Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2023

Description

Cherry, Oak, Smoke

"It's delightfully expressed on the nose, showing sweet cherry, rich floral, olive, and nutmeg aromas, followed by a juicy palate offering supple texture and fine-grained tannins. Well rounded and balanced with a lingering, silky finish. At its best: now to 2028" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Feb 2025

"Ripe, pure fruited, fresh and classic bouquet of dark plum, raspberry and red currants laced with a fine layer of wood smoke and stony mineral highlights. Refreshing on the palate with plenty of acidity and fine tannins. Well made, dry and ready to drink from 2025 through 2029" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Mar 2025

Our 2023 Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir displays a fragrant bouquet of ripe cherry and wild berries with hints of spice and dried herb. The palate is bright and balanced with fine tannin giving texture and length.

The Marlborough growing season started well with very little frost pressure during spring and healthy soil moisture levels providing lush and vibrant vine canopies. The start of summer 2023 was mild; February temperatures were below the long-term average. However, the weather settled over harvest and delivered a beautiful, dry and warm Indian summer allowing for optimal ripening conditions.

The fruit was harvested during the cool of night and early morning, then destemmed to open-top stainless steel tanks for 3–6 days of cold soak to assist with the development of aroma. A mix of indigenous and cultured yeasts are used for fermentation, with temperatures peaking at 32–34°C to extract the desired colour and tannins. After fermentation, the wine spent 10 months in French oak barriques on lees to add palate weight and texture.

Food Pairing: Classic Pinot Noir pairings include duck or lamb, but also matches well with roasted beet salad.