2008 Growers Collection Calvert Vineyard Pinot Noir

Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2008 “Calvert Vineyard” Pinot Noir comes from a vineyard based in Bannockburn and is managed by Felton Road. With the inclusion of 25% whole cluster and having been matured 14 months on original lees in 25% new French oak, it gives intense aromas of black cherries, warm raspberries, some earthy loam and moss plus nuances of cinnamon and coffee. Full bodied with crisp acid and a low to medium level of fine tannins, it finishes long and savory with some menthol coming through. Drink it now to 2015. “Technology has allowed us to make better wine more naturally. We can test now to see if Brett is going to be a problem,” Pyramid Valley’s owner Mike Weersing explained during our tasting in Singapore. “My passion right now is natural winemaking. True wines.” A proponent of biodynamics for his small-but-beautiful “Home” vineyards in a remote corner of North Canterbury, Mike also has an eye for sourcing high quality fruit from some amazing sites around the country including the hillside Eaton Family vineyard in Marlborough and the Calvert vineyard in Central Otago. While his inimitable style polarizes many in New Zealand, from where I’m standing he’s doing a fantastic job at expressing his sites, varieties and vision. It probably doesn’t need to be mentioned but all the wines are fermented using indigenous yeast. Importer: Wine Connections Inc, Denver, CO; tel. (303) 777-0409