Kaituna Valley

PINOT NOIR Marlborough 2006

The Awatere Vineyard

The fruit for this wine came from our high-density (closely planted) vineyard in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough.  Pruned to a single cane, the yield per vine are always low.

2006 was a very good year and has produced a wine with lovely fragrance, complexity and finesse.  Aromas of brambles and red berry fruits, plum, spice and dried herbs.  The palate shows smoothness and concentration with succulent red fruit, chocolate and savory characters and excellent length.

Technical Notes:

Fruit was hand-harvested in excellent condition on 5 and 10 April 2006.  Fruit was chilled, de-stemmed and crushed to small batch fermenters.  Fermentation occurred with a range of cultured yeasts and reached a peak temperature of 32°C.  The wines were pressed directly to French oak barrels (35% new) for malolactic fermentation and aged on light lees for 14 months.  Bottled in August 2007.

Results:

• Silver Medal  Liquorland Top 100 2007

Previous Results:

2004 vintage:

• Gold Medal  Japan International Wine Challenge 2006
• Gold Medal Liquorland Top 100 International Wine Show 2005
• 95/100   Gold Medal   Supreme Red Winner “Dense wine with strong black cherry, plum and spice flavours.  It’s a rich, soft and totally seductive Marlborough Pinot Noir with generous flavours and a feather-bed texture” NZ Home and Entertaining Dec 2005
• 5 Star “This wine is typically powerful, robust and crammed with flavour.  Richly coloured, it is fresh, very vibrant and smooth, with mouthfilling body, sweet fruit delights and a powerful surge of cherry, herb and spice flavours.  It’s a delicious wine, well worth cellaring” Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines 2006 
• 5 star Australian Gourmet Traveller Wine Dec 2005

2003 vintage:

• 5 Star Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide to New Zealand Wines 2005
• Silver Medal     Bragato Wine Awards 2004
• 4 star NZ Home and Entertainment Feb/Mar 2005

2002 vintage:

• 5 Star (Top Equal Wine) DECANTER Magazine NZ Pinot Noir 2001 & 2002 Tasting Jul 2004
• Gold Medal    Bragato Wine Awards 2003

2001 vintage:

• Gold Medal & Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir; Liquorland Top 100 Wine Show 2002
• Gold Medal       Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2002

2000 vintage:     

• Gold Medal & Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir; Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2001

1999 vintage:     

• Gold Medal & Trophy for Champion Pinot Noir; Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2000

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