Vavasour Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021

Vavasour Marlborough Pinot Noir 2021French oak Fruity & floral Earthy & savoury Elegant & poised "Bright, fresh pinot with a vibrant ruby hue and black cherry, pepper, vanilla, plum and anise spice flavours. Linear, defined flavours that can be appreciated now but should reward moderate bottle age" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Jan 2023 A luscious and alluring wine, Vavasour Pinot Noir demonstrates the beauty of cool climate vineyards. A beautiful tension between earthy and

• French oak
• Fruity & floral
• Earthy & savoury
• Elegant & poised

"Bright, fresh pinot with a vibrant ruby hue and black cherry, pepper, vanilla, plum and anise/spice flavours. Linear, defined flavours that can be appreciated now but should reward moderate bottle age" Bob Campbell, Master of Wine, Real Review, Jan 2023

A luscious and alluring wine, Vavasour Pinot Noir demonstrates the beauty of cool-climate vineyards. A beautiful tension between earthy and savoury elements along with bright fruit aromas and delicate florals are woven together to present a wine that is elegant, poised and energetic. 

The Awatere Valley is a sub-region within Marlborough. It has deep Greywacke soils compacted over millions of years by ancient glaciers. Huge boulders, carried down the Awatere River, are strewn across the valley floor. River shingles, gravels and silts help bind these large rocks. The vineyards are partially protected from the prevailing northwesterly winds by a broad range of mountain peaks. Awatere Valley wines are particularly prized for their intense aromatics, ripe flavours, dynamic textures and concentration.

Vavasour’s 85 hectare (196-acre) estate vineyard is located at one of the marquee sites for grapes in the Awatere Valley. The climate here is noteworthy for its wide diurnal temperature swings—an attribute that contributes to strong personality and incredible balance in the wines. The vineyard’s soils are low in fertility and are comprised of stones and pebbles mixed with clay and loam. The rainfall ranges from 279-406 millimeters (11-16 inches) a year, very arid by any measurement.

The fruit for Vavasour Pinot Noir was hand harvested at full ripeness. Most of the berries were gently removed from the stems and put to stainless steel tanks. Some select fruit parcels were left as full clusters and put directly to tank where the fruit was cooled for a cold soaking period. The juice was then fermented with wild yeast and selected yeast strains to promote fruit intensity and texture. The ferments were then hand plunged and following fermentation were pressed off skins and racked into French barrels. The wines passed malolactic fermentation during Spring and were blended in late Summer of 2022 and prepared for bottling.

It’s not just the grinding winds from the west or the imposing presence of Tapuae-O-Uenuku, the towering peak that looms over Marlborough’s Awatere Valley. It’s not just the deep, rocky soils formed millions of years ago by relentless glaciers that molded the landscape. It’s not just the arid climate marked by sundrenched days and cold nights. It’s the combination of all those things together that shape the inimitable character, flavours and textures of Vavasour wines.

Food Pairing: A very versatile wine for food pairings from game meat, fresh pasta and mushrooms.