This is Saint Clair’s top Pinot Noir, but understanding where the grapes were grown can be a challenge. Despite the prominence of ‘Omaka’ (a prestigious district for Pinot Noir, on the south side of the Wairau Valley) on its front label, past vintages have been grown in the Ure Valley, the Waihopai Valley, and ‘carefully selected vineyards’. The 2016 vintage (4.5*) is a single-vineyard wine, grown in the Delta district of the Southern Valleys, and was matured for 10 months in French oak barriques (32 per cent new). Deeply coloured, it is mouthfilling, ripe and savoury, with strong, fresh cherry, plum and spice flavours, slightly earthy notes adding complexity, and a finely balanced, smooth finish.
Details
Type: Red Wines
Variety: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2016
Overall Rating for All Vintages Tasted: ★★★★✰ – 4.5 Stars
Price: $44 NZD
Sweetness: DRY
Value for Money: AV
Buyer’s Guide Edition: 2018