Terra Sancta Mysterious Diggings Central Otago Blanc de Noir 2024

Description

Apple, Dry, Passionfruit

"It's delicately lifted on the nose, showing crunchy apple, lemon peel, green tea, and a hint of flinty notes. The palate displays fine flow and focus, beautifully supported by elegant texture and bright acidity, finishing crisp-dry and lingering. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Apr 2025

Terra Sancta’s inaugural release of Blanc de Noir is worthy of celebration. Champagne in colour, the nose is highly aromatic, with vibrant notes of passionfruit, mango, apricot, fresh peach and white flowers. Dancing across the palate, it is exuberant and complex, with tropical fruits, nectarine, quince, apricot kernel, and kaffir lime, along with lingering minerality. Possessing great finesse, flow and a finish that lasts for days, this is an exciting new expression of Terra Sancta’s Pinot Noir. Due to its bright acidity it will cellar for at least seven years.

Prioritised from the farm to bottle, it is made from outstanding Pinot Noir grown at Terra Sancta Estate on Felton Road, identified over a period of six years as the best for Blanc de Noir. A single block Blanc de Noir, made exclusively from a single Pinot Noir clone - Abel - grown on Riverblock, the fruit naturally possesses intensity, texture and purity. Eight years of organic, no-till regenerative farming, including our slow winter sheep grazing, and permanent flock of sheep have made a real impact on our vine health and the health of the grapes which is evident in the purity of the fruit from Riverblock.

The 2024 vintage in Bannockburn started with favourable spring conditions, leading to a normal crop set. El Niño brought dry weather from mid-November to February, along with high winds across Central Otago, however Terra Sancta's sheltered sites fared well. A 24 January frost caused no major damage, and a welcome rain on 21 February, along with cooler nights, supported steady ripening with harvest beginning on 26 March. Despite the challenges, our mature vines produced high-quality fruit, reflected in the vibrant flavour and complexity of this Blanc de Noir.

This is the colour and taste of Terra Sancta Pinot Noir in its most natural form with no skin contact or time in oak. Made from 100% handpicked Pinot Noir (100% Abel clone), unlike a standard Pinot Noir, the fruit is immediately destemmed and pressed, spending no time on skins resulting in its pale champagne colour. The outstanding quality of the fruit led to 100% native fermentation in tank with no additions. Bottled at Terra Sancta on 16 September 2024.

Food Pairing: Incredibly versatile it will be a match for an array of seafood for example salmon sashimi, prawn tempura, a Thai red seafood curry or simple pan fried snapper.