2023 Prophet's Rock Olearia Pinot Noir, Central Otago

The 2023 Olearia Pinot Noir hails from a steep, rocky point in the vineyard (the vineyard is called Rocky Point, aptly named), overlooking the Clutha River below and the Pisa range on the other side of the valley. It seems to me an achievement for the vines to prosper in this cool, elevated and bony site, and their low-yielding manner is testament to the fight they engage in for survival and prosperity. I love it here; it feels every inch the mountainous region that it is. It is atmospheric and impactful, as is the wine. So, this is denser and more compact than the Sophora tasted alongside it; the tannins are infused into every aspect of the fruit here. There are three Dijon clones in this vineyard site, 115, 667, 777, and Abel as well. "I find the clones become less of a deal as the vines get older. It tends to be more important where they are than what's on the end of the post," says Winemaker Paul Pujol. This has such velvet plushness, but the tannins feel so dry and pliable within the folds of fruit. The acidity is fresh and seems to lead directly into the tannins, which linger through the finish. I do love these wines. Drink to 2043.

96+ points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, June 2026

Sourced from the highest parcels of the schist-rich Rocky Point vineyard in Bendigo. Deep ruby with subtle oak-derived spice tones suffuse the wild strawberry, red and dark cherry and raspberry fruits and meld with layers of crushed schist, mountain herbs, wildflowers, charcuterie and earth. Graceful and fruit-pure on the palate with a super-powdered rock tannin array and a cracking mineral drive and focus. There's a little more sinew and verve to the wine's form and a long draw of flavour on the finish. Drink to 2048.

96 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, March 2026

Pretty, high tones, red fruit and floral notes, delicately fine tannins amass across the palate, building towards the finish. Needs time, but essentially a pretty and charming wine with elegance and lightness if allowed to develop in bottle. Drink to 2035.

93 points Stephen Wong for The Real Review, November 2025

The Olaeria Pinot Noir showcases Prophet’s Rock’s Rocky Point vineyard in the southern end of the Bendigo subregion of Central Otago. The site is one of the steepest in the region, rising from 226 to 351 metres in elevation. The soils are schist in varying degrees of decomposition from solid slabs to pockets of fine clay. The site has very low vigour and despite being low in organic matter, the soils have high mineral content, with the vines seldom showing any deficiencies.

The 2023 season was a somewhat cooler one, lending itself to highly aromatic and pure fruit flavours. The handpicked fruit was destemmed and fermented using indigenous yeasts and low extraction, with the small open top fermenters hand-plunged only once during fermentation. The wine was matured for seventeen months in oak barrel of which 35% were new and bottled under a Diam closure.

About Prophet’s Rock

Prophet’s Rock was established in the late 1990s and pays homage in its name to a 19th-century gold prospector, capturing the spirit of exploration and discovery.

Winemaker Paul Pujol joined Prophet’s Rock in 2005 and has been instrumental in shaping the approach that is grounded in respect for the natural characteristics of the vineyards and gentle handling of fruit, with minimal intervention at the winery. His CV impresses with experience and knowledge accumulated at the likes of Kuentz-Bas in Alsace, and Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé in Bourgogne.