Jules Taylor OTQ Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2023

Jules Taylor OTQ Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir 2023"Stunningly beautiful, the wine shows Black Doris plum, sweet cherry, rich floral, mixed spice and toasted almond characters. The palate delivers excellent weight and depth, splendidly framed by plush texture and beautifully infused tannins. Wonderfully harmonious and structured with an impressively long, seamless finish. At its best: 2026 to 2035" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Sep 2024 "Once again Jules Taylor shows her proclivity for making fine wine with

"Stunningly beautiful, the wine shows Black Doris plum, sweet cherry, rich floral, mixed spice and toasted almond characters. The palate delivers excellent weight and depth, splendidly framed by plush texture and beautifully infused tannins. Wonderfully harmonious and structured with an impressively long, seamless finish. At its best: 2026 to 2035" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Sep 2024

"Once again Jules Taylor shows her proclivity for making fine wine with this example. Aromas an flavours of dark plum and balck cherry fruit set against a backdrop of barrel spice, baking spice and stony mineral qualities. A dry wine touches the palate briefly before the flavours and textures of baking spice laced red berry fruits race to the fore. Fine polished tannins and acidity set the structure of youth firmly in place. Well made (naturally) with best drinking from 2026 through 2033+" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Sep 2024

Violet, poached plum and stewed tamarillo notes overlay darker hints of blackberry and vanilla compote. The nose is completed by lovely smoky, earthy spice and hints of cocoa and cinnamon from the French oak barriques. Generous and juicy on the palate, this Pinot Noir has an elegant structure embracing a beautiful balance of berry fruit and savoury flavours. Smoky oak and firm, spicy tannins leading to a long, dry finish.

Growers had to be alert and agile through the early 2022-23 growing season to protect vines and avoid the disease threatened by the regular rainfall. A month or so prior to harvest many in the region were bracing themselves for a tricky harvest. And yet… As so often happens in Marlborough, Autumn weather saved the day. Marlborough dodged the tropical storms that devastated NZ’s North Island. Loose bunches kept the fruit dry and clean, and early concerns over disease did not eventuate. Healthy canopies kept the vines in good shape to ripen their grapes and develop delicious flavours in a harvest that was somewhat slower and later than usual. The condition of grapes arriving at the winery was truly fantastic. The slow ripening period had concentrated flavours which were ripe, layered and balanced by juicy acidity. Harvest went very smoothly, and Jules was able to breathe a sigh of relief, and then smile with anticipation as she tasted the wines in tank and barrel.

The grapes for this Pinot Noir were grown organically and biodynamically on the Wrekin Vineyard which lies in Marlborough’s Brancott Valley. Positioned on northwestern facing slopes, set in deep clay soils, this charming little vineyard was carefully managed to provide a very low-yielding, highly concentrated crop of quality Pinot Noir clones: Abel, 115, 10/5, 667 and a smidgeon of 114. The bunches were hand harvested in early Autumn, then de-stemmed into small open top fermenters where they were cold soaked for six days. The wine was then fermented with indigenous yeast. Delicate hand plunging during fermentation ensured gentle extraction of tannins and colour. After some time on skins and extended maceration, the wine was pressed into a combination of new and old French barriques where it underwent a full malolactic fermentation. After ten months in barrel, the wine was blended, given a light egg white fining, then aged for another three months in barrel, before bottling.

Food Pairing: Exceptional with most red meats, try it with this recipe for bbq lamb cutlets with beetroot skordalia and black garlic. It is also great with mushrooms or eggplant dishes.