2018 Carrick Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Very enticing bouquet with aromas of ripe red berry fruits, warm clay, silty chalk soil scents, sweet French oak barrel with mild toasty wood smoke aromas, wild red flower and raspberry. Equally complex on the palate with flavours of red berries and spicy plum, mineral soils and barrel spices of toasty wood.
Firm tannins and acidity enhance a savoury complexity adding mouthfeel and length. Youthful and still developing but drinking well now especially with food. Ideal drinking window from 2022 through 2028.

94 points Cameron Douglas MS camdouglasms.com

From the schist rich terraces of Bannockburn, this Pinot Noir captures the rugged beauty and intensity that have made Central Otago world famous. Carrick is a certified organic estate, farming on steep, rocky slopes where low yields and high sunlight hours deliver naturally concentrated fruit balanced by cool nights. Bannockburn’s dry climate and ancient soils give Pinot Noir both power and perfume, and Carrick’s hands off approach in the vineyard and winery allows site character to shine through with clarity and restraint.

The colour is a deep, vibrant ruby. Aromas are expressive and layered, showing dark cherry, wild strawberry and plum, followed by thyme, dried herbs, spice and a distinctive Central Otago earthy note. The palate is medium to full bodied, with generous red and dark fruit, fine but persistent tannins and a bright acid line that keeps the wine energetic and balanced. There is a savoury, mineral edge through the finish that adds seriousness and excellent food appeal. It pairs beautifully with duck, lamb, venison, mushroom dishes and herb roasted chicken. Drinking well now with a decant, it will cellar confidently for eight to twelve years, developing greater savoury complexity and silky texture over time.