Paritua : Pinot Noir 2014

An Elegant New Zealand Pinot Noit with Intense Dark Fruit Aromas

The Paritua Winery, named after the stream flowing through the estate vineyard, is located in the acclaimed Hawke's Bay region of New Zealand's North Island. Their Pinot Noir grapes are grown in the Central Otago region in the Lowburn vineyard, which overlooks Lake Dunstan. Here, the 15-year-old vines grow in soils of loess and alluvial deposites, and the climate allows for long ripening periods, which lends great structure to the wines. The grapes for the Pinot Noir 2014 were hand-harvested and then brought to the winery, where 20% was kept in whole bunches and transfered to a tank and the rest destemmed and partially crushed. Following a period of cold soaking, the fermentation took place with 2 punch-downs and 2 pump-overs. The wine spent around 21 days on the skins before the wine was transferred to barrel for malolactic fermentation. The Pinot Noir is aged for 18 months in oak barriques, of which 40% are new. The wines are then stablized with light fining and filtration, and then blended in December.

The Paritua Pinot Noir 2014 exudes intense notes of cherry and plum, along with spicy hints of fruitcake and dried herbs fragrances. On the palate, this New Zealand is quite elegant and complex, rich with ripe dark cherry flavors and touches of spice from oak. The finely grained tannins are beautifully balanced with a ripe fruit character, and the dry conditions of the terroir lends this wine notes of wild herbs and a great minerality on the finish.