2023 Saint Clair Omaka Reserve Pinot Noir, Marlborough

Gold at 2024 Marlborough Wine Show

Fragrant and perfumed aromas of wild raspberries, violets, orange peel and cinnamon bark. The medium-bodied palate has fine tannins and bright acidity, giving notes of strawberries, cranberries, lead pencil and blood oranges. Tightly wound with a refined structure. Drink or hold.

94 points James Suckling, November 2024

Bright red and ruby core leads to a bouquet of freshness and style lead by a varietal signature of cherry and purple flowers, blackcurrant and rose then layers of baking spice and earth smoke. On the palate a delicious wine with and exuberant freshness and texture. Dry with an abundance of fine polished tannins, medium+ acid line and flavour core that reflect the bouquet. Persistent with some youthful tautness, balanced and well made. Best from late 2026 through 2031+.

93 points Cameron Douglas MS, June 2025

Light crushed strawberry and dry thyme notes of whole-bunch introduce the light and pretty palate which sits on the cooler, raspberry and strawberry spectrum of pinot. Tangy acidity counters the grainy, woody tannins which close in on the finish. This will resolve in a year or two and deliver a compact, sweet-fruited and elegant wine. Drink to 2035.

92 points Stephen Wong MW for The Real Review, January 2025

The Reserve wines from Saint Clair represent a tiny part of the annual production. These premium wines showcase exceptional parcels of fruit, with concentrated fruit flavours and potential for cellaring.

The fruit for this Pinot Noir was sourced from low cropping vineyards in Marlborough’s Southern Valleys. Each parcel was harvested as it matured and held cold at the winery for five days prior to fermentation with a selected cultured yeast, the ferment was hand plunged up to six times daily at the peak of fermentation. At dryness the wine was pressed and racked off gross lees to French oak barrique of which roughly a quarter were new. The barrels were assessed regularly and selected parcels blended after a nine-month maturation.

About this producer

Saint Clair Family Estate was established in 1994 by Neal and Judy Ibbotson, with their children Sarina, Tony and Julie today involved in all aspects of the operations. The family farms a substantial 160 of vineyards, and sources fruit through an extensive network of contract growers. Marlborough and its subregions have been the focus from the beginning, while smaller amount of premium red wines is made from fruit grown in the Gimblett Gravels area of Hawke’s Bay. Stewart Maclenann and Kyle Thompson are the current leaders of the winery team that each vintage creates an impressively broad line-up of wines.