Two Paddocks
Proprietor's Reserve The First Paddock Pinot Noir 2021 750ml

Gibbston, Central Otago

"A small, but carefully placed foot, in various camps of excellence in our region."

 “We grow our premium Two Paddocks Pinot Noir entirely on our three small Vineyards in Central Otago. In some exceptional vintages, listening carefully, we realize that one of these may have something extraordinary to say in its own right. It is only then that we will make one of these very rare single vineyard wines.”

Sam Neill, Founder & Proprietor

 The First Paddock is our original much loved Two Paddocks vineyard. Planted in 1993, it is now one of the older blocks in Central Otago. Superbly situated in the midst of upper Gibbston, planted in carefully selected Burgundian clone pinot noir vines and meticulously tended. Soils foundations are derived from the surrounding mountainous schist and windblown loess but higher rainfalls over the millennia have resulted in increased fertility in these blocks. First Paddock is a thoughtfully crafted expression of our foundation site. 

VINTAGE COMMENT

 Vintage 2021 was characterised by climatic variation extremes throughout spring and early summer and then developing into a fantastic finish, with a long stable mid-summer / autumn warm period, right up to and over harvest. At the start of the season, a cold winter continued into a dry warm spring with steady vine shoot growth.  

 The grapes flowered over December 2020, which was warmer than last year but with intermittent rain that resulted in only half the vineyard blocks achieving desired crop loads. The first week of January saw a significant rain event and that set the vineyards up with optimum soil moisture levels for the rest of the season. There was some typical early and late in the season frost fighting, but the vine canopies stayed resilient and green with harvest staring a week earlier than typical on the 30th of March and finishing on the 22nd April.

WINEMAKERS NOTES

Sourced from the first twenty-five rows of Clone 5, which was planted in Gibbston at the First Paddock vineyard in 1993.  Have harvested and sorted, then a 66% whole bunch indigenous ferment in a dedicated Frist Paddocks French oak cuve.  Matured in 25% new French oak with the balance in older wood for an extended 14 months of barrel maturation.

TASTING NOTE:

Forest floor, redcurrant and Asian spice aromatics give this wine a distinctive Gibbston Valley character, smooth velvety tannins immerse the pallet with great elegance and poise.