TASTING NOTE ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

It has bright and engaging aromatics with red cherry, raspberry, vanilla and a touch of dried herbs. Elegantly weighted and beautifully rounded, juicy fruit flavours of cherries, plums and red currants are complemented by brambly herbs, thyme and a twist of spice. A delightfully expressed Pinot Noir with a smooth, balanced finish.

VINEYARD ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The Mysterious Diggings vineyard, planted in 1999 with six different clones, is one of the highest altitude vineyards in Bannockburn, Central Otago at 300 metres ASL. The combination of elevation, northern aspect, steep slopes, multiple clones, original rootstock and sandy soils, consistently produces Pinot Noir that is brightly fruited, accessible and delicious at a young age. VINTAGE 2019 was characterised by relatively warm conditions with good rainfall throughout the entire growing season. Avoiding any damage from early spring frosts, the vines ripened steadily throughout the Christmas period. A more humid year than typical required fastidious management of the canopy to ensure plenty of air movement throughout the vines, resulting in each row being hand plucked in January. An even ripening of the fruit meant harvest began on 27 March, with cool harvest conditions allowing us to take the time to pick each parcel at its optimum.

VINIFICATION –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Minimal intervention in the winery is intended to showcase both vineyard and vintage in this Pinot Noir. Early picking by hand and gentle handling are two keys to achieving this goal. Ageing in neutral French oak barrels provides additional texture and inviting spice on the finish. This wine was bottled at Terra Sancta using minimal sulphur to ensure maximum expression of place.

FOOD & WINE ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Due to its versatility, it will pair well across a variety of foods and is the perfect Pinot Noir for “shared plates” including tapas or an antipasto platter.

https://terrasancta.co.nz/products/mysterious-diggings-pinot-noir