2018 Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir

Fruit was sourced from Felton Road’s four vineyards (Elms, MacMuir, Calvert and Cornish Point) to maximise diversity of aroma and flavour. Twenty percent whole clusters were included in the ferment with ageing taking place in French oak of which 27% was new for a period of 13 months.

A deep dark red core is surrounded by black tinged edges with a bright light red hue. Sailing out of the glass are intense aromatics of dark cherries, plum and anise with a gentle violet overlay. Notions of forest floor, some meatiness and spicy cedar following on. Rich ripe dark cherry, strawberry and plum flavours power across the palate underscored by anise, subtle forest floor and spicy oak elements. Terrific depth and drive with the supplely textured fruit framed by velvet like tannins. Concludes with a long deeply fruited aftertaste.
Cellar 5-6 years.
Alc. 13.5%

Other Reviews....
Felton Road Pinot Noirs are among the most exciting and celebrated wines in New Zealand. Winemaker Blair Walter is known for consistently producing distinctive, aromatic wines, and the Bannockburn cuvée—named for a subregion of Central Otago—is typically among the top-scoring bottles each vintage. This wine is a blend of four organic and biodynamic estate vineyards: Cornish Point, Calvert, MacMuir and The Elms. 2018 was an overall warm growing season in Central Otago, adding to the supple texture and fresh red fruit flavors. Walter believes in minimal intervention, including native yeast fermentation, with about 20 percent whole clusters, gravity-flow practices in the winery and bottling the wines without fining or filtering.
Aromatic and expressive, with raspberry, cherry and fresh herb notes that are precise on a smooth and supple frame, offering details of matcha green tea, white pepper and forest floor. A hint of fresh nutmeg lingers on the long, expressive finish, where the tannins provide a slight grip. Drink now through 2034.
95 points
Wine Spectator