Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 2024

Felton Road "Block 5" Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2024

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir from a single block in the heart of The Elms vineyard, organic/biodynamic, 30+ year old vines, hand picked, destemmed bunches with 20% retained as whole clusters, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 16 months in barrel (29% new French oak), bottled without fining or filtration.

Winemaker's Tasting Note:

Immediately complex, the Block 5 bouquet runs the full and essential spectrum from green through red to black. A wine of seamless expanse; the palate is filled with morello, sandalwood and nutmeg without ever feeling sweet. Silky tannins reveal themselves on a finish of poise and elegance; the structure and balance of the wine endow it with the potential to age effortlessly. The aristocratic ease of this expression, as always, reflects the harmonious relationship of these mature vines and the land which benevolently accommodates them.

Critic's Tasting Note:

"Aromas of ripe strawberries, cherries, raspberries and peaches with some dried citrus. Medium- to full-bodied with dusty tannins, finesse and liveliness. Bright and juicy, with a minerally, energetic finish. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better in a year or two. Screw cap."

96/100 points, James Suckling, October 2025

Food Match: Try this Pinot Noir with a "Jamon de Pato" (dried duck breast, made in the same way as Iberian ham) with a pear & pecorino cheese sauce.