2022 Dicey Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Lots of classic Central dried herb and savoury spice led aromas with sage and thyme framing flavours of dark plum and raspberry, dark cherry and smoky wood tones. Mineral, dry, textured and delicious with a generosity of fruit, tension from tannins and acidity and core fruit flavours of dark berries and spice. Best drinking from 2027 through 2033.

94 points Cameron Douglas MS camdouglasms.com

Black fruit and measured oak. Open and expressive, quite forward but with enough power in reserve to drive the finish. Quite a generous palate, held in place by ripe, rounded tannin which emerges late along with spicy complexity on the finish 17 Nov 2024 Drink 2024–2032

92 points Stephen Wong MW therealreview.com

Dicey Bannockburn Pinot Noir from Central Otago is a bold, charismatic and beautifully sculpted Pinot that captures everything people love about Bannockburn: dark fruited richness, spice, tension and a vein of schist driven minerality. The Dicey brothers, Matt and James, work with vineyards they know intimately, having grown up among the Bannockburn hills. Their sites sit on ancient glacial gravels, schist, loess and wind shaped sandy soils that naturally restrict vigour and create small, intensely flavoured berries. Warm days and cold, desert like nights give the fruit its deep colour and vibrant acidity, while Bannockburn’s dry climate adds concentration without heaviness.

Their winemaking is intuitive and minimal. Fruit is hand picked at optimal ripeness, sorted carefully, and fermented in small parcels with wild yeasts. A thoughtful amount of whole bunches brings aromatic lift, spice and structure. Extraction is gentle, relying on time rather than force. The wine then matures in French oak, mostly older barrels, which provides shape and subtle savoury depth without getting in the way of the fruit. Dicey’s goal is always balance and truth to site, and this cuvée shows that philosophy clearly.

The aromatics are vivid and layered. Dark cherry, black raspberry and plum sit alongside violet, pomegranate and redcurrant. Beneath the fruit lies a distinctly Bannockburn undercurrent of warm earth, thyme, black tea leaf and crushed schist. As the wine stretches out in the glass, hints of spice, cocoa, dried herbs and a faint smoky mineral edge deepen the bouquet.

Texture is at the heart of this wine. The palate unfurls with supple dark fruit, fine chalk edged tannins and a clean, energetic line of acidity. Flavours of dark cherry, spiced plum, blackberry compote and cranberry play against savoury notes of dried herbs, forest floor and subtle oak spice. There’s weight and generosity, but it’s held in perfect balance by freshness and minerality. The finish is long, quietly powerful and mouthwatering, leaving a trail of dark fruit, spice and schist shaped tension. With five to eight years in the cellar, the wine will gain more savoury detail and truffle like nuance.

This style stands up beautifully to richer dishes. Think duck with cherry glaze, slow cooked lamb shoulder, venison, mushroom and thyme tart, chargrilled salmon, beetroot risotto, charcuterie, washed rind cheeses or truffle pasta. Slightly cooler serving temperatures highlight its aromatic lift.