Felton Road Bannockburn Central Otago Pinot Noir 2023

Central Otago, watched over and influenced by the vertiginous, snow-bedecked Southern Alps, has developed a fine reputation for pinot noir and chardonnay, and Felton Road has been at the forefront of that development for nearly 25 years.

Founded by Stewart Elms in 1991, and acquired in 2000 by head of a theme park design company and owner of the Cornish Point vineyard, Nigel Greening, the estate has gone from strength to strength.

Specialising in single-vineyard bottlings to represent as closely as possible the origin of the fruit, the winemaking team here set out to have a very light touch. Assiduous care in the biodynamically farmed vineyards leads to healthy, ripe and hand-picked fruit that allows for minimal intervention in a winery which sits on three hillside levels so that gravity can do its gentle work rather than the less subtle pumps more commonly found in such places.

After a five-day soak the fermentation is left to begin spontaneously at the instigation of indigenous yeasts, and once the fermentation is over the must is given a further maceration to develop flavours and structure. Time in oak, only partially new, is restrained and varies from parcel to parcel to allow the fruit and terroir to dominate, and bottling is done without filtration or fining. Winemaker Blair Walter has experience from his work in Burgundy and Oregon and he puts it to good use here.