The 2023 Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir is an elegant and refined expression of Martinborough, showcasing balance and purity despite a lighter vintage. Deep ruby with a crimson hue, it opens with aromas of raspberry, blueberry, lavender, and dried herbs, followed by subtle earthy tones of porcini and garrigue. The palate is silky and precise, with red cherry and brambled berry fruit framed by fine, chalky tannins and a saline acidity that lends freshness and poise.

The Wine Advocate | RP 93
Published: Feb 6, 2025
Date: 2024-2033

The 2023 Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir is powerful but framed within an ethereal structure of ductile tannin. The fruit is eminently red, and the wine feels elegantly integrated at all levels. It's a lovely expression of Martinborough, and it manages restraint and measure at every opportunity. The acidity is fine and saline, the balance is there and the oak merely supports. There is a savory herbal nuance through the finish, but it all works. Recommended. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.

Decanter | D 92
Published: Aug 19, 2024

2023 was a challenging vintage in Martinborough and this is a lighter-framed wine than usual. Craggy Range has done well to maintain its delicate fruit-and-floral perfume, with light raspberry, blueberry and lavender notes, while the palate has a fine berry fruit and light red plum fruitiness with a touch of earth and soft, slightly chalky tannins. Nicely made with moderate concentration and length, good balance and charm. From the top terrace of the Te Muna Road Vineyard.

Craggyrange.com

Tasting Notes
Burgundy in colour with a light crimson hue. Dried lavender and garigue, distinctly Te Muna perfume on the nose. An elegant palate with a warm core of brambled wild berries, porcini mushroom and red cherry in balance with the silk-laden tannins, which perfectly frame the wine. It speaks volumes to an incredible site.

Vintage Detail
A warm spring, with minimal frost but a few rain events post-Christmas. A warm start to summer transitioned into a moderate season.

Technical Specs

Alcohol: 12.5%
Closure: Screw Cap
Harvest/Vintage: 2023; 100% hand-harvested; average harvest maturity of 23.4° Brix
Oak: 10 months in French oak barriques, 21% new oak
Varietals: 100% Pinot Noir
Farming/Vineyard: Estate-grown fruit from the higher terrace of Te Muna Road Vineyard, Martinborough; gravelly and clay-rich soils; average production approximately 39 hl/ha
Winemaking: 100% destemmed; indigenous yeast fermentation in open-top oak tanks; matured on lees in French oak barriques for 10 months; bottled following maturation
Winemaker/Producer: Craggy Range – Ben Tombs
Region/Appellation: Te Muna Road, Martinborough, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Classification: Martinborough GI

Serving Temperature: 14–16°C
Decanting: 20–30 minutes; gentle aeration recommended
Food Pairing: Roast duck, grilled lamb, venison, pork tenderloin, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon and charcuterie.