OTU Classic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2022

Description

• French oak
• Dark berry & plum
• Fine tannins
• Soothing finish

"Beautifully ripe and elegantly complex, the bouquet shows dark berry, sweet plum, floral, almond and clove nuances, leading to a finely flowing palate that's succulent and fleshy. Charming and delightfully rounded with a lengthy soothing finish. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

The wine displays dark cherry, black plum aromas with light cedar, smoky oak notes. A rich, concentrated palate follows, with fine tannins that will develop furher over time. Opulent, fragrant and full-bodied Marlborough Pinot Noir at its finest.

Two clones of Pinot Noir, Able and 777 from the Upper Wairau sub-region were harvested in optimum condition during late March, fermented in open top tanks and hand plunged for a twenty-day fermentation and on skin maceration. Part of the blend was aged in new French oak barriques for 8 months.

The 2022 vintage may be considered one of the more challenging in recent memory, with crops recovering from the very low 2021 season, Covid impacts and warm but wet conditions over harvest. A second “La Nina” year delivered warm waters around the coast of the top end of the South Island and this translated to a warm settled flowering period in late November and December 2021. During the ripening period of January through to early March, warm but higher rainfall periods than normal seasons maximized the crops for the 2022 season after the very light 2021 vintage. A warm and dry finish enabled the harvest team to bring in the fruit with ripe full flavours and bright berry depth.