"Dark ruby-red colour with some depth, lighter on the rim with slight garnet tints. This has a moderately full and deep nose with rounded but concentrated aromas of dark-red cherry and strawberry fruit along with a layer of softly aromatic and fragrant dark herbs, a little earth and oak in a harmonious amalgam, unfolding a touch of reduction. Medium-full bodied, the palate has an elegantly concentrated heart with good depth of strawberry and cherry fruit harmoniously integrated with dark herbs, a little earth and minerally reduction. The fruit sweetness is enlivened by fresh acidity, and the palate flows smoothly along a soft-textured line unfolding some herbs and minerals, leading to a rounded finish with acid crispness. This is a strawberry and cherry-fruited Pinot Noir with some dark herbs, earth, and a touch of reduction on a smooth palate with soft extraction. Match with wild duck and pork over the next 3-4 years. Marlborough fruit fully destemmed and fermented to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 9 months in 15% new French and Hungarian oak" Raymond Chan, Jun 2018

"Attractive ripe and lifted, the bouquet shows dark cherry, cranberry, floral and toasted almond characters with subtle savoury nuances. The palate is juicy and elegantly weighted, delivering bright fruit flavours and silky texture, beautifully framed by polished tannins. Well proportioned and immediately appealing. At its best: now to 2021" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jun 2018

Dark plum, black cherry and black olive tapenade with complexing mushroom and fresh sage combined with vanilla pod oak. The palate is rich in dark fruits, fresh strawberries and cassis. The tannins are poised and silky and finishes with notes of dried herbs and cedar.

This wine is borne out of a lifetime of hard graft and is inspired by the purity of the Rapaura Springs. All of the wines from the Rapaura Springs range are made with integrity and a true expression of the beauty of the Marlborough region. Real, authentic wines expressions of the winemaker's care and passion and Rapaura Springs Reserve range represent the very finest of these expressions from each vintage.

Fruit for our 2017 Reserve Pinot Noir comes from a selection of premium vineyard sites throughout  Marlborough. Upon arrival the fruit is cold soaked for 3-5 days to extract the desired flavours, tannins and colour. Fermentation followed, in a selection of small open top tanks, using a selection of yeasts. The wine was plunged two to three times a day to extract colour and tannins from the skins. Select parcels were then allowed to macerate, further extracting colour and flavours after fermentation, for a further two to five days. After gently pressing the liquid off skins, the wine underwent malolactic fermentation to soften the palate and was then aged with a combination of French and Hungarian Oak.

Cooler temperatures during the 2017 growing season extended the ripening period and then delivered trademark Marlborough flavours. Careful vineyard & crop management decisions were made to ensure fruit was harvested clean, phenologicallyripe and full of flavour. Our Reserve wine is made from the finest parcels of fruit from our 2017 harvest and characterised by the rich, dark fruit flavours found in the best examples of Marlborough Pinot Noir.

Food Pairing: Grilled steak & mushroom risotto or a breatroot and goats cheese tart.