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Akarua Pinot Noir 2023
$79.00
Medium purple with crimson hues.
Expressive and fragrant showing pretty florals, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, thyme, spice and charry oak. The palate is sweet on entry with dark cherry, black Doris plum, blackberry, red currant, mushroom and dark chocolate. Medium bodied, concentrated, finely balanced and very complex. Velvety silky fine tannin that leads into a very long mineral and plum finish.
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About brand
In October 2022 Edmond de Rothschild Heritage purchased 34.5 hectares of established vineyards belonging to Akarua, a historic and pioneering vineyard in Central Otago; an important and much-longed-for addition to the Edmond de Rothschild Heritage range. Hand-selected by Anne Escalle's team for its unique terroir and rare balanced conditions suited to producing very fine pinot noirs.
Aka (vine) - Rua (two)
In Māori, the name ‘Akarua’ means two grape varieties. Pinot noir and Chardonnay, the two varietals first planted on the estate in 1996 by Sir Clifford Skeggs. They now represent 78.5 % and 2% of the parcels respectively, and a small amount of pinot gris and riesling completes the offering. Drawing on the know-how of local teams and on its own international winemaking expertise, Edmond de Rothschild Heritage’s ambition is to optimise Akarua’s outstanding potential in order to produce the country’s finest pinot noir from a single estate, to create elegant wines and exceptional cuvées and to become the New Zealand benchmark in both domestic and international markets.
Central Otago has rapidly gained international market and media credibility for producing exceptional pinot noir. Pioneers in the 1980s such as Alan Brady at Gibbston, Vernon and Sue Burgess at Alexandra and Rolf and Lois Mills in Wanaka, began producing serious wines under the most challenging circumstances, activating a surge of enthusiasm and investment in the industry over the next two decades and beyond.
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In 2021, the vineyards experienced unseasonably dry conditions with the second lowest rainfall in Opus One’s history. The vineyard team took advantage of the dryness to cultivate early to avoid unnecessary competition for the limited water available. Cooler temperatures prevailed, and rains in late March arrived just in time for the slightly delayed bud-break on April 7th. Warmer weather in April and May allowed for ideal shoot growth and flowering began on May 17th. Reduced water led to lower-than-average yields, which gave the fruit exceptional concentration and flavor at harvest. The summer months were very warm; however, there were no prolonged periods over 100 degrees. Harvest began on August 31st and was steady and brief, with completion occurring on September 24th. The Opus One 2021 effuses seductive, dark-fruit aromas of crushed cassis, blackberry, and black cherry with subtle hints of violet, vanilla, and baking spices. Bright and fresh on the attack, concentrated flavors mirror the aromas and are coupled with an exceptionally plush, creamy texture in the mid-palate from the fine-grained tannins. Poignant notes of black tea, licorice, and dark chocolate lead to a long lingering finish. With attentive cellaring, the wine will delight for decades to come.
VARIETALS
Cabernet Sauvignon 93%, Cabernet Franc 4%, Petit Verdot 2%, Merlot 0.5%, and Malbec 0.5%
AWARDS
- 100 points Jane Anson
- 99 points James Suckling
- 98 points Decanter
- 98 points The Wine Independent