Moko Hills Pinot Noir 2023

From Bendigo, a mere 1,600-bottle production. Goji berries open the aromatic profile, then plunge deep into an amaro, herbal-like dimension, where bitter cocoa and grained pink pepper happily co-exist. It’s an “interesting cat”: it softly meows, yet simultaneously scratches you with its sharp, linear tannins. If you love cats as I do, you’ll get my analogy here. Nevertheless, the palate is quite something, between unmistakable structure and vibrant, coiled acidity that pushes a length rich in well-delineated, yet not obvious, fruit. Central Otago through and through. 
Lisa Cardelli, Wine Pilot 95 points

Ripe wild berries, rose hips, and cherries on the nose. Hints of underbrush, leather, cinnamon, dried thyme, and candied citrus. Juicy on the palate with lovely cherry fruit, an open structure, slightly noticeable tannins, and a long, mineral-like, spicy finish.
Dominik Vombach, Falstaff 95 points

The 2023 Pinot Noir is floral, red-fruited, spicy and fine, with a silky tannin flow across the palate. It's loaded with dried herbs and sweet pouch tobacco, alongside delicate fruit and notes of rose petals. Here, the wine shows freshness and intensity, in the manner of cool-climate acidity, but it has attractive ripeness from the north-facing slope of the Bendigo vineyard area. It is a spectacular part of New Zealand, remote and sparse but dramatic and impactful. This is very good. 
Erin Larkin, Wine Advocate 

A little closed at the start but with a bit of air some quite beautiful aromatics emerge. Intense damson plum, black cherry, raspberry, plenty of exotic spices with dusty earth, graphite and garrigue notes. Good fruit concentration and minerality, silky structure. Tight now, but has good length. An exciting new producer to watch. Drink 2025-2032 
Emma Jenkins MW, Decanter 94 points

Plush, ripe, youthful and fleshy bouquet with aromas of black currant and sunbaked cherry, layer sof mineral and new oak, some lighter savoury spice and dried herb qualities all layering in complexity and style, shape and form. Palate flavours reflect the bouquet with an abundance of tannins and acidity to frame the wine rather well. Juicy, fleshy and delicious.
Cameron Douglas MW 95 Points - Outstanding

Barrel selections that represent Moko Hill, dark fruit, and fragranced with herbaceous and floral notes, silken tannin structure upholds power and elegance to an enticing, broody closing.
Candice Chow 95 Points

Vintage

The 2023 vintage was a rare continuation of a 3-year long La Nina cycle  - a warm and very dry season with little wind. This was followed by a long protracted dry spell, with plenty of warmth - a warmer than average season.

As a result of the low soil moisture levels, vines set with very small berries on compact bunches bringing great wine concentration and tannin structure.

The weather began to cool post-veraison, and the season finished off with a cool steady ripening period.

Wine Making

The fruit contained a mix of four Pinot Noir clones – 777, 115, Abel & UCD5. Fruit was split into three fermenters – one containing 100% whole bunch, 70% whole bunch, and the other 100% de-stemmed. Fermented with natural yeast. Gentle winemaking techniques were used to avoid excessive extraction. 23 - 28 days on skin, pressed to 100% old French oak barrels. 12 months in barrel, and allowed to undergo malolactic fermentation naturally in spring, before being racked and allowed to naturally settle and integrate in tank. A selection of the best barrels from each ferment which were deemed to represent Moko Hills.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Hand Harvested: 6th and 12th April 2023

Bottled: 14th April 2024

pH: 3.67

TA: 6.1g/L

Alcohol: 13.5% v/v