Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2023

Description

Oak, Rhubarb, Spice

"Matured for 18 months in French oak barriques, it is strongly varietal, with delicate cherry, plum, spice and nutty oak flavours showing good complexity, and a very harmonious, well-rounded finish" Michael Cooper, Aug 2025

"Again, great value. Bold and assertive, with 13% ABV. Spiced plums, black cherry, smoky bacon and umami soy. A lengthy dry finish" Phil Parker, Sep 2025

"The inviting bouquet shows sweet plum, olive, star anise, and roasted nut aromas. The palate offers ripe fruit intensity with spicy nuances, beautifully supported by fleshy texture and silky tannins, finishing long and soothing. Gorgeously composed and expressed with enticing complexity" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Jul 2025

"Light, fresh and pleasingly rustic red with violet, fresh herb, cherry and mixed spice flavours supported by fine, drying tannins. Appealing wine that can be enjoyed in its youth or within a few years" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, The Real Review, Jul 2025

"A bouquet filled with scents of plums and blackcurrant the dark-skinned cherry and earth-smoke of stones and clay. Some barrel spice suggestion build in breadth. On the palate a dry wine with a concentration of red berry fruit flavours framed by the texture of tannins and acidity. Perfect weight with persistent flavours and moderate+ length" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Jul 2025

"Moderately deep ruby-red, even colour throughout. The nose is soft and coy, with aromas of red cherry, plum, hints of earth, mushroom and spice. Medium-bodied, aromas of red cherry and plum, melded with mushroom, thyme, earthy clay and baking spices. The tannin extraction possesses a slight firmness, echoing clay and spice, lending a savoury finish" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Aug 2025

"Main Divide Pinot Noir punches above its retail price, delivering silky textures and an impressive structure with 40% whole bunch fermentation framing the ripe aromas of dark plums and red cherries. I love the firm backbone of this young Pinot Noir, which drinks well now and can develop further over the next three to four years" Joelle Thomson, Drinksbiz

At release it has a bright ruby complexion. On the refined nose you are greeted by delicate aromas of cherry, pomegranate, cinnamon and violet, meshed with nuances of wet stone, bonfire embers and a dash of aged soy. A fine acid backbone supports the savoury red fruit, backed by velvety tannins that enrich the palate, creating a sleek and silky mouthfeel. Brimming with finesse and vitality, it tapers to a lasting, focussed finish.

Main Divide is the local name for the Southern Alps and is the backbone of the South Island, where grapes for Main Divide are exclusively sourced. Vineyards have been selected for their quality and ability to express unique regional flavours.

Settled weather during Spring resulted in successful flowering and a healthy fruit set, meaning crop thinning was needed in some areas. Good heat concentration in early to mid-Summer then allowed the grapes to ripen beautifully. The remainder of Summer and Autumn threw up a mix of hot days interspersed with cooler spells, although rain was sufficiently spread out to ensure the bunches remained healthy and disease free.

Traditional Burgundian winemaking methods were used to make this wine. We picked the various blocks at different stages, depending on their maturity, aiming for a range of red and dark fruit flavours. Approximately 40% of the grapes were put at the bottom of the fermentation vats as whole bunches, with the balance being destemmed on top, retaining as many whole berries as possible. The vats were kept cool over the next few days to help extract the soft, silky tannins from the pinot noir skins. After approximately a week, the must started to ferment naturally. During fermentation the skins of the grapes were gently plunged twice daily. When the fermentation finished, the grape remnants were left to steep in the wine for up to a week to help extract a different range of tannins that add structure and depth. The exact duration of this period was determined by daily tasting. Subsequently the wine was gently pressed off and put into oak barriques (approx. 20% new), from selected artisan Burgundian coopers. In the summer after harvest, when the weather warmed, the wine underwent a natural malo-lactic (secondary) fermentation. After maturing for 18 months in these barriques, the wine was finally bottled.