2024 ORATERRA PINOT NOIR 

SEASON BRIEF FOR 2024 The 2024 season was a contrast to 2023, coming with a sting - or in this case, a grand finale - at the end. It was a splendid season, and the general feeling is that 2024 will be remembered alongside 2013, 2001 and 1998 as an outstanding year. A cool and turbulent spring meant that the fruit set was reduced, and thus the potential yield at harvest was down too. However, summer conditions were nothing short of amazing, the sun was out in full force, with very little rainfall. The key to the success was our vineyard management this year by keeping ample shade and leaf cover to lower vineyard temperatures and conserve water. The extended warm and dry weather periods resulted in wines that have retained freshness with good generosity. 

TASTING NOTE Beautiful vintages like 2024 risk losing a certain hook, or friction, in the wine. By picking early we avoided this risk and were able to retain good acidity and a degree of disposition to provide interest in the wine. Dark and bright fruit are the antagonists, with Morello cherry cutting through the riper characters. This Pinot Noir goes beyond typical varietal qualities to offer an array of complex and inviting aromatics. The wine is rounded and softly cushioned, moving effortlessly over the palate, with soft tannins acting as chaperones and guiding the fruit toward each corner of the mouth. Ageing: Age for 10-15 years Enjoy at a temperature of 18°C-20°C 

WINEMAKING We harvest all our fruit by hand into small tubs. The fruit is sorted the following day, cold, fully destemmed into small ferment vessels. Natural fermentation occurs, with an occasional hand plunge to help keep the ferments happy and homogenous. At around 18 - 24 days in the fermenting vessel, we pressed the wines and transferred them to large format barrels, 300 & 500 litres, for 12-18 months. The wine is racked and blended into stainless steel tanks before bottling without fining or filtration. 

TECHNICAL INFORMATION Vineyard source(s): McCreanor Vineyard, 37 Princess Street & La Belle Vie Vineyard, 115 New York Street, Martinborough, NZ Harvest dates: 8-18 March 24 | Harvest Brix: 21.5 - 24 Brix Alcohol by Volume: 13% | pH 3.68 | TA: 5.2 g/l

Produced with selected small parcels of old, dry grown Barossa Shiraz from nearly 30 of the Barossa’s finest grape growing families. The vineyards are situated in different sub regions throughout the Barossa, which adds to the complexity and depth of flavours. The wine is hand made using equipment from the turn of the last century, then aged in American and French oak for two years. All this contributes to the objective to make the very highest quality, traditional, soft, deep coloured, earthy Australian red wine which will bottle age.

The vineyard ‘La Rocca’ is situated on the Monte Rocchetta hill, just below the medieval castle built by the Scaligeri family in the town of Soave. The micro-climate in this vineyard produces wines with a unique perfume and distinctive taste. This is a characterful wine with exotic fruit flavours and complex nuttiness.

From the famed Soave producer Pieropan this Valpolicella Superiore is made up of: Corvina Veronese 60%, Corvinone 30%, Rondinella 5%, Croatina Veronese 5%.

Organically grown at 300-500m, on vines with an average age of 20 years.

Grapes are destemmed and pressed. Fermentation temperature is between 23-24 °C / 73-75 °F with a maceration for 12 days with regular punching down for a delicate extraction of tannins and colours.

It ages in french oak tonneaux (40-50% of first passage) for 18/24 months followed by a period in bottle before release.

Typical note of cherry, small red fruits, currant jam and red roses. Pleasant spicy notes, black pepper, cinnamon, juniper berries and cloves. Hints of dark chocolate, vanilla, aromatic woods and a distinct balsamic character. Palate: Fresh, sapid, with fruity character; tannic and delicate texture.

This is a rich and ripe martinborough Chardonnay which displays concentrated ripe stone fruit and and gentle integrated oak on the palate.

Martinborough Pinot Noir at its best with earthy aromas, dried red fruit flavours and freshness. Kereru is the brainchild of lawyer-winemaker, John Porter, who donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Kereru Pinot Noir towards the upkeep and maintenance of a block of restored land with the aim of retaining its restoration into native forest for future generations.

This is a lighter Pinot style which still possesses lovely ripe fruit, gentle spice and driving acidity.

Alpha Domus is a family owned winery in Hawke's Bay, which produces a wide range of wines from high quality sparkling to full bodied, age worthy reds. 

This is their introductory Syrah, a dry full bodied red with notes of spice and red fruit. It drinks well now and can hold for three to four years from vintage date, but is not intended to be aged for the long term.

Serve in a large glass at room temperature; it's great winter drinking.

Hawke's Bay winery Alpha Domus makes outstanding Chardonnay in a range of styles from sparkling to still and medium to full bodied, such as this big, dry, rich barrel fermented Chardonnay.

Mat Donaldson and his talented winemaking team create this fabulous Riesling, which is modelled on the best full bodied wines from both Germany and Austria. It is made from grapes given a long hang time on the vines and is, consistently, one of New Zealand's greatest white wines every year, thanks to winemaker Mat Donaldson and his talented team of Riesling devotees at Pegasus Bay Winery in the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. It is succulent, medium dry, concentrated and rich in taste with a honeyed texture and and notes of lemongrass, lemon zest and ripe mandarins leading into a full bodied, weighty, off dry white with high but balanced acidity providing a long finish.

* This wine may form a natural sediment over time due to the winery's minimal handling philosophy. It has been cold stabilised by the winemaking team at Pegasus Bay.

100% Tempranillo. 

From various vineyards around Rioja, on Chalky Clay, Ferrous Clay, & Alluvial soil's between 350m-550m elevation. 

Cold Macerated prior to fermentation, then fermented 15 days in Temperature controlled stainless steel fermenters with daily pump overs, & aged for 24 months in French & American Oak barrels racking every 6 months. 

Ruby red colour with signs of ageing. Aromas of vanilla, spice, leather and ripe fruit. Silky medium body with good length. A classic Rioja.

This is a very good value, dry, medium bodied red from the country's second biggest wine region, Hawke's Bay, where the Babich family owns significant vineyard land. It's a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon whih reflects Hawke's Bay's vineyard plantings because Merlot is the most planted variety and it adds softness and flesh to the great structure that Cabernet provides. Babich Wines is one of New Zealand's oldest wine companies and remains in the hands of the same family whose ancestor, Josip Babich, founded it.