2023 Rippon Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir, Central Otago

The 2023 Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir leads with cranberry and cherry, paprika, blood plum and orange. In the mouth, the wine is chalky and lean, persistent and long through the finish. I do love the texture and shape of these Rippon Pinots. The way they behave on the palate tends to convince me further, over the course of drinking, of just how delicious they are. There are notes of rose petals, crushed rocks, black tea and coastal sage. This is super, superb. It is creamy in its way. It is ripe, but the fruit is evidently in excellent condition. It was handpicked from biodynamically farmed vines, wild fermented and cellared in barrel for two winters prior to bottling, unfined and unfiltered. Drink to 2038.

95 points Erin Larkin for The Wine Advocate, June 2026

Granted a moment of custodianship, the primary interest of all who work and live at Rippon is to do justice to this remarkable piece of land.” And that is Rippon in Lake Wanaka, with a simple, yet deeply complex commitment to their land that translates into a wine where delicate purity, lifted fragrance (thanks to a whiff of VA and juiciness), measured minerality, detailed gravelly tannins, and depth of flavours all travel on the same frequency. While the nose is not immediate, alluding to a delicate, old-world style, the palate reveals the true nature of a Central Otago Pinot that is not yet done—one that demands all the time necessary to unfold its whole essence, indifferent to the fleeting fashions of immediacy and instantly likable style.

95 points Lisa Cardelli for Wine Pilot in A Dozen Reasons to Look South

I love the estate’s description of this wine, 'The farm voice of a distinct parcel of land'. Deep ruby with deep plum, wild strawberry and dark cherry fruits, exuberant and fruit-forward in nature with hints of brown spice, cocoa nibs, citrus blossom and dried rinds, schist, crushed rock. Mountain herbs and dried meats. Plenty of fruit depth and intensity, while retaining a sense of freshness and juicy vibes, with a toothsome, rocky tannin array and bright acidity. Such a lovely wine with detail and clarity to burn. Drink to 2041.

95 points Dave Brookes for Halliday Wine Companion, April 2026

Packed with flavour: equal parts of fruit—from raspberry to black cherry—and secondary complexity in the form of seed spice, tea leaves and black olive. The concentrated palate is weighty and evolves nicely from start to finish, moving through layers of earthy, mineral, savoury. The notable structure is submerged under the fruit density and will continue to evolve in bottle. Drink to 2037.

94 points Stephen Wong for The Real Review, November 2025

Rippon is one of New Zealand's most revered wineries, with the Mills family farming their spectacular Lake Wānaka property for generations. Under the guidance of Nick Mills, the biodynamically managed estate has become a benchmark for site expressive Pinot Noir, producing wines that faithfully reflect one of the world's most breathtaking vineyard settings.

The Mature Vine Pinot Noir is sourced from established vines rooted in glacial schist soils overlooking Lake Wānaka. The combination of high altitude, intense sunlight and cool alpine nights produces Pinot Noir of remarkable perfume, purity and structure, capturing the distinctive character that has made Rippon a cult name among collectors.