2023 Blank Canvas Anthem Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Bright ruby. Open knit and expressive flavours of boysenberry ice-cream with the generously ripe coulis of fruit wrapped in fragrant wild thyme, spicy clove and sweet cinnamon oak. The mid-weight flavours have a beguiling creamy sweetness which gives way to chewy, fine-grained tannins and long, tangy acidity. A very accessible and crowd-pleasing style which is hard to resist right now but which will move past its flamboyant stage with time in bottle, allowing more savoury and spicy complexity to emerge 21 Aug 2025 Drink 2025–2035

93 points Stephen Wong MW therealreview.com

Blank Canvas Anthem Pinot Noir is a deeply expressive Central Otago Pinot Noir that leans into intensity, precision and a strong sense of place. The fruit comes from carefully selected high altitude vineyards across Central Otago, where dramatic diurnal shifts, intense sunlight and cold nights build concentration while preserving freshness. Schist rich soils play a starring role here, contributing mineral tension, fine tannins and that unmistakable Otago energy.

Blank Canvas is the personal project of winemaker Matt Thomson and Master of Wine Sophie Parker Thomson, two of New Zealand’s most thoughtful and exacting wine minds. Anthem represents the more serious, cellar worthy side of their Pinot Noir work. The approach is hands off but highly intentional. Fermentation is gentle, extraction is carefully managed, and oak is used with restraint to frame the fruit rather than define it. The aim is clarity, structure and longevity rather than immediate softness.

Aromatically, the wine is layered and compelling. Dark cherry, black plum and wild raspberry form the core, followed by rose petal, dried thyme and subtle baking spice. With air, deeper savoury elements emerge. Forest floor, crushed schist, ironstone and a faint smoky note add complexity and gravitas. There is perfume here, but it is grounded and serious rather than pretty.

On the palate, Anthem is focused and powerful without heaviness. Concentrated red and dark fruits flow across the mid palate, supported by vibrant acidity that keeps the wine taut and energetic. The tannins are fine, chalky and persistent, providing a firm structural spine that speaks clearly of Central Otago. Oak is seamlessly integrated, contributing gentle savoury notes and texture rather than sweetness. The finish is long, mineral and resonant, echoing dark fruit, spice and earthy nuance.

This is a Pinot Noir built for the table and the cellar. It pairs beautifully with duck, lamb, venison, mushroom dishes or deeply savoury cooking. While it can be enjoyed now with decanting, it is clearly designed to evolve over ten to fifteen years, gaining more savoury, earthy and tertiary complexity while retaining its core of fruit and freshness.

Blank Canvas Anthem Pinot Noir is confident, intense and uncompromising, a serious Central Otago Pinot that rewards patience and attention and firmly belongs in any discussion of New Zealand’s top tier Pinot Noir.