.

Commercial Description

This Pinot Noir is from our Ballochdale Vineyard, high in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough. This is the first wine Sir George made from this vineyard he acquired in 2023. The vineyard sits at 300m high and is one of the highest and most southerly vineyards in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.

As soon as we released this wine, it was loved by all. It truly is a gorgeous example of a perfectly crafted Marlborough Pinot Noir. We are so proud to share it with you.

Balanced and spicy wine with flavours of red berries, such as ripe strawberries and raspberries. The flavour has hints of ginger and nougat, which is complemented by a nuanced finish that also gives a hint of coffee beans. Delicate tones of chocolate lie and play in the background.