It has taken some time to find a suitable New Zealand Pinot Noir to rejoin our Own Selection range but our patience has been rewarded. This lovely wine is made for us by the award-winning Greystone in the Waipara Valley.

The wine is bright, fresh and lean with sweet red cherry fruit and an appealing savoury character. An herbaceous note lifts the finish and the tannins are fine, adding definition. This is a fresh, pure, mineral style of Pinot Noir which leaves the palate feeling cleansed, ready for another sip.

Jim Jerram is the leading pioneer of the developing Waitaki Valley viticultural region. His Ostler label is based in the hamlet of Kurow (where Richie McCaw played his first rugby) and has developed a fine reputation for Pinot Noir and aromatic whites. The name comes from Jim’s great-grandfather, William Ostler, who came from Yorkshire to this area in the 1850s. The Waitaki climate is cooler than Central Otago, thanks to afternoon easterly breezes sucked in from the coast, however the ripening season is longer and – so far – with lower frost risks.

The newest vineyard site in the Ostler stable, Lakeside, is perhaps the most exciting yet for aromatic grapes such as Riesling. The flavours offer delicious lemon and lime notes, while a trace of residual sugar balances the Riesling grape’s natural acidity. At 10.5 percent alcohol this is a beautifully refreshing drink.

As always with Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, the aromatics are explosive. Grapefruit, greengage, passion fruit, asparagus, elderflower, mineral hints…the list could go and on and on.  It is the addition weight that sets this wine apart however, a richness which allows it to really excel with food in a way which lesser Sauvignons cannot. Racy and vibrant, there is bags of cleansing acidity here and a focus which is reminiscent of fine Riesling. 
Ben Upjohn - Fine Wine Sales Manager Brilliantly aromatic, and distinctively Marlborough! ‘Intense’ is over-used in wine tasting notes, but it’s needed when describing this Sauvignon. Heaps of gooseberries, pepper, and herbaceous notes on the nose, gooseberry, passion fruit and elderflower all mingle beautifully on the palate. This is superbly refreshing and wonderfully balanced, this will hit all the right spots on one of those UK summer days. 
Ben Grosvenor, Private Account Manager

Nigel Greening is incredibly excited by the 2014 vintage, in fact he goes as far as to say "I can truly say it is the most exciting set of wines I have ever seen us release, and by some margin." The Bannockburn Pinot Noir is the first of the 2014s to hit our shores and give a fantastic insight into why this vintage is so eagerly anticipated. The warm, bright red cherry fruit is generous, yet is balanced with a delicate precision and focus. The tannins are smooth with just enough presence to add grip and a lovely minerality comes through on the long finish. Nigel says the Pinots of this vintage "dance rather than sit" and I have to agree with him. The 2014 Bannockburn is a beautiful wine.
Catriona Felstead MW May 2015