Te Kairanga Runholder Pinot Noir 2006

NOTES

"tee-kigh-runga" - where the soil is rich and the food is plentiful, Te Kairanga is one of Martinborough's founding vineyards established over 20 years ago. In keeping with the pioneering spirit surrounding the vineyard, a number of Te Kairanga wines have hailed from Martinborough's history and that of its inhabitants dating back to 1879.

The wine region of Martinborough is located at the foot of New Zealand's North Island at latitude of 40 degrees south. Here, a happy coincidence of geology and geography has created the perfect climate and terrain for Pinot Noir and aromatic wines. The stone-filled river terraces are free-draining while the topsoils vary from slope to slope. The mountains protect us from harsh elements and we enjoy long dry days and cool nights. The vines grow less vigorously in the cool, breezy conditions, so yields are lower and the flavours more intense. Our long dry autumns provide the right balance of warm days (creating ripeness) and cool nights (providing elegance) for producing top quality Pinot Noir and other early-ripening varieties. The results speak for themselves – the Martinborough region is known internationally for consistently producing world-class fine wines.

TASTING NOTES

The Martinborough region experienced a classic warm summer that extended through the autumn and harvest. This coupled with a very low cropping season has resulted in beautifully clean fruit, excellent flavour development and overall ‘balance’ in the grapes.

A glorious deep purple colour with aromas of dark cherries, plum and liquorice on the nose.  There is an underlying peppery complexity is already evident at this early age. Classic sweet fruit dominates, giving a big, textured and concentrated palate with persistence and length. The rich silky tannin structure and subtle oak treatment complement the rich fruit, giving a beautifully integrated and balanced wine.