Clos Ostler EOS Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2022

Description

Cherry, Oak, Spice

"Wonderfully fruited and enticing, the bouquet shows dark plum, smoked game, tapenade, porcini, and roasted nut aromas. The concentrated palate delivers plump mouthfeel and velvety texture, splendidly framed by seamlessly woven tannins, making it opulent with grace and poise. At its best: now to 2037" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

"Light ruby-red with a tinge of garnet, slightly lighter on the rim. It has a lifted, rich bouquet with aromas of plum, cherry, mulberry, rose, spice and undergrowth. Medium-bodied, aromas of plum and mulberry entwined with black cherry unveiling rose, forest floor, cinnamon and nutmeg. There's depth to the flavour, supported by enlivening acidity, ripple on a linear, enticing flow. Silky, refined tannins provide structure and layer, lending a lengthy, graceful finish. This Pinot Noir is elegant and graceful yet powerful and precise" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, May 2025

"Floral and sweet; clouds of perfumed nutty, vanilla oak surround the rotating cast of dark cherry, plum and raspberry. A soft, plush, primary anise-spiced berry confit forms the core of this crystalline, pretty pinot noir. Not a blockbuster and no more than mid-weight, the pure and precise fruit is framed by light, powdery tannins before giving way to milk chocolate and spice. It can be approached now for charming delicacy but most of its intrigue will remain hidden, and it will need several years before it reveals its innate complexity" Stephen Wong, The Real Review, Aug 2025

"Ripe and pure fruited with a core of red berry fruits and limestone soil scents, as the wine opens out in glass the earthy signature increases. Aromas of fine oak barrels and concentration of fruit show that this wine is youthful and highly energised. Dry, taut and youthful squeeze on the palate, flavours of cherry and raspberry along with a strawberry compote note then clay and limestone, oak spice and focus. An abundance of fine tannins and backbone of acidity frame the palate nicely. Lengthy and well made with best drinking from 2029 through 2035+. Would love to try this again in 2 years" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Apr 2025

The 2022 vintage marks the inaugural release of EOS Pinot Noir – a wine shaped by the season’s restraint and the clarity of our site. Deep and darkly brooding, it exudes intensity with a luscious core of Doris plum, mulberry, and cassis. These fruit notes are layered with subtle spice, hints of anise and black pepper. The palate is rich and complex, with impressive depth and finely grained tannins that shape a bold yet harmonious finish. A wine of power and intrigue, revealing new layers with every sip. EOS makes its debut, derived from the same site and plantings as Caroline’s Pinot Noir, yet expressing a distinct stylistic identity.

La Niña’s weather patterns left a distinct mark on the 2022 season in the Waitaki Valley. A warm, generous spring brought about even budburst, with little interruption from traditional spring frosts. This year’s energy came from a milder, wetter easterly flow, avoiding the harsh westerlies we often see. Flowering was cooler and wetter, reducing crop weights and berry size – key to building concentration. Summer temperatures remained mild, preserving acidity and resulting in small, intensely flavoured berries. A sublime, dry autumn allowed for harvest in near-perfect conditions.