Just how many Pinot Noirs are made in New Zealand today?

If the ever expanding lineup crossing my tasting table is anything to go by, there appears to be no ceiling - either in style or sheer volume - on the number of Pinot Noirs being produced across Aotearoa New Zealand today.

Among the latest to impress is a standout from Takapoto Estate, with the Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir leading the charge. Once considered a marginal (read: cold) corridor connecting Central Otago’s warmer Cromwell Basin with the majesty of Queenstown, the Gibbston Valley now appears to be reaping the unexpected rewards of climate change, if the 2019 Takapoto Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir is anything to go by. But don't take my word for it. My notes below highlight the significant differences between this trio of wines, which were sent to me to taste last week and which I have worked through with a winemaking friend whose views formed similar thoughts to my own; sight unseen - that is, he did not see the wines while tasting them.

My reviews of Takapoto Estate Pinot Noirs

18.5/20
2019 Takapoto Estate Gibbston Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $80

The best of this new bunch of Pinot Noirs from Takapoto Estate is, undoubtedly, the Gibbston Valley. This wine is made entirely from grapes grown in the Gibbston sub-region, which seems to be benefiting from climate change - if this full bodied, flavoursome wine is anything to go by. Its appealing dark cherry aromas are an invitation to enjoy a wine with a fabulous fresh framework of ripe fruit around an earthy core of gently spicy complexity. It was made with hand picked, 100% destemmed grapes grown on Brennan Vineyard and fermented with wild yeasts. The finished wine was matured in French oak. This wine drinks well now and can age further - for four to five years, potentially longer. 

18/20
2022 Takapoto Estate ‘The Blend’ Central Otago Pinot Noir – RRP $45
This is a thoughtful blend of grapes from two areas in Central Otago; Bannockburn’s Legend Terrace contributes 72% with the cooler-climate Brennan Vineyard in Gibbston offering up 28% of the grapes to this wine. All grapes were destemmed and wild fermented, with extended maceration of seven weeks on skins before pressing. The result is a finely tuned expression of Central Otago Pinot Noir with bright fruit forward red cherry-scented aromas underpinned by a savoury mid palate and a lingering fresh finish.

17.5/20 
2017 Takapoto Estate Bannockburn Single Vineyard Pinot Noir RRP $80
This Pinot Noir is now approaching its peak with eight years of ageing under its vinous belt and a pronounced tertiary flavour profile with earthy aged spice and old sandalwood aromas adding depth and interest. Fruit flavours are tucked into the background with whiffs of red cherries and red plums. The grapes in this Pinot Noir were sourced from vines planted above the iconic Felton Road at Legend Terrace in Bannockburn. This wine drinks well and is best enjoyed now - or soon.