• French oak
• Red fruit
• Spicy notes
• Consistent tannins

"Aromas of black currant and dark cherry, there’s plenty of wood spices and barrel smoke moments, dried herb and dry stone mineral notes bring complexity, depth and intrigue. On the palate - dry, tense, youthful, fruity and young. A wine that must remain in your cellar till at least the end of 2022 so integration and harmonies can begin to engage. In the meantime and if you must open a bottle - be sure to serve with fresh protein foods. Firm tannins and acid line add texture, the core of fruit remain but is hidden till the tannins and dried herb layers are allowed to integrate. Plenty of potential and a lovely expression with best drinking from December 31st 2022 through 2028+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jun 2021

"Deeply coloured, translucent… florals, wild rose, hint of reduction… lovely deep, saturating quality in the mouth.. gorgeous fruit, attack has sweet dark fruit charm… dark berry and plum… eases to more savoury, funky flavours toward the back… frtui has weight and presence… bold tannins to match… bit of beauty and the beast… a little awkward, extraction might be an issue… length also a concern" John Saker, Feb 2021

Strong red fruit aromas backed by spicy notes. Rich and focused palate framing the red fruit. Tannins are constant from the beginning to end, finishing with a pleasant grip that suggests ageability.

Planted in 2009, this hillside site is located 4km up the Omaka Valley on a desirable north facing slope. Given the undulating terrain, the vineyard’s topography is made up of a layer of shallow topsoil from tight packed wind-blown loess, over clay loams. The steep slopes allow a focus on capturing sunshine, with early irrigation in the season required given the vines are still maturing. As the season progresses, the irrigation is scaled down to increase concentration. Settlement Vineyard began conversion to organics in 2013 with great success, and full certification was achieved in 2016. The unique and complex terroir of this vineyard is expressed in our Pinot Noir, displaying rich aromas of red berry fruit and spice, over a soft silky tannin structure.

The 2019 vintage started with a cool flowering period. A very warm/dry January and February was followed by a burst of rain in March giving renewed vigour to the vines prior to picking.

Hand-picked and stored overnight to reduce the fruit temperature prior to hand sorting the following morning. 70% was destemmed and 30% whole bunches were included. This wine had an ambient soak before undergoing wild fermentation. Both free run and pressing were combined to barrel where it finished off fermentation and was aged for a period of 18 months in French oak barrels. 35% new oak was included. This wine was unfined.