2010 Felton Road

New Zealand is a haven for Pinot Noir and this is the one region that can rival Burgundy with many outstanding, often revered bottlings from this challenging grape. Indeed New Zealand's Pinot style is closer to Burgundy than to Oregon’s or California’s - two regions which tend to focus on fruit ripeness and alcoholic power. Kiwi Pinots sport crisp texture, with well-defined, intense, tangy fruit flavours and mouthwatering acidity against an elegant frame, with polished tannins

Practically over half of Kiwi’s finest Pinot bottlings hail from Central Otago, and amongst our top-scorers are a trio from the celebrated organically farmed Felton Road estate: Block 5, Block 3, Bannockburn (the latter is the warmest part of Otago that produces wines of maximum ripeness). These are suave, complex wines, with impressive fruit purity and finesse.

The Chardonnays are equally impressive, with notable elegance and multi-layered waves of fruit. The 2010 vintage was fantastic for both grapes and the wines are showing brilliantly, even in youth.

The Felton Road winery has been farmed organigally and biodynamically since Nigel Greening, a self-confessed Pinot Noir addict from England, bought the estate in 2000. With the help of winemaker Blair Walter, who has had experience in both Oregon and Burgundy, their hands-off approach in the unique three-level winery has led to some fantastic wines with exceptional elegance and complexity.