Single Vineyard Pinot

2006 First Paddock Pinot Noir

Our perennial favourite, from our original vineyard nestled in the heart of  the Gibbston Valley. Here our low yielding vines allow the grapes to ripen in the classic cool climate manner. Again, this wine is hand crafted using traditional methods and aged in small French oak barrels for 11 months, using a mix of older and new (25%) barrels, the result – a distinguished and charming Central Otago Pinot Noir.

Our single vineyard designated wines are made only on the years our winemaker, Dean Shaw, deems quality is exceptional and can express the individuality of the vineyard.

Blackberry, with a creamy chocolate vibrancy, the nose is complimented with hints of wild spice and violets. Finely grained tannins lead on an elegant textured palette, leading to a finish that displays depth of flavour and an individual strength and persistence.

Viticultural Notes:

A warm and near frost free start to the 2006 season gave us excellent bud burst. This continued on through the summer months with warmer and drier conditions than the past two vintages giving a good crop level and even fruit quality. Autumn was very short giving the vines the time to ripen the fruit more slowly and gain those wonderful complexities of Central Otago Pinot Noir.

Sustainablility:

This is our second season of following sustainable viticultural principles in the vineyard. Redbank and Alex Paddocks are progressing toward achieving Bio Grow organic status in 2008, while our Gibbston vineyard is managed on sustainable lines, proving more difficult to convert fully to organic status

Wine Making Notes:

The grapes were pressed and fermented separately according to clonal variety in stainless steel open top fermenters using indigenous yeasts. The must was cold soaked for up to ten days. During fermentation the must was plunged up to four times daily and was followed with a 7 - 10 day post maceration period. The wine spent an average of 24 days on its skins to extract tannin, colour and aromatics before being gently drained and pressed into small French barrels (225lt). Approximately 30% were new air-dried oak barrels. The wines rested and matured for 11 months before blending, minimal fining and filtration before bottling.

Viticulturalist: Richard Flatman

Winemaker: Dean Shaw

Available: July 2007

Drink:  2007 - 2014

Flower: Geranium – It was a good year for geraniums!

Reviews:

On the red wine front, there is a very beautiful Otago Pinot Noir to try, or invest in. It is not the biggest or weightiest pinot around, but in terms of its florals, its finesse and its length of flavor, one has to go straight to Burgundy and the Cote de Nuits at that, to find comparable quality. In particular, one can taste the floral qualities right through the cherry palate. The wine is 2006 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir ‘First Paddock’, their top offering in a pretty good vintage down there. It will cellar for 10 years. -- Geoff Kelly, Regional Wine Newsletter, September 2007

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(4 stars) A big wine, with good length and superb concentration of flavours. Dense black cherry notes atop firm, toasty oak with a hint of mocha. -- Cuisine Magazine, November 2007

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Grown in Sam Neill’s original Central Otago Vineyard, planted at Gibbston in 1993, the 2006 vintage (****) was matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (30 %). Full coloured and fragrant, it’s a stylish, sweet-fruited wine with cherry, spice, and herb flavours, showing impressive complexity and richness. Firmly structured and concentrated, its build for cellaring. -- Michael Cooper, Buyer's Guide to New Zealand Wines 2008

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Rating: (****) 91-93 -- Grapes were grown on their original single vineyard in the Gibbston Valley under the supervision of viticulturist, Richard Flatman with the wine made by Dean Shaw. Harvested grapes underwent a relatively long, cold soak of up to 10 days then a 7-10 day post-ferment maceration making the total time on skin around 24 days.  The finished wine was matured in French oak barriques (30 % new) for 11 months.  The nose is focused showing dark cherries, floral perfume and a touch of smoky/flinty mineral characters.  It’s juicy on the palate with a dense texture and fresh acidity.  A wonderfully structured wine needing time to evolve.  At its best: early 2008 to 2010.  $50.00  Moderate availability. -- Senior Wine Judge, Sam Kim, Wine Orbit

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91 points:  Two Paddocks First Paddock -- Concentrated and ripe, with outstanding depth to blackberry and black cherry flavours. Spice, slate and iron balance the fruit, with cedary oak, dried herbs and cut tannins extending through the finish. Drink now through 2011. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. -- Wine Spectator

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This is an excellent example of how fruit from the Gibbston Valley, that can struggle in cool years, can make terrific wine when conditions allow. Lifted and quite floral on the nose, the'nicely complex, spicy and medium-bodied palate suggests a wine for now and the next four years. -- 28 March 2008, Australian Financial Review, Philip Rich

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91 points -- ...Has good intensity on the nose, lacking a little clarity at the moment but that will come with more bottle age. The palate is medium bodied with good weight, a definite Burgundian sensibility with an attractive, meaty finish. Atypical for Central Otago style but full of personality and natural, rather bucolic charm. --30 May 2008, The Wine Advocate, www.eRobertParker.com, Neal Martin

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Great wine to satisfy the most ardent of Pinot fusspots (count me in), this rarely produced wine is special and has a few splendid drinking years ahead. -- July 2008, Decanter magazine,
Serena Sutcliffe MW, Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department.