Waiata Pinot Noir 2024
Pinot Noir from the Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. Sold by the six-pack.
Tasting note
Deep red, ruby hue. Dark fruit aromas lead into a plush, velvety palate where ripe plum and cherry intertwine with subtle oak.
Winemaking
The fruit was picked as the flavours came right, then sorted, crushed and kept apart by clone and block, with around 10% of the bunches added whole to the base of each fermenter. After a five-day cold soak, most ferments started naturally. They were hand-plunged daily and left on skins for 15 to 20 days after fermentation to build structure, then pressed to French oak barrels. Malolactic fermentation followed in spring, with blending in February and bottling in March.
Vintage conditions
The 2023/2024 season saw a swing back to El Niño. The first half was dominated by strong winds, with big day-to-day swings in temperature and rain at critical times, which meant fewer and smaller bunches than normal. Settled, warm weather arrived in the new year, and a dry end to the season let us leave the fruit on the vines until it reached full ripeness.
The detail
Region: 100% Waipara Valley, North Canterbury
Grape variety: 98% Pinot Noir, 2% Pinot Meunier
Winemaker: Alastair Maling MW
Maturation: 100% French oak barrels
Alcohol: 13%
Acidity (TA): 5.2 g/L
pH: 3.52
When to enjoy: 2025 to 2029, and will continue to develop for a further five years
Suggested food match
The perfect wine for any season. Enjoy on a picnic with cheese, cold meats, pâtés and terrines, or with a mushroom risotto or a steak off the barbecue.
What the critics said
93 points, 5 stars, Sam Kim, Wine Orbit
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