2017 Giesen Ridge Block Pinot Noir, Marlborough

The journey of each Single Vineyard wine starts in a Marlborough vineyard selected for its unique terroir and climate. They are then nurtured with meticulous hands-on viticulture to ensure fruit produces highly concentrated flavour. Our winemaking expertise then allows these wines to speak for themselves, their purity becoming a showcase of the land.

Our Ridge Block vineyard was originally planted in Sauvignon Blanc, the vineyard was redeveloped after testing by a renowned French soil scientist. This showed the site was closer in profile to the Côtes du Rhône and the foothills of the French Alps, and the focus should be on Pinot Noir and Syrah. The next stage was to move from conventional plant spacing to a high density format. This high density planting equates to one vine producing one bottle of Ridge Block Pinot Noir. Ridge Block is also certified organic with BioGro New Zealand.

Giesen Ridge Block Pinot Noir is a refined and quietly expressive take on Marlborough Pinot Noir, drawn from selected hillside sites where elevation, exposure and low vigour soils deliver far more structure and savoury depth than the region’s valley floor vineyards. The Ridge Block sites sit on the cooler margins of Marlborough, with clay and loess soils over gravel that naturally restrict yields and slow ripening, allowing Pinot Noir to develop aromatic complexity and fine tannin structure while retaining freshness. These elevated blocks experience strong diurnal shifts, building perfume and tension rather than overt ripeness, and giving the wine a more serious, age worthy profile.

Giesen Wines was founded in the early 1980s by the three Giesen brothers, Theo, Alex and Marcel, whose hands on approach and deep vineyard knowledge helped shape modern Marlborough beyond Sauvignon Blanc. Pinot Noir has always been close to the family’s heart, and the Ridge Block project reflects their desire to explore Marlborough’s cooler, more nuanced sites. The winemaking team works closely with growers and estate parcels, harvesting selectively and handling fruit gently to preserve purity. Fermentation is managed to build texture without heaviness, and oak is used with restraint to support the wine’s savoury character rather than dominate it.

In the glass the wine shows a bright ruby colour with good clarity. Aromas open with red cherry, wild strawberry and cranberry, layered with dried herbs, subtle spice and a gentle earthy note. The palate is medium bodied and finely structured, delivering vibrant red fruit, savoury detail and soft, powdery tannins that give length and balance. There is a freshness and precision here that makes the wine highly food friendly, pairing beautifully with duck, lamb, mushroom dishes and grilled salmon. While approachable in youth, it also has the balance to develop over five to eight years, gaining more forest floor, spice and savoury complexity as it matures.

Giesen Ridge Block Pinot Noir is a thoughtful expression of Marlborough Pinot Noir, showing how site selection and restrained winemaking can deliver elegance, structure and genuine sense of place rather than simple fruit driven appeal.