2022 Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir, North Canterbury

A satisfying mix of floral, black cherry, black-fleshed plum, savoury characters and fine, drying tannins. Good food wine that should age gracefully. My sample evolved nicely with aeration 03 Aug 2024 Drink 2024–2030

93 points Bob Campbell MW therealreview.com

Pyramid Valley Pinot Noir from North Canterbury is a wine that speaks with quiet intensity and wild, untamed beauty. Farmed biodynamically in one of New Zealand’s most distinctive and geologically complex vineyard sites, this wine reflects the vision of founders Mike and Claudia Weersing, who believed that great wine begins with living soils and complete harmony between vine and earth.

Now under the stewardship of Steve Smith MW (formerly of Craggy Range) and Brian Sheth, the Pyramid Valley legacy continues with precision and grace. The Pinot Noir is made with minimal intervention, often using native yeasts and very low sulphur, to allow the vineyard’s natural voice to shine through.

This is not your average Kiwi Pinot. From the limestone and clay-rich soils of North Canterbury, it offers haunting aromatics of wild berries, rose petal, forest floor, and spice. There’s energy and transparency here, wrapped in supple tannins and fine acidity that carry through a long, mineral finish. It is textural, savoury and elegant, more akin to a natural Burgundian than a fruit-forward Marlborough Pinot.

Pair with duck breast, mushroom risotto, or thyme-roasted quail. Also excellent with earthy vegetarian fare like lentil and beetroot salad.