“A wine of place and time, complexity and charm.” – Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, 96 points

“Elegant yet unrestrained in its wildness.” - Vinous, 95 points

“Phenomenal” - Matthew Jukes, 18 points

Pyramid Valley’s winemaker, Huw Kinch, described the 2020 vintage as “near perfect”, but it was the vintage that almost didn’t make it into the bottle, because, in case you needed reminding, 2020 was the year of the Covid pandemic, and New Zealand was under one of the strictest lockdowns in the world. The only people allowed in the winery were Huw and his sister, but you can’t make wine without grapes and they didn’t have a team of pickers, because the rules required everyone in a contact group to be in a bubble and that’s not easy with itinerant workers! However, by chance, a group of Argentine friends were stranded in New Zealand, unable to fly home due to the restrictions, and Huw persuaded them to pick the harvest, as they were in their own bubble, and the harvest was saved.

Well, thank goodness for that! It’s a beautiful vintage for this wine, drenched in sweet, perfumed Pinot Noir fruit; silky and sensual, with soft tannins and although it’s relatively light in body, it has great intensity of flavour. As well as the cherry, raspberry and pomegranate notes, there are exotic spice and wispy smoke elements that add further intrigue. It’s a sensational match with Peking duck, with the sweet red berry fruit chiming beautifully with the crispy skin, the tender meat and the tangy hoisin sauce. 13% alc. Drink now-2034.

Press reviews:

Matthew Jukes: "This wine draws on fruit from three properties, all in Waipara. Again, this is a texturally phenomenal wine. Steve and Huw don’t like fining, so there is buoyancy and traction here that breeds stunning weight and a modicum of fruit exoticism. Any exuberance is tempered by raspy, saline acidity that snaps the palate back to order, makes the mouth water and balances the pliant fruit perfectly. This cunning acid line allows this wine to play with more fruit weight and depth than might ordinarily be the case." 18 points

Cameron Douglas MS: “There’s no mistaking the sense of place with aromas of white soil and wildflowers, the varietal signature of red berries with cherry and old strawberry sitting nicely alongside moments of plum then spice. Fine tannins and acidity salivate and coat the palate with texture and finesse while red fruits and wildflowers are at the core and mid-palate. Youthful and new, complex and varietal, a wine of place and time, complexity and charm. Best drinking from 2024 through 2034+." 96 points

Vinous: “The 2020 Pinot Noir North Canterbury evokes wild bilberry and red fruits with lifted wild herbs. Elegant yet unrestrained in its wildness, light in body yet with excellent intensity. The tannins are fine-grained, mouth-coating and almost chalky; there’s a sense of roundness from clay-rich soils while having focus. Drink now-2031“ 95 points

Jancis Robinson: “Complex aromas – meaty and smoky. Elegant, velvety tannins and bright acidity beautifully integrated into the pure black-fruit core. The evident oak will integrate more with another two-to-three years in the bottle. Drink now-2035.” 16.5+ points

Jamie Goode: “Floral, fresh and expressive with black cherry on the nose, together with some dried herb notes. Very inviting. The palate is supple and juicy with red cherries and raspberries, showing nice acidity and fruit purity. Has a fine, tart finish.” 94 points