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Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023

  • Sam Kim
    95 Points
Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023
  • Sam Kim
    95 Points
Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023
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5.0 (1)

Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023

SKU: KWPN202310 UCNZ
3-5 Years
Regular price $50.00 $39.99 / bottle
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1 bottle
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Grown in Waitaki Valley in North Otago for Karaka Estate, this single- vineyard wine showcases red cherry and wild berry aromas layered with violet and subtle oak spice.

The palate is refined yet structured, with red and black fruit framed by chalky, savoury tannins, hints of thyme and clove, and seamlessly integrated oak.

Pairs beautifully with duck confit or venison tartare. Enjoy now or cellar until 2028.

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Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023

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Tasting Notes

Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023 is a distinguished single-vineyard wine crafted in the renowned Waitaki Valley of North Otago, a region known for its cool climate and unique terroir that imparts exceptional character to its wines. This vintage brilliantly captures the essence of its origin, offering a vibrant and elegant expression of Pinot Noir.

On the nose, Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023 entices with inviting aromas of red cherry and wild berry, beautifully layered with delicate violet notes and a subtle hint of oak spice. These aromas set the stage for a refined and structured palate that balances red and black fruit flavors with chalky, savoury tannins. The complexity is enhanced by nuanced hints of thyme and clove, while the oak is seamlessly integrated, providing depth without overpowering the natural fruit character.

This wine's structure and finesse make it a perfect pairing for rich dishes such as duck confit or venison tartare, complementing the savory and earthy components of these foods. It is crafted to be enjoyed now, showcasing its fresh and vibrant profile, yet it also offers excellent cellaring potential until 2028, allowing further development of its layered complexity and elegant tannins.

Produced by Karaka Estate, a producer celebrated for their commitment to quality and expression of place, this Pinot Noir exemplifies the distinctive qualities of the Waitaki Valley region. The cool climate and diverse soils of North Otago contribute to a longer growing season, enabling greater phenolic maturity and vibrant acidity that define this exquisite wine.

Key highlights:

  • Grown exclusively in Waitaki Valley, North Otago, a premium cool-climate region.
  • Distinctive aromas of red cherry, wild berry, violet, and subtle oak spice.
  • Refined palate with savoury tannins, thyme, clove notes, and integrated oak.
  • Pairs excellently with duck confit and venison tartare.
  • Enjoy now or cellar to 2028 for enhanced complexity.

Karaka Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir 2023 is a superb example of New Zealand’s premium Pinot Noir, showcasing elegance, balance, and a true sense of place. Its rich fruit profile, complemented by savory nuances and refined

Critic Scores

It's seductively expressed on the nose with dark cherry, dried herb, olive, warm mushroom, and
toasted almond characters. The palate displays a soothing texture and expansive mouthfeel,
complemented by juicy acidity and silky tannins, finishing splendidly long and satisfying. At its
best: now to 2031.

Vinification & Cultivation

Crafted only for our premium wines

Vineyard Cultivation

Karaka Estate's Pinot Noir comes from a single vineyard in the Waitaki Valley of North Otago, one of New Zealand's coolest and most southerly wine districts on the South Island. The valley's limestone-influenced, clay and gravel soils and its marginal, continental climate give low yields and wines of fine structure, perfume and savoury character. Cool nights and a long, slow ripening season preserve acidity and build the red-cherry and wild-berry fruit, floral and herb notes seen in the wine. The 2023 fruit was hand-tended on this cool site to reach flavour ripeness while keeping the freshness that defines Waitaki Pinot Noir.

Vinification

Grapes were hand-harvested and fermented to build a refined but structured palate, with cool handling to retain the wine's bright red and black fruit and floral lift. Maturation in French oak, with only a measured new-oak component, adds subtle spice while leaving the fruit and the site's chalky, savoury tannins in the foreground. Malolactic fermentation softened the acidity, and the wine was left to knit in barrel before bottling, giving a soothing texture, silky tannins and a long, satisfying finish rated best from now to around 2031.

About this Wine

Pinot Noir

A thin-skinned red grape known for its light body, red fruit character, and sensitivity to terroir, grown around the world.