2021 Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir Organic

Felton Road is located in Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand, the southernmost wine-growing region in the world. This region is synonymous with 'Winemaking on the edge'. The fact is that a cat and mouse game is regularly played with the monarch. The fragmented vineyards nestle in small micro-climates on slopes surrounded and protected by high mountains, many of which remain capped with snow all year round. Since the start of the domain in 1991, the Felton Road wines have enjoyed overwhelming success. The cellar door on the pleasant little domain is closed for more than half of the year due to 'sold out'. Together with Ata Rangi from Martinborough, Felton Road was awarded 'grand cru' status at the Pinot Noir Conference in Wellington in January 2010. What is special is that the title 'grand cru' was chosen by wine professionals. Great class, wines with a lot of refinement and top style great Burgundy. Nigel Greening of Felton Road is a passionate winemaker with a clear philosophy: 'A winemaker has a thousand ways to make a wine 'better'.' But better than who or what? 'It has taken us more than a decade to gradually harmonize grape, terroir and our way of winemaking.' The Pinot Noir from Felton Road symbolizes the most beautiful and purest that can be had from New Zealand. Complex, graceful layering, completely biodynamic. Scarce and limited available!

The Pinot Noir grape bunches are extremely selectively picked by hand at optimum ripeness. In the vinification cellar, 75% of the grapes are destemmed and crushed, after which they, together with the other bunches, first undergo a cold soak of 5 days to get more color and aroma extraction. This is followed by a 2-week spontaneous alcoholic fermentation with wild (grape own) yeasts in stainless steel tanks. This is followed by pressing of the grape must and the transfer of the young wine to French oak barriques (30% new) to undergo malolactic fermentation and to mature. After 13 months, the wine is bottled without fining or filtering. This entire process follows strict biodynamic rules and regulations.

In the glass, the Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir has a bright, light ruby red colour. In the nose aromas of black cherries, rose petals, leather, thyme and fresh toast. In the taste palette pure notes of ripe berries, strawberries, cinnamon and something of licorice and vanilla, accompanied by a persistent aftertaste with good tannins and the right acidity.