Paddy Borthwick Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2021

Description

Cherry, Oak, Spice

"This is immediately appealing on the nose with dark plum, sweet cherry, cedar, mixed spice and floral aromas, leading to a wonderfully weighted palate delivering supple texture and fine-grained tannins. The wine offers excellent fruit purity with elegant complexity, making it highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Nov 2023

"Moderately deep purple with a ruby core, even colour throughout. The nose is enticing and herbaceous, with aromas of black cherry, plum, thyme, vanilla and savoury earthy elements. Medium-bodied, black cherry and plum aromas entwined with thyme, vanilla, mushroom and liquorice. The wine has a savoury core, unfolding herbaceous, earthy, broody elements and depth. Silky tannins elegantly wrap the palate, along with spice, and lend a dry, long closing" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Jan 2024

"There’s an immediate appeal as the wine touches the palate, core fruit flavours of dark cherry and sweet plum. The texture is excellent with a mix of fine through coarse-silk tannins, plenty of acidity and fruit flavours of boysenberry and red currant, cherry and barrel spices. The oak influence adds in a layer of vanilla and smokiness, its own set of tannins and power. A wine with energy and youthful, a great acid line and length. Needs some cellar time still with best drinking from 2025 through 2032+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Nov 2023

Bouquet of boysenberries, ripe cherries, thyme and toasted nut. A core of sweet plum, cloves and wild herbs are supported by bright fruit and French oak that complement spicy nuances with finely integrated fruit tannins.

Established in 1996, proudly family owned and managed, Borthwick Vineyard produces wines that are a direct reflection of the Gladstone region, New Zealand. Ancient stony, alluvial soils, a cool climate, sustainable practices and minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, mean our wines display distinctive single vineyard characteristics.

The growing season for the 2021 vintage saw an early budburst with high growing degree days resulting in the earliest harvest ever. Dry December with some cold winds reduced set but good canopies allowed the fruit to ripen fully at the harvest. Great flavours colour and balance across the varietals.

We have ten hectares of Pinot noir planted in 8 different clones on a mixture of grafted and own roots. Vines are planted in differing areas of the vineyard to maximise the array of flavours available to us during blending. Our Dijon clones 115, 777, 667 are planted on light, stony, free draining soils, promoting fruit forward characters and intensity. Our older clones of Abel, 5, 828, 943 and MV 6 are planted in deeper soils with higher clay content to promote greater depth in palate weight and texture.

Temperature controlled fermentation using only natural yeasts, combined with hand plunging to optimize the fruit and tannin balance. Following extended post-ferment maceration on skins the wine was drained and pressed to barrel. Rigorous barrel selection and blending is followed by minimal fining and filtration prior to bottling. 100% French oak aged for 11 months with a mixture of selected cooperages of which 30% of the barrels are new.