Aotea Nelson Pinot Noir 2019

Awards

‘Best Wine from New Zealand’ - Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2020
Gold - Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Competition, 2020
93 Points - Bob Campbell MW, © The Real Review, therealreview.com
Silver - AWC Vienna, 2020

Wine Analysis

Vineyard: Seifried Rabbit Island and Brightwater Vineyards
Date of Harvest: Mid-late March 2019
pH of Wine: 3.64
T.A of Wine: 5.7g/L
Residual Sugar: dry <1g/L
Suitable for Vegetarians and Vegans: Yes

The Vineyard

Our Rabbit Island Vineyards are situated on a wide river Flat. The soil is gravelly sandy loam which is very sandy and free draining. These vineyards are about 1.5 kilometres from the sea which helps moderate temperatures.

The Brightwater Pinot Noir vines are grown in an extremely stony area of the vineyard where water and nutrient levels are low. This helps us to restrict the plants vigour and to crop at low levels. To further enhance the aromatics we removed leaves to allow light penetration and air movement around the fruiting zone. Our Brightwater vineyard is situated 15km from the coast and is sheltered from the south by the Richmond ranges. The ‘soil’ is a combination of rocks and boulders, which is very hard on the farm equipment, but vital for holding the warmth of Nelson’s sun and for ripening.

Winemakers Note

The Aotea by the Seifried Family Nelson Pinot Noir 2019 is a barrel selection of parcels that our winemakers consider the best Pinot Noir from the 2019 vintage.  The grapes were hand picked in March at the peak of ripeness and then promptly de-stemmed and transferred to open-top fermenters. A three day cold-maceration period preceded inoculation for fermentation. Hand plunging was carried out two times a day during the ten day primary fermentation, followed by a five day period of post-fermentation maceration. After pressing, the young wine was drained into French barriques where it underwent malolactic fermentation and ageing. The wine was blended and bottled in June 2020. 

Tasting Note

The 2019 Aotea by the Seifried Family Nelson Pinot Noir is rich and inviting. The nose has ripe berry and plum notes together with hints of mocha. Palate entry is full, generous and ripe with supple tannins running the length of the palate leaving a long finish.

“ Light, fresh and quite pretty pinot noir with gentle cherry, floral, violet, fresh herb and subtle spicy oak flavours. A charming wine that’s very approachable now but should develop well.”

- 93 Points, Bob Campbell MW, © The Real Review, therealreview.com