Lawson's Dry Hills Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2022

Description

Cherry, Oak, Vanilla

This refined Pinot Noir showcases vibrant red berry fruit layered with fragrant spice from well-integrated oak. The palate is juicy and bright, supported by fresh acidity and supple tannins. With time in bottle, it’s evolving into classic Pinot territory, revealing  earthy notes of forest floor and savoury hints of porcini  mushroom.

Primarily sourced from the hillside of Tilly’s Vineyard, with a small contribution from our Waihopai block, this Pinot Noir hails from the Southern Valleys sub-region where clay-rich soils and low rainfall create ideal conditions for the variety. The final blend features clones 5, 115, and 777. The low-yielding vines are meticulously managed with precise pruning, canopy work and fruit thinning, all to achieve optimal ripeness and depth of flavour. The result is a wine that captures both the character of the varietal and  the unique expression of its origin.

The hand-picked fruit was put into open-top fermenters and left to cold macerate for three to six days, encouraging gentle extraction of colour and aroma. Once fermentation started, the cap of skins  that floats to the top, was manually plunged three times daily to build structure and deepen flavour. Following fermentation, the wine remained on skins for an additional seven to 14 days to enhance texture and complexity. It was then pressed to a mix of French oak barriques (224L) and puncheons (500L), with 25% new oak. After ten months of maturation, the finest clones and barrels were carefully selected to create the final blend.

Food Pairing: Soft and supple, this wine is lovely with red meat, as well as fullflavour chicken and pork dishes and game. Ideal with chargrilled foods, roasted vegetables and any earthy flavours such as beans and lentils. Loves toasted spices such as cumin, star anise, paprika  and herbs like oregano, thyme and sage