2023 Deliverance by Muddy Waters Pinot Noir, Waipara Valley

Deliverance by Muddy Waters Pinot Noir from the Waipara Valley is a vivid, aromatic and beautifully pure expression of North Canterbury Pinot, crafted with a lightness of touch that allows the limestone rich soils and cool climate to shine. Muddy Waters has been a key name in Waipara for decades, known for organic farming and minimal intervention in the cellar, always with the aim of producing wines that feel alive and rooted in place. Deliverance sits as the estate’s more approachable, earlier drinking Pinot, but it still carries the hallmark detail and savoury complexity that Muddy Waters is known for.

The Waipara Valley is uniquely suited to Pinot Noir. Long inland valleys funnel cool winds through the region, moderating heat and slowing ripening across the season. Clay limestone soils build fine tannins, gentle earthiness and a distinct mineral hum beneath the fruit. Deliverance is sourced from organically farmed blocks that offer both bright aromatics and supple structure.

Fermentation is led by native yeasts and handled gently, often with a touch of whole bunches to bring perfume and spice. Ageing in older French oak preserves freshness and aromatic lift, adding quiet layers rather than overt oak character.

The bouquet is immediately inviting, bursting with red cherry, raspberry and wild strawberry alongside rose petals, cranberry, pomegranate and orange zest. Beneath the lifted fruit lies an earthy Waipara signature of dried herbs, forest floor and a lick of limestone dust. As the wine expands in the glass, subtle notes of tea leaf, spice and sweet soil add deeper resonance.

On the palate it is bright, supple and irresistibly drinkable. Red berries glide across a fine, delicate backbone of tannin, with flavours of cherry, redcurrant, plum skin and spice unfolding gently. The acidity is lively yet perfectly integrated, giving definition and clarity. There is an elegant mineral thread running throughout, guiding the wine toward a long, fresh and quietly savoury finish. It drinks beautifully now but will reward three to five years of rest.

This style is wonderfully versatile at the table. Think roast chicken with herbs, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon, charcuterie boards, beetroot dishes, lighter pastas, soft cheeses and barbecued vegetables. A slight chill enhances its perfume and vitality.