Felton Road Cornish Point Pinot Noir 2019

Drink it now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant.

Felton Road is one of New Zealand's most prestigious and respected producers, located in Bannockburn, a sub-region of Central Otago on the Southern Island. The estate comprises four vineyards on the warm north-facing slopes of Bannockburn: the original Elms vineyard, the Macmuir, Calvert, and Cornish Point. They are all managed by oenologist Gareth King and his team of dedicated collaborators, and since 2002 the vines have been grown organically and biodynamically.

The company carries on a philosophy of minimal intervention in the cellar, thanks to the use of gravity systems, indigenous yeasts, and without carrying out clarification or filtration processes. The Pinot Noir grapes are hand-harvested from the Cornish Point vineyard near a lake that creates a unique mesoclimate. Fermentation is traditional, with a medium-long maceration on the skins to extract color, aromas, and sustained tannins. The wine is then aged for 13 months in Burgundy oak barrels.

The color is surprisingly intense for a Pinot Noir. On the nose, there are many red fruits, black cherry, blackberry, and plums, with hints of violet and dried herbs, and spicy notes. In the mouth, it is medium to full bodied, with a firm tannic backbone. It is ready to drink now but can benefit from a little more time in the cellar. Try it with beef tenderloin.