Misha's Vineyard The High Note Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022

Misha's Vineyard The High Note Central Otago Pinot Noir 2022"This is sweetly ripe and fragrant on the nose, showing dark cherry, olive, clove, and toasted nut aromas, leading to a silky smooth palate offering juicy fruit intensity with spicy nuances. Wonderfully framed by layers of polished tannins, finishing persistent and velvety. At its best: now to 2036" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2024 "A delicious wine with a core of complexity and style, reflections of region and site with ripe red berry fruits and a fine

"This is sweetly ripe and fragrant on the nose, showing dark cherry, olive, clove, and toasted nut aromas, leading to a silky-smooth palate offering juicy fruit intensity with spicy nuances. Wonderfully framed by layers of polished tannins, finishing persistent and velvety. At its best: now to 2036" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Dec 2024

"A delicious wine with a core of complexity and style, reflections of region and site with ripe red berry fruits and a fine savoury quality. Taut and dry, youthful and very stylish on the palate, plenty of red berry flavours, fruit and wood spice textures framed by a firm acid line and youthful mouthfeel. Carefully selected wood and time in barrel leave this wine with longevity as well as early drinking if desired. A salivating palate squeeze and spiced fruit combinations suggest a wine for best drinking form 2028 through 2034+ Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Nov 2024

"Moderately deep crimson, even colour throughout. The nose is vibrant and layered with aromas of red berry, black cherry, plum, black olive and spice. Medium-full bodied, aromas of red berry, black cherry and plum entwined with tapenade, liquorice, cinnamon and peppercorn. The succulent fruit possesses savoury layers, supported by enlivening acidity and flow on a filigreed tannin veil. This Pinot Noir is seductive and has elegant layers and texture" Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Reviews, Dec 2024

"Delicate and pretty on the nose, the palate has small fruit and black berry, laced with violet, flowing gracefully over the elegant yet sinewy structure. Vibrant acidity keeps everything tapered and synchronised, giving the palate length and energy. Suggestions of ripeness meld with some dried herb and savoury salinity on the rather firmer finish where a smidge of alcoholic heat persists. Very well constructed and capable of developing more interest in the mid-term" Stephen Wong, The Real Review, Jan 2025

Attractive rose and red liquorice aromas, the complex palate has a red fruit core supported by mineral backbone, with the fresh acidity and spice notes providing great length.

Warm temperatures at the start of the season, without the usual buffeting spring winds, resulted in rapid growth, aided by the moist ground from a wet winter. The warmth continued to flowering at the end of November before a cool front slowed growth but it was a good fruit set. January was hot and dry with a few consecutive days over 30°C+. Conditions stayed warm for the rest of the season. Harvest started at the end of March and continued over the next month. This was a dream season in terms of fruit quality and vine health with yields also above the long-term average. Berry size was even aiding flavour consistency and varietal expression, with good colour development and tannin ripeness in the Pinot Noir. This season will be remembered as one of the best. The Pinot Noir for this blend was handpicked at an average of 5.8 tonnes per hectare and Growing Degree Days (GDDs) were 1152.

The fruit was chilled overnight before crushing the next day typically as 1.5 and 4 tonne lots. The crushed fruit was then cold soaked for 5-7 days after then allowed to warm as the natural yeast ferment took place. An average of 20% whole bunch component was included. Cooling was used to ensure the ferments peaked below 32⁰C. The wine was then held warm (15-20⁰C) post ferment to allow ongoing tannin integration. After an average of 26 days on skins the wines were then pressed to tank where they were settled for 1–2 days before being racked into French oak hogsheads (19% new 300 litre barrels). The wine was inoculated for malolactic fermentation which took place in the following spring, then racked out of barrels and filtered prior to bottling in Feb 2023.

Food Pairing: This Pinot Noir is very versatile and great with lamb, venison and veal, and a large range of vegetable dishes especially mushrooms. It is also the perfect accompaniment to game birds such as quail, pheasant, turkey and duck.