Vavasour Pinot Noir 2021

Power house of rich, dark aromas and flavours. The bouquet is bright and lively with aromas of cherries, wild strawberries and plums. The palate is bold and juicy with red cherry and fresh plums forming an intense core with fine grained tannins giving the wine structure and length. Enjoyed beautifully on its own or paired deliciously with mushroom risotto and or with dark chocolate for something sweet.

Drink now through 2030.

Winemaking

The Awatere Valley is a sub-appellation within Marlborough. It has deep Greywacke soils compacted over millions of years by ancient glaciers. Huge boulders, carried down the Awatere River, are strewn across the valley floor. River shingles, gravels and silts help bind these large rocks. The vineyards are partially protected from the prevailing north-westerly winds by a broad range of mountain peaks. Awatere valley wines are particularly prized for their intense aromatics, ripe flavours, dynamic textures and concentration.

Vavasour's 85 hectare (196 acre) estate vineyard is located in the renowned Awatere Valley. The climate here is noteworthy for its wide diurnal temperature swings - an atttribute that contributes to strong personality and incredible balance in the wines. The vineyard's soils are low in fertility and comprised of stones and pebbles mixed with clay and loam. The rainfall ranges from 279-406 mm (11-16 inches) a year, very arid by any measurement.

Our 2020 Pinot features a number of high-quality clones - 115, 943, 5, 667 and 777 - that have been carefully matched to individual terroirs within our vineyard. To extract optimum colour, flavour and tannin we used traditional, Burgundian hand- plunging techniques during fermentation. Eleven months in French oak barriques (13% new) provided additional aromatics, flavours and structure to the wine.

In The Spotlight

Gold Medal - Sydney International Wine Competition

4.5 Stars and 91 Points - Sam Kim Wine Orbit

4 Stars - Cuisine Magazine; Silver Medal - Marlborough Wine Show

Silver Medal - Air New Zealand Wine Awards

Silver Medal - Royal Easter Show Wine Awards