144 cases made.
5 Stars & 95/100 Bob Campbell MW, The Real Review, March 2021 (2019 Vintage)
"From a high limestone site near the North Canterbury township of Waiau. Bright, vibrant pinot noir with red cherry, red rose petal, raspberry, and chalky-saline flavours. Impressive purity and a perfect balance of alcohol sweetness and gentle acidity."
Rated Excellent & 94/100 Cameron Douglas MS, April 2021 (2019 Vintage)
"Aromas of earth and stone, a silty limestone moment, dark cherry and plum, a core of savoury complexity and fruit. Varietal, intense and pure. On the palate – complex, fruity, tens, youthful and dry. Flavours of fruit and soil reflect the bouquet and are in harmony with firm tannins and acidity to provide a foundation and baseline for ageing. Oak aromas and flavours add finesse complexity. Pure, youthful, taut and complex. Best drinking from 2022 through 2028+."
Dom's notes:
This is the eighth release of Forager Pinot Noir. 2019 was a low yielding season. A cool start to the season, followed by largely fine and quite dry conditions led to small volumes of ripe and concentrated fruit. Several passes through this small vineyard to tend to shoot thinning, bunch thinning, dropping shoulders and leaf plucking have provided the natural raw ingredients for a vibrant and expressive wine. The fruit was hand picked in early April and left outside in the vines to ferment with a full 28 days on skins, before bringing to the winery for a gentle pressing to French oak barrels. The wine was aged for 15 months before bottling without fining or filtration.
