A standout Bannockburn Pinot Noir from a single, 20+ year-old vineyard. Elegantly poised yet powerful, it shows rose petals, spring flowers, red berries and plum layered with graphite, white pepper and subtle savory notes. Svelte and precise, with fine, velvety tannins, bright acidity and excellent length. Beautiful already, but with the structure to age gracefully.

The Wine Advocate | RP 97
Published: Dec 14, 2023
Drink: 2023-2036

The 2021 Sauvage Vineyard Pinot Noir is supremely pretty. It's elegant and fine and still powerful, thanks to the Bannockburn area; however, the wine itself shows rose petals and spring flowers, graphite and pencil lead, white pepper and tapenade. Svelte and sleek, this is composed and detailed and so, so good. I am (mostly) resisting hyperbole and adverbs here. This is a standout wine from a superstar producer—an asset for the region and indeed the country (and the New World in general). 13.5% alcohol, sealed under natural cork.

James Suckling | JS 96
Published: Oct 25, 2023

Juicy and lively strawberries, red plums and lavender followed by vanilla beans, salted caramel and a touch of squeezed orange wedge. Mineral. Medium-bodied wine with fine velvety tannins and acidity. Very precisely framed wine with great harmony. It’s beautiful already but will age gracefully. Drink or hold.

Wine Spectator | WS 95
Published: Oct 15, 2024

Well-structured, with a firm backbone to complement the dense core of flavors, including blackberry, wild blueberry and red fruit notes. Accents of Earl Grey tea and white pepper, plus hints of dried rose petal, forest floor and salted black licorice, linger on the long, expressive finish. Drink now through 2033. 750 cases made, 200 cases imported.

Inside Burgundy | IB 94
Published: Dec, 2023

Blood orange and sasparilla, with a minerally, pomegranate-pip note. Nice subtle touch of whole bunch gives a crisp cinnamon-tinged edge. Plenty of crunchy tannins, lovely acid spine. Very pretty. Not particularly intense but a lovely effortlessly engaging wine.

Burncottage.com

Vintage Notes: In general we had a very warm dry spring, although a little frost fighting was required during some colder weather systems. Changeable weather also affected flowering in some blocks and resulted in smaller crops. We experienced a high diurnal range with low overnight temperatures through much of the season, and significantly we received a third of our annual rainfall in January. From February conditions settled with favourably warm and dry weather returning through to harvest.

Winemaker Tasting Notes:
Our Single Vineyard wine from the 20+ year old Sauvage Vineyard in Bannockburn. The vineyard itself is located under hills once prized for gold in this region, now cloaked in wild thyme and rosehip. The land below is widely sought after for Pinot Noir and the foothills are framed with vines.
Savory aromatics with fine pepper notes, enticing florals, rich dark fruit and earthy characters coming through. Supple with wonderful layers starting to emerge, there is a lovely focus and length to the palate and fine tannin framework. Expect this wine to reward over the coming years, also cellaring potential to 10-12 years. 

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Natural Cork
Harvest: 2021
Oak: 10 months in French oak, 18% new
Varietals: Pinot Noir 100%
Vineyard: Sauvage Vineyard, Bannockburn
Vine Age: Planted in 1999
Soil: Deep silt loams, quartz sands, schist and gravel
Farming: Organic / biodynamic practices
Vinification: Hand-harvested and carefully sorted; 7% whole clusters; indigenous yeast fermentation for approximately 17 days with gentle punch-downs; bottled without filtration
Region: Central Otago, New Zealand
Sub-region: Bannockburn

Serving Temperature: 15–17°C
Decanting: 30–45 minutes
Food Pairing: Duck, venison, lamb, roast poultry, mushrooms and earthy dishes