Ideally drink through 2024. Decant 1 hour.

A beautiful garnet red, this Pinot Noir demonstrates an elegance yet flavourful wine that is worthy of the awards it has won. The nose promises ripe cherry, raspberry and strawberry with hints of spiciness and a little vanilla. The palate brings a medium bodied wine with a perfect balance of acid and tannin and layers of complexity that you would expect from such a quality wine. Succulent flavours of strawberry, cherry and raspberry with vanilla and spice notes leave you with a long finish that is a perfect end to what is a very good wine.

Perfect food match for roast chicken, seafood, salmon, tuna and pasta.

Whitehaven’s philosophy on winemaking is quality first and foremost. They look for consistency, intensity and quality while at the same time ensuring elegance in all of their wines. Using a mix of Old World knowledge and New World techniques, Whitehaven developed a reputation based on consistently producing high quality and interesting wines.

This Pinot Noir follows the Whitehaven philosophy with the hand harvested fruit picked and de-stemmed before being soaked for 6 days prior to fermentation. Placed in a mix of new and old French oak, a secondary malolactic fermentation happened in barrel prior to 11 months maturation and then bottling.

Drink now through to 2026. No need to decant before serving.

Meaning “dawn sky” or new beginning in New Zealand’s native Maori language, Ata Rangi is today one of the country’s top producers of Pinot Noir thanks to the vision of Clive Paton. Paton started out as a dairy farmer, but in 1980 he had a dramatic career change and began to explore Marlborough’s viticultural potential. Despite a lack of winemaking experience, Paton had read a scientific study comparing Marlborough’s terroir to that found in Burgundy and he set out to learn how to make top quality wines here.

Over the intervening years Paton has honed his winemaking skills to produce sensational Pinot Noir with a worldwide cult following. His Crimson Pinot Noir takes its name from Project Crimson, a charity supporting the saving of two endangered native trees, which is supported by Ata Rangi. The grapes are harvested from the estate’s younger vines which creates a fresh, fruit-forward profile with plenty of bright red cherry fruit.

To showcase the natural character of the Pinot the must is vinified in stainless steel tanks and then matured in oak barrels for 9 months. This adds subtle hints of sweet spice on the palate, gentle tannins, and a silky smooth texture.

Drink now through to 2026. Decant 1 hour before serving.

One of the world’s most southerly wineries, Grasshopper Rock is located in the Central Otagan sub-region of Alexandra where the sunny dry summers and cool nights offer excellent conditions for making premium Pinot Noir.

The winery sources all of their grapes from their 7.8 hectare Earnscleugh vineyard where the north-facing slope and sheltered conditions allow the Pinot Noir to ripen very slowly and develop finesse and elegance. Following vinification the wine is aged in French oak of which 28% is new for 11 months to add delicious toasty notes and additional complexity.

On the nose this sublime Pinot Noir displays black cherries, licorice, redcurrants and hints of thyme which evolve on the palate to crushed jammy plums, raspberries and baking spice. The fine tannins, medium body and fresh acidity give perfect balance and poise and provide the ideal platform for extended cellar ageing.

When you do decide to open this bottle, try serving it alongside herby roast lamb or a dish with a touch of spice like crispy duck pancakes or Chinese-style barbecued pork. Other classic combinations would be a hearty coq au vin, Beef Wellington or a generous charcuterie platter.

Drink now through to 2024.
Decant one hour before serving.

Although best known for its succulent Sauvignon Blancs, Marlborough on the northeastern tip of the South Island also offers ideal conditions for Pinot Noir. Here, on the banks of the Opawa River, David Clouston has built his very own little slice of heaven in a small black cottage surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. After spending years making wine in Corsica, the USA and southern France, Black Cottage’s fun-loving owner and winemaker realised he wanted to return home and make delicious wines that offer incredible value and are perfect for sharing with friends.

David carefully selects the grapes for this Pinot Noir from the Wairau and Awatere Valleys before fermenting them in stainless steel to emphasise the fresh red berry character that is so typical of the varietal. The result is a lively Pinot explodes out of the glass with ripe raspberry and red cherry aromas, while the first sip reveals a silky smooth mouthfeel and wild berry flavours.

David ages a portion of the wine in large French oak casks for 10 months, adding gentle hints of cedar, cinnamon and nutmeg to the ripe, fruity character. This easy-going Pinot is a great choice to share amongst friends on its own or pair it with roast duck or lamb for the perfect leisurely weekend gathering.

Drink now through to 2024. No need to decant before serving.

Framingham’s story started back in 1981 when an engineer from Wellington, Rex Brooke-Taylor established a vineyard in this idyllic corner of Marlborough. Rex named his new estate after his family’s ancestral home town in England and began his operation by collaborating with neighbouring wineries and using their facilities to vinify his wines.

Today the estate produces all of their wines onsite and they have a real passion for working with Mother Nature to preserve their vineyards for generations to come. As well as being accredited as sustainable, the estate is certified as organic with BioGro NZ Ltd and most of the work in the vineyard is done by hand.

The Framingham Pinot Noir is given its unique flavour profile by including a few whole bunches when the grapes are macerated and fermented. This adds smooth tannins and extra complexity to the finished wine. The Pinot Noir is then aged in oak barrels. The result is a silky soft red which exudes rich aromas and flavours of cranberry, cherries and plums spiced with hints of smoke and sweet cinnamon. Serve alongside charcuterie, hard cheeses or roasted duck to showcase the ripe fruit character of this exquisite red.

Drink now through to 2028. No need to decant before serving.

Kevin Judd worked as a winemaker for Cloudy Bay for some 25 years, helping to put Marlborough on the world map for Sauvignon Blanc. Greywacke is his own label which he founded in 2009 and named after the grey river stones which are so common in the region. Judd makes his wines at Dog Point Winery in Brancott Valley, sourcing fruit from the Southern Valleys and Wairau Plains.

The grapes for this stunning Pinot are sourced from Marlborough’s Southern Valleys with most coming from the Yarrum Vineyard. Conditions here are ideal for making elegant Pinot Noir thanks to the hillside vineyards and mixed soils which contain varying amounts of clay, loam and gravel. The grapes are carefully harvested by hand and chilled once they arrive in the winery before being fermented in open tanks using wild yeasts. The young wine is then transferred to French oak barrels for 16 months before the blending and bottling takes place.

Deep cassis, blackberry and dark plum notes seduce on the nose while the first sip is dominated by crushed berries, hints of clove and cinnamon, and tobacco leaf on the long finish. The medium body and well-rounded texture is complemented by refined tannins, an elegant structure and subtle freshness which provides balance and poise.