2012 Domaine Thomson Explorer, Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Surveyor Thomson

Surveyor Thomson belongs to the Hong Kong based couple. David Hall-Jones and PM Chan. The property is named for David’s great-great-grandfather, New Zealand's first Surveyor General, John Turnbull Thomson, commonly known as Mr Surveyor Thomson.

During 1857 and early 1858 Surveyor Thomson carried out a marathon reconnaissance survey of Otago, covering the whole province on horseback in a series of sweeps that took him as far west as the Waiau River and as far north as Mt Cook. He explored the Waitaki River to its source at the head of Lake Pukaki, and crossed and named the Lindis Pass, called after Lindisfarne Island near his original home.

The 14ha vineyard's gentle slopes overlooking Pisa Moorings lakeside settlement have been planted as four distinct blocks – the North Block, the Terraces, the South Block and the Moon Block - each with its own special characteristics. The mixture of Davis and Dijon pinot noir clones, first planted in 2000 are on elevated north east facing terraces in deep gravel with some loess and clay. The relatively frost free, warm mesoclimate and free draining soils provide ideal grape growing conditions, producing an excellent concentration and intensity of flavours.

Under the guidance of local viticulturist, Grant Rolston, the vineyard practises biodynamic viticulture and is a working on full biodynamic certification.  The wines are made by prominent local winemaker, Dean Shaw of the Central Otago Wine Company.

Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir is probably the most frustrating, and at times infuriating, wine grape in the world. However when it is successful, it can produce some of the most sublime wines known to man. This thin-skinned grape which grows in small, tight bunches performs well on well-drained, deepish limestone based subsoils as are found on Burgundy's Côte d'Or.

Pinot Noir is more susceptible than other varieties to over cropping - concentration and varietal character disappear rapidly if yields are excessive and yields as little as 25hl/ha are the norm for some climats of the Côte d`Or.

Because of the thinness of the skins, Pinot Noir wines are lighter in colour, body and tannins. However the best wines have grip, complexity and an intensity of fruit seldom found in wine from other grapes. Young Pinot Noir can smell almost sweet, redolent with freshly crushed raspberries, cherries and redcurrants. When mature, the best wines develop a sensuous, silky mouth feel with the fruit flavours deepening and gamey "sous-bois" nuances emerging.

The best examples are still found in Burgundy, although Pinot Noir`s key role in Champagne should not be forgotten. It is grown throughout the world with notable success in the Carneros and Russian River Valley districts of California, and the Martinborough and Central Otago regions of New Zealand.