The Fusilier, Bannockburn 2020

Tasting Notes

Blackberry, dark plum and spicy wild herb aromatics lead to an elegant, mineral derived palate showing great texture, poise and drive.

About the Wine

“We grow our premium Two Paddocks Pinot Noir entirely on our four small vineyards in Central Otago. In some exceptional vintages, listening carefully, we realize that one of these sites may have something extraordinary to say in its own right. It is only then that we will make one of these very rare single vineyard wines.”

Sam Neill, Proprietor

The Fusilier Vineyard is named in honor of Sam’s father, Major Dermot Neill, a soldier in the Royal Irish Fusilier Regiment for twenty years before returning home to Dunedin, New Zealand, where he ran the family Wine & Spirit business, Neill & Co. Planted entirely in 2000, The Fusilier is 5.6 hectares of pinot noir, on rolling northerly facing terraces at the western end of Felton Rd and bordered by the vineyard of the same name. Soils on the terraces consist of deep alluvial fans, which are made up of varying depths of silt, sand and gravel layering all derived from mountainous raw schist parent material.

Vintage Comments

A dry cold 2019 winter continued into a dry spring that was dominated some severe wind and snow events. The critical flowering month of December was still relatively cool and experienced 50mm of rain over three days. As a result, flowering was both late and drawn out. Finally, the summer heat arrived in mid-January and lasted until mid-March but the critical cell division stage for the berries was also cool and along with the challenging conditions at flowering, resulted in crop levels being 30-40% down in many of the vineyard blocks.

There were two pieces of very good news though – the smaller bunches and small berries were much easier for the vines to fully ripen in late summer and ultimately resulted in densely coloured, aromatic wines. 2020 harvest was also one of the most compact that Two Paddocks has seen starting on the 6th of April and all done by the 24th April. The Fusilier was harvested on the 16th April.

PH Level3.19
Total Acidity8.9g/l
Alcohol12.5%
BottledMarch 2021
CellaringUp to 10 years
ViticulturistMike Wing
Total Production3312 bottles
WinemakerDean Shaw

Reviews & Awards

"The graceful 2020 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Bannockburn, hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barrels. Ruby hued, it is mouthfilling and smooth, with ripe, cherryish flavours, hints of herbs and nuts, good complexity, fresh acidity and supple tannins. A very harmonious wine, it's a drink-now or cellaring proposition. Certified organic."
The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.
The Real Review, Bob Campbell MW
95 Points
"A light, supple pinot noir with floral/rose/violet, black cherry, spice/anise, wood smoke, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours. A ‘hands-off’ wine that has been allowed to express site and season."-Bob Campbell MW
"This is intensely flavorful and aromatic with a wealth of rosemary, grilled herbs, ash, cherries, mulberries, cumin and tapenade. Medium-bodied with very fine tannins. Deliciously savory and saline with forest floor notes coming through on a long and transparent finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."The Fusilier 2020 has ranked #26 in James Suckling's Top 100 Wines of New Zealand 2022.

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EMAIL
[email protected]

PHONE
+64 3 449 2756

TWO PADDOCKS LTD.
PO Box 506
Alexandra 9340
Central Otago
New Zealand

License

Sale of Liquor License Ref: OF129
Licence No. 67/OFF/30/2022
Expires 24th August 2025

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