Notes of dark cherry, violets and spice dominate the nose. The palate is full and structured, yet elegant with flavors of luscious dark cherry balanced with a fine mineral acidity. Drink now or cellar 3-5 years.

The growing season in Marlborough started out warm and dry, resulting in even flowering and ultimately balanced vines with the right amount of crop to get them through to harvest. The warm weather continued through Spring and Summer, with periodic rains which kept the vines hydrated throughout the growing season. These warmer conditions also meant harvest started around 2 weeks earlier than the previous year, with Pinot Noir parcels showing well balanced characters full of flavour and lovely weight.

The Seaview Vineyard in the Awatere Valley is exposed to some of the toughest growing conditions in Marlborough; high sunshine and wind, cool nights and low rainfall which produces a smaller, thicker skinned berry with intense fruit flavours. This wine is sourced from two different locations in the  Seaview Vineyard and the unique micro climates within the block ensure low yields which consistently produce Pinot Noir with good structure and flavour.

The Pinot Noir fruit for this wine was picked when it was showing perfect ripeness and balanced fruit flavours. The parcels were cold macerated at 6–8 degrees for five days before being warmed and inoculated with selected yeast. A fast, hot fermentation proceeded with regular hand plunging to craft a wine with elegance and structure. Post primary fermentation the parcels were gently pressed off, settled for 24 hours then racked off heavy lees and aged in a mixture of French oak barriques. The wine remained in oak for 8 months whilst it went through natural malolactic fermentation. It was then blended, stabilised and filtered for bottling.

Food Pairing: This wine matches beautifully with red meat dishes, including venison and lamb.

This wine is suitable for vegetarians and a gluten free diet.