Felton Road MacMuir Pinot Noir 2024

Felton Road MacMuir Pinot Noir, Bannockburn, Central Otago, New Zealand, 2024

Grape: 100% Pinot Noir, 5.1ha vineyard, deep & heavy silt/loam soil, 12 year old vines, organic/biodynamic, hand picked, destemmed bunches with 30% retained as whole clusters, fermentation with indigenous yeasts, 13 months in barrel (20% new French oak), bottled without fining or filtration. 

Producer Tasting Note:

A little shy on first reveal, but then the deeply bound fruit and complexing aromatics begin to unfold. Powerful, deep and saturating – what we have come to expect from MacMuir. The unmistakeable Felton Road winemaking hand contains the package allowing it to gradually deliver, exposing layer upon layer. The site is special – a hedonistic wine that’s brooding, formidable and unique.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"This is really beautiful, with ripe strawberries, peaches, slate, smoke and a hint of graphite on the nose and palate. Medium-bodied with fine, creamy, velvety tannins and a long, lightly chewy finish with some crunchiness. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."

96/100 points, James Suckling, October 2025

"A mix of luscious berry fruit and elegant floral characters framed by fine-grained tannins that begin to melt as the wine sits in the glass revealing layers of flavours. A wine with personality and heft. Approachable now but with mouthwatering development potential."

96/100 points, Bob Campbell MW, 2025

MacMuir, which used to be part of the Calvert site (originally with different owners), was purchased by Nigel Greening in 2010 with vine planting beginning in 2012, and is located close to the Kawarau River around 1km from the main Elms vineyard on Felton Road. The land was previously used for grassland (hay/straw crops) and as a nut orchard. It is now densely planted with numerous clones of Pinot Noir including the first use of newly released Dijon 828 and 943. The northern edge of the vineyard has alluvial gravels in the soil make-up. The site is low-lying and relatively warm and sheltered offering good ripening potential. The wines made here exhibit a decadent texture and mouthfeel with floral aromatics and ripe dark fruits. The tannins are fine and focused with a distinct minerality in a similar fashion to Calvert: not surprising considering they share the same soil type and their close proximity.

Food Match: Venison in blackberry sauce, duck, lamb, roast pork loin with mushrooms, dark chocolate tart, or aged cheeses.