2021 Dicey Bannockburn Black Rabbit Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Excellent colour and presentation equaled by a bouquet of black cherry , dark spices of clove, new leather and violet. There’s texture in the bouquet also with a sense of shape and form. A taut, intense and complex wine touches the palate first, textures from the bouquet are apparent quickly with polished tannins, course-silk tannins and plenty of acidity. Core fruit and barrel flavours reflect the bouquet as well with dark berries and spice messages, toasty wood layers and a generous engaging mouthfeel. There’s some warmth from the alcohol, so I suggest you serve the wine at cellar temperature of 12.5 Celsius. Delicious and lengthy, a lovely wine with best drinking from 2025 through 2030++.

95 points Cameron Douglas MS camdouglasms.com

Dicey Bannockburn Black Rabbit Pinot Noir from Central Otago is a striking and complex single vineyard wine that captures the raw energy and layered beauty of one of Bannockburn’s most distinctive sites. Crafted by brothers James and Matt Dicey—long-time stewards of Central Otago’s vine landscape—this Pinot Noir is powerful yet precise, with a deep connection to the land it comes from.

The Black Rabbit vineyard is perched on north-facing slopes of decomposed schist and gravel in the heart of Bannockburn. It’s a demanding site exposed to intense sunlight and wild temperature swings between day and night, which pushes the fruit to develop depth of flavour while maintaining vibrant acidity. The Dicey family farms the site with a low-intervention ethos, using organic principles to nurture both soil health and vine longevity.

Fruit is handpicked and fermented naturally with indigenous yeasts. Whole bunch inclusion is used judiciously to bring tension and aromatic lift. The wine is aged in a mix of old and new French oak barrels, allowing the tannin structure to evolve while letting the vineyard expression remain at the forefront.

In the glass, Black Rabbit reveals aromas of black cherry, dried rose, baking spices, forest floor and crushed herbs. The palate is deep and finely structured with dark berry fruit, savoury spice, firm but polished tannins and a persistent mineral finish. It’s a Pinot Noir that speaks with intensity and clarity, showing the darker, more brooding side of Bannockburn while still offering poise and finesse.

Ideal with game meats, grilled mushrooms or slow-cooked lamb shoulder, this is a wine made for thoughtful drinking and cellaring.