2022 harvest was one of the easiest for many years with no weather pressure and perfectly clean and ripe Pinot Noir grapes. The vintage was slightly warmer than average. 972 growing degree days versus our average of 942. During flowering in December, cloudier and wetter than normal weather caused temperatures to drop and there was reduced flower germination. The poorer fruit set meant less berries per bunch and more open bunches
when it came to ripening which was a good thing. March and April were outstanding months of perfect weather for ripening and harvesting Pinot Noir by hand. Average bunch weights were 99 g versus longterm average 105 g.
The 2022 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir hails from a warmer than average year. During flowering in December, cloudier and wetter than normal weather caused temperatures to drop, and there was reduced flower germination. Bunches were more open with fewer berries. In the glass, the fruit is supple and bright, with layers of red berries, underpinned by a cherry freshness. I can easily see why these wines will all be consumed in their youth, such is the freshness and detail in the fruit; however, I would strongly recommend that you attempt to exercise some patience with these bottles, as they evolve with wonderful freshness and detail over time. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Mar 24, 2025 Drink 2025-2045
Sweet-fruited style, all strawberry and raspberry. Chalky tannins, touch of black olive, intense core fruit that is primed to bloom after another few years. (RH) 12 Feb 2025 Drink 2026-2032
From a single vineyard in Alexandra, one of the world’s most southerly, planted in 2003. Enticing nose, layered and interesting, perfumed with red liquorice, spice, dried herbs and earth. The palate is elegant and firm with fine, silty tannins and a nice herbal (not green) savouriness to offset the core of juicy rich fruit – a hallmark of the sub-region. Supple and harmonious, with a real sense of lightness and grace. Drinking Window: 2024 – 2030. 3 Oct 2024
The 2020 was one of the more difficult vintages due to the cold weather and the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown from late March 2020. Spring started normally but weather events turned against us. An unusual atmospheric phenomenon known as Sudden Stratospheric Warming turned everything upside down. A hailstorm hit the vineyard on 16 November and contributed to some flower damage. December, when the vines are flowering, was one of our coldest on record. It was the first time we have recorded lower temperatures in
December than November. Temperatures and weather at flowering are strongly correlated to fruit set and bunch weights. The 2020 average bunch weight (ABW) was 65 g vs long term average of 108 g. The weather did improve, and conditions were excellent for ripening in more typical Central Otago weather of hot dry days and cool nights. The quality of the fruit
going into the winery was excellent.
Gently aromatic wine with floral/violet, fresh herb, cherry and pronounced mineral/oyster shell flavours. Supple pinot noir with initial fruit/alcohol sweetness that is balanced by peppery tannins that promote a drying finish. Good cellaring potential. 03 JUN 2022
The 2020 season was cool across the region (except in pockets where it wasn’t), and so this 2020 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is detailed, precise and already laden with coffee grounds, hints of roasted meat crust, clove, dark chocolate/raw cocoa and a hint of licorice. In the mouth, the wine is infused with a load of chalky tannin that defines the fruit at this stage. Given the way these wines age for 20 years with ease, this will only improve over time, reaching its apogee in the early 2030s. It’s just a lovely, lovely wine. 13.4% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023-2040. Nov 2023.
Still very youthful, the 2020 vintage (4.5*) is a bright ruby, energetic, vibrant red, with fresh cherry, plum and spice flavours. Although slightly less intense than the 2019, it is very elegant and savoury. Drink 2024+. Aug 2022
2019 vintage season was overall a warm year but started with hard frosts in September and October and ended with hard frosts in early April. The 13 October frost during budburst was particularly hard but the vines were well protected from damage by our sprinkler frost fighting system. Flowering and fruit set was very good although Spring was wetter than average. March surprised by being warmer than February and bringing the start of harvest forward by about ten days to 5 April. Harvest 2019 was punctuated by three hard frosts but the grapes suffered no significant damage. The last of the 2019 grapes were picked on Friday 12 April. Fruit was in excellent condition despite concerns the autumn frosts may catch us out this year. Volume was slightly above average. Average bunch weights were 126 g versus long-term average 105 g.
Bright, fresh pinot with vibrant black cherry, violet, fresh herb, oyster shell and subtle spicy oak flavours supported by fine, bright tannins that give the wine energy and the flavours a gentle launching pad. Appealing wine that is deliciously accessible now but no rush. May 2023 Drink 2023–2035
The 2019 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is balanced and supple, with a clearly defined scaffold of very fine tannin. The wine is tannic (at least, the experience hinges on the structure), but it errs more toward grippy and ductile than it does obtrusive and blocky. There’s a cavalcade of red fruits within the fine frame: cherry, cranberry, redcurrant, tobacco, white pepper, a hint of peat and lichen. A wonderful wine. Based on the aging trajectory of these wines, I would hold mine, as opposed to drinking it, for at least a few more years, but it is up to you. It’s drinking beautifully today. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Youthful and engaging bouquet with a fine savoury scent and core of ripe red cherry fruits, some light red raspberry flesh and minerality suggesting crumbled earth and stone. Even better on the palate with a vibrant texture from tannins and acidity and fruit flavours that coat the palate. Complex, dry, lengthy and well made. A wine still developing with primary fruits at the forefront of flavour then layers of oak and toasty wood spice attributes. Best drinking from 2025 through 2035. I tried this wine over 3 days and more than a little impressed with its stability, core attributes and complexity. May 2023
2018 was one of the hottest Central Otago summers on record. Serious frosts in the weeks before budburst followed by unprecedented heat mid-season and finishing with a -5° C frost in mid-April. Not every year thanks! The heat, early flowering and ripening and rain in February created more challenges than normal. Flowering was 2-3 weeks early and the perfect conditions meant excellent fruit set resulting in large tight bunches. Veraison was three weeks ahead of normal and grape development was set on track for our earliest harvest ever which, like clockwork, was three weeks early. With drought conditions the under-vine growth had completely browned off by January but heavy rains from 1 February changed the vineyard from brown back to green. Alexandra as a sub-region benefited from some cooler late afternoon breezes which took the heat out the day and slowed ripening. This cooling and courage to delay picking as-long-as possible to develop more flavour in the fruit paid off. Despite the challenges the fruit was picked in excellent condition with full flavour development and above average volumes. Harvest 23-31 March 2018. ABW 135 g |
Hottest vintage on record has produced a fruity and accessible pinot noir with ripe cherry, plum and raspberry flavours laced with spice and supported by French oak. Soft, fruity acidity provides a welcome backbone. Lovely purity and energy. Should age well 27 JUN 2020
Grown on one of the world’s most southerly Pinot Noir vineyard sites this tiny 7.8 hectare vineyard produces exceptional wine. Since the company was formed in 2001 Phil Handford and the winemaking team have established a world class brand. Pip Battley leads the winemaking team. This Pinot displays a floral, feminine charm, an elegant bouquet, core of fruit and incredible texture. Youthful yet fine, ripe tannins, pristine acidity and long complex finish. APRIL 2020
The 2018 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is sweet on the nose, with cherry kirsch, Tina wafer, white pepper, green olive tapenade, scraped vanilla pod and poached strawberry. Perhaps there’s even a smattering of sumac, but it is faint. In the mouth, the wine is superb, elegant and fresh but full of fruit and fine tannins. It lingers and wisps in the mouth, showing the warmth of the season through the finish in the form of ripe/dehydrated red fruit (goji berries and the like). Excellent. It’s expressive now, but it will age with ease. Up to you. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. 15 Dec 2023. Drink 2023-38
2017 was the coolest vintage for at least 15 years.
The unusually warm September was followed by a good October and then a period of below average temperatures through until late February. Fortunately flowering was good but the cooler weather during berry development meant bunch sizes were below average. Late Feb-Mar provided excellent heat for ripening. 90 gram average bunch weight which is the lowest since 2007 and 2010 vintages. 2017 season seems to have favoured Alexandra which ripened earlier than sub-regions to the west. Fruit quality was excellent.
Harvest 8-15 April. ABW 90 g
Fragrant pinot noir with attractive floral notes together with fleshy plum, dark cherry, wet stone and mineral characters. More weight and fruit intensity than usual perhaps thanks to vintage conditions and vine age. Impressive purity and length. Should age well. APR 2019
The 2017 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir hails from one of the coolest vintages this century. From mid-November to mid-February, temperatures were well below average. The cold summer reduced the size of berries and bunches. Late February through March provided excellent heat for ripening, and the fruit was eventually handpicked between the 8th and the 15th of April. Aromatically, the wine leads with the usual array of sumac and pomegranate molasses, freshly grated nutmeg and even tapenade. The wines, across the years, bear a highly attractive resemblance to each other, in their array of savory spice and fine, ductile tannins. Here, the palate is chalky, and the cool season bears its mark; this is woody (not oaky—more like seed tannin presence) and capacious, long and detailed. There is a crackle of autumn leaves and crushed rocks through the finish. This is fine and saline and very good. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. 6 Jun 2025. Drink 2025-37
A complex and intriguing bouquet of Pinot Noir with suggestions of ripe red berry fruits, layers of wood spice and dried herbs, a dark rose and lavender combination, a deep seated earthy quality and most importantly Pinosity and charm. Delicious on the palate with textures and fruit flavours forming synergies and power balancing the youthful grip of chalky tannins and acidity. Long finish, a lovely wine. Decant for service with best drinking from today and through 2025.
2015/16 a strong El Nino produced more cool south and southwest weather than normal in the spring and early summer. Fortunately the weather was fine during flowering and fruit set was good. The cool spring meant bunches were a little smaller than recent years, which is not a bad thing. In February the heat really picked up producing our hottest February ever and was just what was needed to keep the season on track. March and April were ideal for ripening grapes. The quality of fruit picked was excellent and volume was right on target.
Overall the season will be remembered for the cooler than normal spring and the particularly warm February plus the persistent winds, the extra low rainfall and the high number of frosts.
Harvest 12- 18 April 2016. ABW 101 g
Delicately-scented pinot noir with purity and power. It’s a good example of the fine, tight and often miner-laced styles found in the Alexandra Basin. An elegant wine that is a confident expression of place. May 2018
Lightish cherry red. Completely different on the nose compared with the 2015. Pretty herbal lift and perfumed with red fruit. Super-fragrant and gently floral. Juicy and mouth-wateringly moreish on the palate. Lithe tannins and lovely fragrance. Fresh persistence. (JH) 13.3% Drink 2018-2028
The 2016 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir hails from a season where a strong El Nino produced cool south and southwest winds all the way through until January in summer. The yields featured good fruit set but with smaller bunches. February was the hottest on record—there hasn’t been a hotter February since—however, February 2025 was the closest. Good conditions prevailed to harvest, when the fruit was handpicked from the 12th to the 18th of April. On the nose here, we have pomegranate molasses, layers of goji berry and cocoa powder, sweet roasted beets, sweet tobacco and a hint of freshly grated nutmeg. The wine is detailed and fine, the tannins creating a seamless structure woven into the flesh of the fruit. The acidity is saline and gentle, contributing freshness and balance but otherwise invisible. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. June 2025. Drink 2025-36
2015/16 a strong El Nino produced more cool south and southwest weather than normal in the spring and early summer. Fortunately the weather was fine during flowering and fruit set was good. The cool spring meant bunches were a little smaller than recent years, which is not a bad thing. In February the heat really picked up producing our hottest February ever and was just what was needed to keep the season on track. March and April were ideal for ripening grapes. The quality of fruit picked was excellent and volume was right on target.
Overall the season will be remembered for the cooler than normal spring and the particularly warm February plus the persistent winds, the extra low rainfall and the high number of frosts.
The fruit in Block 6 was exceptional this year. As always bunches sizes are smaller here. Harvested 16 April 2016.
Limited edition pinot noir (500 bottles) from a block selected for its distinctive character Supple, fragrant wine with cherry, dried herbs/tobacco, thyme, floral/violet, pot potpourri characters. Last tasted just over one year ago, and the wine seems to have gained complexity 01 Nov 2022
The 2016 Block 6 Pinot Noir shows real energy and phenolic drive on the palate, yet the wine is very fine, detailed and long. It, like the 2014 tasted alongside it, features a soft fruit profile, one that persists long into the finish but which also feels resoundingly pillowy and almost downy in its shape and texture. This is a beautiful wine. It is holding form with immaculate precision. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. June 2025. Drink 2025-39
The 2015 vintage season has again produced some excellent fruit in good quantity. The season started cooler than normal with October and November temperatures below average and a number of frosts requiring frost fighting. The cool conditions slowed flower development. December warmed up and provided a small but perfect window for the critical flowering period. While the weather at flowering was ideal, the cool spring conditions had meant some flowers proved infertile or set weak berries which did not develop. The result was smaller and more open bunches than recent vintages. This usually bodes well for good wine. January was one of our warmest ever and February and March behaved apart from a couple of early frosts. The end of March and early April were exceptionally warm and hand picking commenced earlier than normal finishing on 16 April. 2015 promises to be another good vintage. A -4 deg C frost on the last day of harvest.
Harvest 10-16 Apr 2015. ABW 105 g
Attractively scented pinot noir with juicy cherry, plum, mineral and spice flavours. Subtle sweet fruits are perfectly balanced by fine, ripe tannins. An elegant, supple wine that should age gracefully. Will benefit from aeration. Apr 2017
Even, dark ruby-red colour with slight purple hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is softly full and voluminous with harmoniously melded aromas of dark-red cherries and berryfruit entwined with a layering of thyme herbs, unfolding nuances of liquorice and spices, and subtle suggestions of dark plums. The aromatics build in depth, intensity and concentration with aeration. Medium-fill bodied, the palate is well-proportioned with ripe fruit flavours of dark-red and black cherries with thyme herbs interwoven with spices and liquorice. The fruit richness is stylishly restrained, but possesses real depth and concentration, and is supported by fine-grained tannin extraction and balanced structure. The acidity is integrated and lends smooth drive and line, the wine carrying to a firmly bound, lingering finish. This is a rich, ripe, stylishly concentrated Pinot Noir with flavours of black cherries and thyme herbs, liquorice and spices on a fine-structured palate. This will develop over the next 6-8 years. Clones 5, 777, 115, Abel and 667, fully destemmed and fermented with inoculated and indigenous yeasts to 13.8% alc., the wine spending approx. 9 days on skins and aged 10 months in 28% new French oak barriques. 19.0/20 Mar 2017
The 2015 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is supple and fresh, with Pink Lady apples, Christmas cherry, summer strawberries, pink peppercorn and hints of caper brine. This is a lacy, spicy wine with textural nuance and fresh acidity. Despite what looked to be an up-and-down growing season (cool start, slow growth, excellent flowering, hot January, frost on the last day of harvest, 105-gram average bunch weight), this is a wholly composed and elegant wine at the very start of its evolutionary journey. 14% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2023-2035. Dec 2023.
2014 vintage received a warm start and excellent flowering (similar to 2006 and 2011 vintages)
January turned into one of the coolest ever. Feb/Mar average to cooler and conditions dry and frost free through until harvest.
April’s ripening temperatures were moderated with lower highs and higher lows and quite different from previous vintages.
Overall, it was great ripening weather. The quality of the fruit from 2014 was outstanding.
Harvest 14-23 April 2014. ABW 115 g
Delicately scented pinot noir with appealing cherry, spice and mineral flavours. Light to medium-bodied but not lacking in power, as evidenced by the wine’s lengthy finish. Quite Burgundian in style but with a strong Alexandra signature. Class wine at a competitive price.
Bright, even dark ruby-red colour with slight youthful purple hues, lighter on the rim. The nose is tightly bound, intense and penetrating with aromas of dark-red berry and cherry fruit with notes of raspberry liqueur interwoven with thyme herbs and dark red florals. The fruit is expressed with clarity and beautiful purity. Medium-full bodied, sweetly juicy and luscious flavours of dark-red cherry and berry fruit are laced with thyme herbs and form an elegantly concentrated core, revealing red floral nuances. The palate is very fine-textured with supple tannin extraction supporting the fruit and fresh acidity lifting the fruit fragrance and enlivening the mouthfeel. The fruit clarity, vibrancy and purity are the features, and the flavours carry with richness and vitality to a long and sustained finish. This is a rich, vibrant, dark red cherry and berry fruited Pinot Noir with lovely clarity on a fine-grained, supple palate. Clones 667, 777, 115, Abel. 5 and 114, from vines planted in 2003, the fruit destemmed and fermented with 12% by indigenous yeasts to 13.4% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 26% new French oak barriques. Nov 2016
The 2014 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is poised and composed, both aromatically and in the mouth. The wine shows an abundance of red fruits, but these are folded into layers of fine, silty tannins and savory baking spices. This is a beautiful wine, restrained, svelte, quiet and seamless. It’s nine years old and just starting to hit its stride. Drink or hold, there’s plenty of time left to go. 13.4% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Dec 2023. Drink 2023-2034
2014 vintage received a warm start and excellent flowering (similar to 2006 and 2011 vintages)
January turned into one of the coolest ever. Feb/Mar average to cooler and conditions dry and frost free through until harvest.
April’s ripening temperatures were moderated with lower highs and higher lows and quite different from previous vintages.
Overall, it was great ripening weather. The quality of the fruit from 2014 was outstanding. This special vintage and the quality of fruit in Block 6 prompted us to make the inaugural single block one, Block 6.
Harvest 14-23 April 2014. ABW 115 g
The first release of a three-barrel selection flagship label, now available at the cellar door. Complex, savoury and moderately intense wine with dried herb, floral/dried rose petal, cherry/berry flattered by a hint of fruit sweetness balanced by fine, peppery tannins. Last tasted five years ago, and the wine has become mellower and more complex. Nov 2022.
The 2014 Block 6 Pinot Noir is from the Block 6 within the vineyard; the soils are stonier there and have pedogenic lime. The bunches tend to be smaller, and as the fruit is picked according to the soil type, it contains a number of clones: 667 and smaller amounts of 114 and 155, all co-fermented. The 2014 season was categorized by its warm start to spring, which provided excellent conditions for flowering. Summer conditions during January turned into one of the coolest ever. February and March were average to cooler in temperature, and conditions remained dry and frost free through harvest, which occurred between the 14th and the 23rd of April. Aromatically, the wine leads with the same splay of savory spice; however, the wine feels much creamier in texture on the palate. This is completely different in personality to the Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir, which is savory and spicy. The wine is gentle and mild, quietly spoken, like a whisper. It’s very pretty and is aging, like the others do, very slowly. 13.7% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2039. June 2025
Vintage 2013’s extremely cool spring resulted in reduced flower development. However, a perfect period of fine warm weather for flowering in late December meant nearly every flower became a berry and produced an unexpectedly large fruit set. Warmer than average temperatures in February and March help ripen a larger than normal crop. The final 30 days of ripening was cool but perfectly fine days without significant frosts.
Harvest 22-25 Apr. ABW 126 g.
Supple, smooth-textured pinot noir that seems softer than when I last tasted it six months ago. Appealing wine with emerging secondary bottle-age characters offering a nice contrast to cherry/berry flavours. Delicious wine that is at or approaching peak condition. 12 May 2023. Drink 2023–2027
Moderately dark ruby-red colour, with light purple hues on rim. The nose is gently full with rich, ripe fruit aromas of dark cherry and raspberry fruits harmoniously interwoven with thyme herb notes and subtle oak elements. Some raspberry liqueur detail unfolds with aeration. Medium-bodied, the palate features a soft-textured, smooth and integrated core of ripe, dark raspberry fruit entwined with thyme herbs and a hint of minerally reduction. The fruit has a gentle sweetness and lusciousness balanced by supple, fine-grained tannins. Soft acidity enhances the seamless flow and the wine carries to a very long, sustained finish with dark cherry notes and refined tannin textures. This is a supple, smooth-flowing and harmonious, sweet-fruited Pinot Noir with real beauty. Match with poultry, pork and Asian fare over the next 5-6 years. Pinot Noir clones 5, 777, 115, 114, Abel and 667 destemmed and fermented to 13.0% alc., the wine aged 10 months in 30% new French oak barriques. 18.5+/20 Mar 2015
The 2013 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir hails from a warmer season than 2012 tasted alongside it. The weather delivered a cool October, and November lead into summer, with an “unexpectedly large fruit set,” says Phil Hanford. There was a late finish, with cool but perfectly fine days without significant frosts. The fruit was handpicked between the 22nd and 25th April. On the nose, the wine is all about goji berry and cocoa powder, some blood plum and macerated cherry. The wine is considerably more savory, despite having a year on the 2012 in terms of youth and freshness. The warmer year is evident here in the body and shape of the wine. It remains focused and elegant, yet the fruit has more heft and muscle. 13% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Drink 2025-2033. Jun 2025.
2012 vintage was a rollercoaster season. After an outstanding flowering and fruit set in spring. By the end of February total solar energy had been average for the season but in March temperatures drop dramatically putting us on a very slow ripening path. Large tight grape bunches and heavy rainfalls in summer increased the disease risk and raised fears of a difficult harvest. Fortunately, the weather changed after 12 March and there was no rain and days were hot and nights cool creating a perfect finish to the season and one of our best harvests to date.
Harvest 18-26 Apr. ABW 136 g
Deeply scented with floral, mineral, raspberry and fresh herb flavours. Fine, focused wine with lengthy finish. Shows plenty of power delivered with great subtlety. Sep 2014
Even, moderately dark ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues. The nose is elegantly proportioned with concentrated and densely packed, but refined aromas of dark cherry berry and raspberry liqueur notes. This has brilliant focus and purity, with very sensitive and integrated oaking. Medium-full bodied, rich and softly concentrated, but tightly bound fruit flavours of dark raspberries and cherries are the feature on palate. The fruit is supported by significant extraction, the tannins very fine and supple. Subtle, lacy acidity underlines the palate, enhancing the fruit richness and sweetness and provides energy and drive. Lifted, piquant flavours of dark cherries and raspberry liqueur flow to a very long, lingering, fine-textured finish. This is an elegant and concentrated Pinot Noir with focussed, piquant framboise flavours, a very fine mouthfeel and extraction, and subtle acid vibrancy. Match with roasted duck and pork, and with Asian cuisine over the next 6-8 years. 19.0/20. Nov 2013
The 2012 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir comes from a cool year, with an early start in spring, then a very warm December, followed by a long cool tail to the season. The fruit was handpicked between the 18th and 26th of April. Aromatically, the wine leads with cranberry and autumn leaves, forest floor, a hint of peat and tapenade. On the palate, the wine is finely structured, tapering to a chalky finish. I love where these wines head as older wines. This is elegant, eminently savory, spicy and ductile, with years left to go. The wine is more about the structure and the savory fruit than it is a plush drinking experience. 13.4% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Jun 2025. Drink 2023-2037
2011 was a very warm vintage year. Exceptionally warm start. (Like 2006). Near perfect flowering conditions with large tight big-berried bunches. Fruit set was unusually consistent across all blocks. Berry size was large and comparable to or larger than 2006. The large crop, requiring the removal of many bunches to reduce crop levels per vine. February rainfall was significantly higher than average throughout Central Otago, increasing the disease risk significantly. 30 March 2011 the first grapes were picked our earliest harvest to date.
2011 was a difficult vintage in Central Otago due to the rain, however the Alexandra sub-region, with its lower rainfall, produced some of the best quality grapes in Central Otago.
Harvest 30 Mar-8 Apr 2011, ABW 150 g
Deeply scented pinot noir with floral, mineral, raspberry, and savoury/fresh herb flavours. Fine focused wine with a lengthy finish. The wine shows plenty of power delivered with great subtlety
Moderately deep, dark ruby-red, lighter on rim with some purple hues. The nose is full and even with elegantly presented dark cherry fruit, revealing violetty florals, subtle dark herbs and sensitive oak spices in the glass. Medium-full bodied, intensely concentrated flavours of dark plums and liquorice are laced with notes of dried herbs, liquorice and spicy oak. The fruit is enlivened by racy acidity and framed by soft, grainy tannins. The textures carry the flavours with acid tension to a very long, lingering dry, textural finish with plum and spicy oak featuring prominently. This is a concentrated Pinot Noir with oak spiced fruit, grainy tannins and racy freshness to make it a match with Middle Eastern fare over the next 4-5+ years. 18.5/20 – January 2013
The 2011 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir hails from a warm season, and the average bunch weight was 150 grams (double the magnificent 2010 season, for interest’s sake). The nose here is restrained and quiet. In the mouth, the wine is fresh but slightly fierce, with rounded fruit and fine, savory tannins. There’s a lovely spool of texture through the finish. It’s holding very well indeed, but certainly it’s a less giving iteration of the wine. 13.6% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Drink 2023-2031. Dec 2023.
2010 vintage season was overall a warm year but a very cool start and a serious frost mid-flowering reduced yield and bunch size smallest since 2007. Significant variance in berry size contributed to a wine with layers of complexity.
Harvest 22-27 Apr, ABW 76 g
Air New Zealand Champion Wine of the Show – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012
JF Hillebrand New Zealand Ltd Champion Pinot Noir -Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012
GOLD (Elite) MEDAL – Air New Zealand Wine Awards 2012
GOLD MEDAL – Bragato Wine Awards 2012
GOLD MEDAL – Spiegelau International Wine Competition 2012
GOLD MEDAL– NZ International Wine Show 2012
Clones 5, 777, 115, 114, Abel and 667 from the ‘Grasshopper Rock’ site on Earnscleugh Road, fermented to 13.9% alc., the wine aged 9 months in 32% new French oak barriques. Full, even, deep ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues. This has a bouquet of bright and vibrant dark berry and cherry fruits unfolding layers of complex dark herbs, stalk notes and smoke. Medium-full bodied, this is full open and fruity with plush, plump, dark berry and black cherry flavours, along with stalk, herb and undergrowth nuances. The palate is rich and accessible, and well supported by clear-cut tannin and fine, underlying firm textures. The fruit blossoms as the structure builds, resulting in a robustness that leads to a very long finish showing herbs and spices. This is a rich and fruity, well-structured Pinot Noir that will drink well over the next 5-8 years. Match with pastas, pork and red meats. 18.5+/20 Jul 2012
The 2010 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is balanced and fresh in the glass. At 13 years old in 2023, the wine is teetering on that wonderful precipice of young and mature. It has lashings of primary red fruits, but it also introduces an intriguing display of tertiary spice and complexity (peat, lichen, black peppercorns, kirsch, mahogany, dried petals, etc.). It’s a beautiful wine, totally pleasurable and looking so eminently fabulous today. The average bunch weight in 2010 was 76 grams. 13.9% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Dec 2023. Drink 2023-2035
2009 was a cool year. A warm start but cool December slowed flowering. Very warm January but then February very cold. Late harvest and two frosts -3 and -4 deg damaged some fruit.
Harvest 29 Apr-5 May, ABW 98 g
Very dark, deep, black hued ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues, this has a very full, richly ripe nose of concentrated earthy, dark berry fruits, revealing layers with game and ink. Full, dense, weighty and concentrated, this has plenty of juiciness to the ripe dark cherry, berry and plum fruits. The tannins are firm, but fine and supple, the mouthfeel quite rounded. There is a slipperiness from the acidity. Drink with roasted game meat over the next 5-7 years.
Geoff Kelly – Sep 2010 18.0 /20
Pinot Noir ruby. In its light fragrant but highly varietal style, this wine reminded me of the 2008 Martinborough Vineyard wine from Pinot Noir 2010. There are sweet florals spanning from buddleia to darker roses, on red cherry fruit. Palate is a little lighter and fresher than the bouquet promised, but cellaring the wine will produce a pinot confuseable with some Cote de Nuits wines – even at premier cru level. Real promise here, Cellar 3 – 8 years. www.geoffkellywinereviews.co.nz
Geoff Kelly – Re-tasted June 2011 18.0 /20
Pinot Noir ruby. Bouquet is red cherry fragrant, clearly varietal, in a much more Cote de Beaune than Cote de Nuits styling, appealing. Palate follows exactly, not dark Otago pinot noir at all, but still attractive crunchy burgundian cherry fruit, freshened by a trace of coolness as seen in the Cornish Point wine. Cellar 3 – 8 years. This is gorgeous !
Geoff Kelly– From an article “Worth Cellaring” Aug 2011
The most beautiful pinot offering the best value I can suggest is 2009 Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir. The fragrant red-fruits bouquet of this Alexandra pinot is straight out of the Cote de Beaune, and the whole wine is a delight to drink even now. It will cellar 3 – 8 years, depending on the stage of maturity preferred.
2008 vintage was a warm year.
Cool start Oct/Nov. Very warm Dec/Jan. Excellent fruit set throughout Central Otago. Heavy bunch thinning required. April turned very cool and harvested late with -3 deg frost.
Harvest 27 Apr-5 May 2008. ABW 111 g
GOLD MEDAL – International Wine Challenge – London May 2010
BLUE GOLD MEDAL and TOP 1OO -Sydney International Wine Competition 2010
FIVE STARS – MICHAEL COOPER’S Buyer’s Guide to NZ Wines 2010
“After tasting 3033 wines…I shortlisted seven bargains…on the reds shortlist was Grasshopper Rock Pinot Noir 2008…”
FIVE STARS and TOP 10 – 244 tasted – Cuisine New Zealand Pinot Noir tasting – Nov 2009
FIVE STARS and Equal Top in Pinot Noir category – Winestate – Canterbury and Otago tasting – Nov/Dec 2009
The most awarded Alexandra sub-region pinot noir ever!
A vintage overshadowed somewhat by those around it, but emerging with beauty. Light ruby-red with garnet hues, but some residual purple on rim. Very elegant on bouquet, fragrantly lifted by red florals, finely expressed red fruits, and some dried herb secondary complexity and detail. The aromatic nuance is beautiful. Elegantly proportioned on palate, with fresh and sweet fruited richness, supported by very fine-grained structure and extraction. The freshness and acidity providing real poise and length. A refined and lovely, accessible rendition of Pinot Noir. 4-5+ years ahead. 19.0-/20. Jan 2014.
The 2008 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is a much riper expression than the 2006 and 2007 Pinots I tasted so far, and it hails from a warmer season. On the nose, it is fleshy and sweet, and layered with raspberry compote, redcurrants, dried rosemary, rose petals, scraped vanilla pod and pastry. In the mouth, the wine is fleshy and very fresh, with lashings of fruit and exotic spice, baking spices and shortcrust pastry through the finish. Numerous gold medals adorn the front label. It’s holding together so well at 15 years old; it hasn’t reached middle age yet. 14.2% alcohol, sealed under screwcap. Dec 2023. Drink 2023-2035
2007 was a cool year.
Very cold spring, frost and poor fruit set. Very small bunches & berries. Late drawn-out harvest.
Harvest 30 Apr-10 May 2007. ABW 42 g
Fresh, vibrant wine with bright raspberry and cherry flavours together with a spicy influence. Attractive pinot noir; one of the best examples yet tasted from the Alexandra district. Nov 2008
The small berry size and thick skins evident. Very deeply coloured with dark red and garnet colour. The nose is very firm and packed with black and red fruits, the secondary earthy, dried herb characters showing great presence. This still has freshness and aromatic lift. On palate very concentrated and tightly concentrated. There’s a wealth of fruit sweetness still, and matched by considerable extract and power. The tannins are firm and driving, and the acid provides excellent relief. Drinking on a plateau and it will do so for some time. Another 5+ years ahead easily. 18.5-/20
The 2007 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir leads with a far richer nose than the 2006 tasted alongside it—it has coffee grounds and cocoa, pepper-rolled pastrami, pepper berries, pomegranate molasses and rooibos tea. In the mouth, the wine has decomposing autumn leaves, lichen, a hint of peat, kirsch, pink peppercorns and black olive tapenade. This is maturing on a completely different trajectory to the 2006 and still looking good, though it’s reaching its peak. Coming back to this 30 minutes later, the wine is distinctly like rooibos tea. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.
Drink 2023-2027. Dec 2023.
2006 our first vintage. 3 yr old vines. A warm year.
Warm spring, big berries and early harvest.
Harvest 6-18 Apr, ABW 123 g
The first vintage, from three-year-old vines, the 2006 Earnscleugh Vineyard Pinot Noir is classically styled on the nose, with autumn leaves, field mushrooms, a hint of bone broth, cracked black peppercorns and dried flowers. In the mouth, the wine, now 17 years old, is spicy and fine. It is absolutely holding together through the finish and appears to still have quite a future in front of it. It’s a super wine. 13.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. An interesting note on drinking windows. This wine, while mature, has got plenty of energy left to proceed into the future. I have given it a further 10 years, and that might be either conservative or ambitious, I don’t know. But if the wine is stored well, as this has been, then the benefit of the screw-cap closure is the preservation of fresh fruit. So, we benefit from that.
Dec 2023. Drink 2023-2033
A delicate nose of wild strawberry, red cherry, forest floor and a touch of capsicum. Very good definition and vigour. The palate is medium-bodied, very dainty and pretty with good acidity. Light cherry fruit, a touch of blueberry and violets on the finish, something of a Romanée-St.-Vivant femininity about it, which is a good thing in my book! An impressive, subtle Central Otago Pinot Noir. Tasted January 2008.
Dark hearted garnet colour with some mahogany and brick hues. The nose is softly full and integrated with savoury teriary aromas of brown fruits, undergrowth and mushroomy complexities. Fullish bodied, the fruit is evolved and tertiary, with savoury red and brown, earthy, mushroomy flavours. The fruit sweetness is receding and the tannins grip is coming to the fore, while the acid line is prevalent. Drinking now, and now beginning to decline with a degree of grace. 17.0/20 Jan 2014