Prone to mutation; there is now a huge diversity of clonal material that can offer different flavour profiles or be better suited to particular wine styles (Champagne and methode traditonelle, or blanc de noir for example) rootstocks, soils or microclimates. It is rare that someone trumpets the clonal mix in their sauvignon blanc or merlot, but this is routine for pinot noir.
The grape prefers a cooler climate, which it finds in most Kiwi wine regions and is sensitive to yield while also requiring added work in the vineyard and the winery to get right: these are costs that ensure good pinot noir is never dirt cheap.
Pinot noir can at times seem ubiquitous in New Zealand, such is its reach across the country and across price points, making it accessible to all. I love the democratic nature of this, but also love that if you are searching for a grape variety that can offer incredible complexity and an intellectual challenge, that you can also find bottles of pinot noir doing so. Sometimes dubbed ‘the heartbreak grape’, occasionally labelled ‘capricious’ as it can infuriate when it under-performs, yet can just as equally be swoon-worthy when the stars align.
The disparity between the rarest and most expensive versus the cheapest is almost mind-blowing. A bottle of the most expensive current release pinot noir in New Zealand, a Grand Cru from Burgundy in France, will set you back roughly $11,000 if you were able to find one. The product of a 1.81ha vineyard, already recognised for its quality 500 years ago, is now firmly in the realm of collectables. At the other end of the spectrum I recently saw a Central pinot noir retailing for $11.99: the wine was as ordinary as its price tag.
The current oversupply of wine across all varieties is seeing crazy, unheard of price points, though these will be unsustainable. If all the viticultural and winemaking inputs, along with costs of bottle, capsule, label, storage, shipping, marketing and so on are all predicated around a wine making a profit while selling for 40 bucks, that is now on special for $20, then clearly someone is taking a bath.
Storage alone can be quite a cost for a producer, so some wineries may elect to take the hit to reduce that cost base while gaining cash flow, though this is not viable nor profitable in the longer term so enjoy the deals while they last.
The following three wines are not going to be for the bargain hunters, but if you are looking for something swoon-worthy then step right up.
2024 Nevis Bluff S.V
Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $49
Rating Excellent
Richness evident,
spice and savoury
nuances, initially
relatively subtle. The
palate offers silky
richness, wood smoke,
savoury notes, darker
fruits, there’s a quiet
depth with the flavours
enveloping the mouth,
tannins nicely in
support and quite fine.
Already very much in
the slot to enjoy now.
The nose grows; fruit
pastille/berry jam, this
is young, vibrant and
ready to please.
2024 Maude Mt Maude
Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $85
Rating Outstanding
Fascinating nose of
bonfire embers,
bramble, wild herb,
spice, ever swelling
fragrance. Less about
fruit but rather, all the
other complexities.
Every sniff reveals
more. The palate a new
level, depth and power,
yet elegance and
finesse, layers of
flavour and complexity,
structure yet wonderful
integration. Totally
beguiling, clearly
serious wine that you
don’t want to put down.
2022 Akitu A1
Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $75
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Beautiful florality in a
deeper register, smoke,
peonies, a savoury
aspect, it’s not really
about seeking individual
parts, it’s all about the
whole. Draws you back
for more. Wonderful
silkiness, beautiful
balance, all the
elements working in
harmony, an engaging
forest floor element
framing the close.
Effortless, light on its
feet, lovely now yet gas
in the tank too. A wine
to mull over.
