2024 Terra Sancta Slapjack Bannockburn Pinot Noir, Central Otago

This is perhaps greatest pinot noir I have ever tasted in New Zealand. Aromas of blackberries, dried strawberries, orange peel, spices and graphite are subtle and refined. Full-bodied but not heavy, with perfectly formed tannins that go on for minutes. The tannins are powerful but totally integrated, with polish and poise. It’s rather endless in the finish. Own-rooted Dijon clone planted in 1991. From organically grown grapes. Give this three to four years in the bottle. Best after 2028.

100 points jamessuckling.com

Terra Sancta Slapjack Bannockburn Pinot Noir from Central Otago is a powerful, uncompromising and deeply expressive single vineyard Pinot that sits among the very finest wines ever produced in the region. Slapjack comes from one of the most extreme sites in Bannockburn, a steep, north facing vineyard of schist, gravel and sand where vines struggle for survival and naturally deliver tiny yields of intensely flavoured fruit. Terra Sancta is a Bannockburn original, founded by the late Rudi Bauer and now led by winemaker Rob Hay, whose philosophy has always been to let site speak loudly, even when that means embracing tension, wildness and savoury edge rather than polish.

The Slapjack vineyard is warm, exposed and unforgiving, yet tempered by Central Otago’s cold nights and long ripening season. This contrast gives the wine both power and precision. Fruit is hand harvested, with a meaningful proportion of whole bunches used to build aromatic lift, structure and spice. Fermentation is wild, extraction is carefully judged and maturation takes place in French oak, selected to support the wine’s architecture rather than soften its personality. Nothing about Slapjack is designed to be easy, it is a wine built for depth, longevity and emotional impact.

The aromatics are intense and layered. Dark cherry, black raspberry and wild plum sit at the core, wrapped in dried rose petal, thyme and cracked spice. There is a profound savoury character beneath the fruit, schist dust, ironstone, forest floor and a hint of smoked meat that immediately anchors the wine to Bannockburn. With time in the glass, notes of orange peel, clove, anise and subtle oak warmth emerge, constantly shifting and evolving.

The palate is commanding yet remarkably controlled. Dark fruit drives through firm, finely grained tannins that give the wine authority without heaviness. Flavours of black cherry, cranberry, spice and mineral earth unfold in waves, carried by vibrant acidity that keeps the wine alive and focused. The finish is long, powerful and mineral, leaving a lasting impression of place rather than sweetness. This is a Pinot Noir of real stature, built to age for decades, with ten to twenty years revealing truffle, sous bois, leather and deep savoury complexity.

Slapjack has achieved the ultimate recognition, receiving a perfect 100 points from James Suckling, a rare and extraordinary accolade for New Zealand Pinot Noir and a clear statement of this wine’s global significance.

A natural match for game meats, duck, venison, slow cooked lamb, mushroom based dishes or moments that deserve a truly great bottle. Terra Sancta Slapjack is not just a top tier Pinot Noir, it is a benchmark for Bannockburn and one of the most profound expressions of Central Otago ever made.