• French oak
• Ripe red berries
• Savouryness
• Vibrant acidity

"It's immediately appealing on the nose showing dark cherry, cake spice, hazelnut and warm mushroom aromas, leading to a concentrated palate displaying refined mouthfeel and silky tannins. Wonderfully flavoursome and persistent. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, May 2022

"There’s no mistaking the signatire of otago in the bouquet with scents of dark cherry, plum and baked raspberry. A light savoury and dried herb notes also reflect the origin of the fruit. Moderate oak levels send out scents of dusty clove and vanilla with a touch of barrel toast. Fleshy with a core of fruit then oak flavours touch the palate first then textures from tannins and aciidty accentuate the youthful side of the wine. Lengthy and well made, coming into balance through 2023 with best drinking from mid 2023 through 2029" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Apr 2022

"Deep ruby-red with moderate transparency, lighter colour on the rim. The bouquet is vibrant and lifted with nuances of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, melded with a hint of earth, floral and herb. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with aromas of strawberries, cherries and orange peel, and black pepper unfolds alongside dark herbs and earth. The mouthfeel is smooth with supple tannin extraction; lively acidity enlivens the palate and carries pepper to a juicy closing. This smooth, approachable Pinot Noir features succulent red fruit, herbs and spice element and a sleek, supple mouthfeel. Match with pork chops and game over the next 3-4 years" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews, May 2022

The 2019 Pinot Noir is fruit-forward and aromatic, displaying layers of ripe red berry, dark fruit and subtle floral notes. Along with fruit, this wine displays all of the soil type savouryness a good Central Otago Pinot Noir should have, alongside vibrant acidity and fined-grained tannins.

The 2018-2019 season will be remembered as one which was consistently warmer day to day than previous years. It was not that temperatures were necessarily higher, it was more a sense of milder conditions overall, rather than the suffering extremes. The result was much earlier vine growth and seasonal development than has been seen in recent memory

A combination of Burgundian clones was used in blending to showcase the broad flavour spectrum of Central Otago Pinot Noir. All the grapes were carefully de-stemmed and were cold soaked for 4 days to preserve delicate aromas and colour. The wine had 11 months in French oak (30% new) before bottling. The wine was bottled on 17th February 2020.

Established in 2003, Elephant Hill is located within a stone’s throw of the Pacific Ocean on the idyllic Te Awanga coast of Hawke’s Bay on New Zealand’s North Island. The winemaking at Elephant Hill is driven by tradition while not losing sight of what innovation can bring to the blend. Our aim is to make wines that are balanced, elegant and a true expression of the vineyards they come from.