2020 Kupe Pinot Noir

The 2020 Kupe Pinot Noir is earthy and corporeal on the nose, with peat/undergrowth/lichen, a hint of black pudding, satsuma plum, black peppercorn and a hint of roast beef crust. I'm on and off this wine over the seasons, mainly due to the ripe/ribald fruit outlay; it can be such a big wine, and I tend to prefer the restraint of the Pahi or Te Rehua. However, this year it feels pretty balanced and in check, and the peaty character on the nose balances the fruit in the mouth, giving it an olive-green hue rather than brown or burgundy. Anyway, this is a lovely wine, showing well. 14.3% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Kupe was close-planted and picked on April 9 (58% whole bunch). The Abel clone was picked on April 11 (46% whole bunch). The wine was plunged twice daily and was on the skins for 25 days. Aging was in 35% new oak, with the balance being one- and two-year-old barrels. It matured for 16 months with one racking during the journey and was bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Single vineyard – the Escarpment home block. All Abel clone. Now sitting fallow since 2022 because of phylloxera. 50% whole bunch. Slightly longer (25-day) maceration, otherwise similar vinification to the other single-vineyard 2020s. Deep crimson. Fresh, lively and leaps out of the glass. Sweet, confident start. Not a direct rival to burgundy but a very competent representative of Martinborough with current and future appeal. Masses of tannin but masses of fruit too. (JR)

The Pinot Noir Kupe always turns the intensity and depth up a notch, and in 2020 it's no different. The own-rooted, high-density single block has been affected by phylloxera, and while 50% of the vineyard was uprooted and replanted, the remaining vines are still hanging in there, making low-yielding, concentrated fruit. The 2020 is a savory style with masses of brooding personality and lifted herbal tones not dissimilar to agave, fennel or wormwood, likely derived from a high percentage of whole bunches in the ferment. It’s mid-weight at most but has sinew and brawn from both fruit and stems. The rich tannins provide a dry, savory and grippy finish that suggests it's best to wait two to three years before even approaching. Flavors of fruitcake, baking spices and tea leaves linger long. I'd have given a higher score (yes, I know it's a 95) but I have a tiny niggle on whether the extraction could be improved.