Hunters Offshoot Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021

Description

Oak, Plum, Smoke

"There’s power and intensity in the bouquet with impact from ripe fruit and barrel. Smoky wood scents and flavours mix with dark red berry fruits. Add in the texture from fine tannins and a backbone of acidity and this wine fires on all cylinders effortlessly. Boysenberry and plum, dark cherry and dried raspberry, vanilla and sweet oak with a smoky edge. Well-made, dry on the finish, best drinking from 2024 through 2030" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, May 2024

This Pinot Noir is an excellent example of a fruit forward Marlborough Pinot Noir. The wine shows fruit forward characters of ripe plum and wild berry. The palate has a rich texture with fruity notes that flow seemingly to a supple finish. Soft tannins complement blackcurrant notes on the palate that extends on the finish. Drink now and up to 5 years+.

At the start of the growing season, we had several frost events affecting isolated areas in Marlborough. During flowering there was a cold spell of weather, which had a significant effect on the region’s fruit set. While this affects the yield, it can help promote concentration of aromas and flavours in the grapes. Mild summer conditions help with even ripening of the grapes which allowed perfect conditions to pick at optimum ripeness.

Grapes were grown at our Home Block on Rapaura Road. The vines are 30 years old and 10/5 clone, one of the original Pinot Noir clones imported to New Zealand. This clone has widely been discarded for red wine production however we are seeing wines of exceptional quality as the vines get older. The fruit was handpicked and partially destemmed before being fermented in an open top fermenter. 40% whole clusters were used in the ferment to cut through the richness of the clone. The wine was pressed off and aged in French oak barrels for 15 months. No fining was done on this wine and the wine is unfiltered. Sulphur was added to the wine just before bottling.