2011 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Martinborough New Zealand Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., pH 3.62, TA 0.53, $34.99, screwcap. Imported by Kobrand Corp., New York, NY. Business man Terry Peabody established this winery and engaged Kiwi viticulturist and Master of Wine, Steve Smith, to become his partner. This winery planted most of its vineyards in the late 1990s and early 2000s. From the beginning in 1998, they pursued single vineyard wines and Craggy Range was the first in the Southern hemisphere to adopt making single vineyard wines from multiple regions of the country. The 230-acre Te Muna Road Vineyard was planted largely to Pinot Noir in 1999 in the Martinborough Terraces subregion of Martinborough. There are eight clones in more than 40 different parcels. The current winemakers work under the direction of Steve Smith. 10% whole cluster, inoculated yeast fermentation, aged 10 months in French oak barrels, 27% new. Filtered. · Moderately light reddish purple color in the glass. Lovely aromas of Bing cherry, rose petal, sandalwood and toasty oak. An intense charge of cherry fruit greets the palate, carrying its goodness through a pleasurable finish. A very sleep wine with a silky texture, a deft touch of oak, and a delightful kiss of cherry on the finish. Score: 93. Reviewed February 5, 2016

Winery: Craggy Range
From article: Revisiting New Zealand Pinot Noir on the Occasion of Spectacular 2013 Vintage