ESCARPMENT Te Rehua Single Vineyard Pinot Noir - Martinborough 2019/20 Bottle - VGN

Description

Escarpment is a name that commands serious respect in New Zealand and the Te Rehua comes from one of their most celebrated single vineyards in Martinborough. This is a Pinot Noir for those who love a bit of weight and texture alongside the fruit. Rather than just being light and pretty, it has a darker and more savoury edge that sets it apart. You will pick up ripe cherries and blackberries, but there is also a lovely forest floor and spice character that keeps things interesting. The tannins are firm yet well integrated, giving the wine a long and satisfying finish. It is an honest reflection of its clay soils and shows exactly why Martinborough is world class for this grape.

THE WINE ADVOCATE 94+ points
:The 2020 Te Rehua Pinot Noir is energetic and lively on the nose, and this carries through to the palate. It's a luminescent wine, spicy, balanced and harmonious, with a splay of juicy acidity that electrifies the palate and the finish. There's that sumac and blood orange again, which is a nice characteristic. There's juniper and a hint of dried rosemary/thyme. Excellent. This is my pick of the 2020 single-vineyard Pinots in this vintage. There is always one that stands on the shoulders of the others, and I note gladly that the order of them changes each season. This Te Rehua was made with 49% whole bunch and was plunged twice daily. It spent 20 days on the skins, with aging in 30% new oak and the balance in one- and two-year-old barrels. It matured for 16 months with one racking during the journey, and it was bottled unfined and unfiltered." Drink Date 2023 - 2035.