Product Information:
Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Pinot Noir comes from a trio of estate vineyards, each site contributes unique characteristics to the blend, resulting in a more vibrant expression of Central Otago Pinot Noir. Rich savoury notes meld with red berry and plum, spice and mineral notes. Supple with layers of interest and a wonderful seamless quality through the palate framed by juicy powdery tannins.
Sourced from Burn Cottage Vineyard in Lowburn, and the Sauvage and Sappa Vineyards in Bannockburn. This wine is approachable now and can be expected cellar up to 7 years.
More about Burn Cottage - Husband and wife Marquis Sauvage and Dianne Sauvage were on a return trip from the Mornington Peninsula in Australia and had decided to visit several regions in New Zealand before returning to their home in Chicago. Dianne and Marquis were struck by the extraordinary beauty of Central Otago and became even more impressed after tasting through the region's wines, particularly Felton Road and Gibbston Valley. They decided that they had found the place they were looking for. Burn Cottage Vineyard is a twenty four hectare estate in the foothills of the Pisa range in Central Otago, New Zealand. The Sauvage family have been farming biodynamically from the beginning in 2002, when no one else was doing it. Their wines are extraordinarily textural, stylistically light-footed and perfumed.
Maker:
Marquis Savage, a Chicago wine importer, discovered the enchanting allure of Central Otago during what was intended to be a brief tour of the region. Captivated by its unique charm and potential, he seized the opportunity to acquire 24 hectares in the Cromwell basin. These vineyards were meticulously planted with clones tailored to the specific soil types, all while adhering to biodynamic principles.
To ensure the success of this venture, Savage enlisted the expertise of Ted Lemon from Littorai, a seasoned veteran with over three decades of experience in terroir-driven winegrowing, spanning Burgundy, California, and Oregon. This collaboration laid a strong foundation for the vineyards.
At the helm of winemaking is Claire Mullholland, a born-and-bred talent of Central Otago. Previously associated with Martinborough Vineyards and Amisfield, Claire has a keen ability to unlock the bright, lively, and profound potential of these vineyards year after year. Her journey began after university, where she honed her skills in the pioneering vineyards of the region, including Rippon, Chard Farm, and Gibbston Valley. Claire’s international experience further enriched her winemaking prowess, as she ventured abroad to deepen her understanding of Pinot Noir in renowned locations such as Australia, Oregon, and Burgundy. Notably, she worked at prestigious estates like Domaine De L’Arlot and Domaine Dujac in Burgundy’s Cote de Nuit. Her significant contributions to New Zealand wine include leadership roles as head winemaker at Martinborough Vineyard and Amisfield, before she joined Burn Cottage Vineyard.
Vineyard:
In its early stages, greatest care was taken to separate blocks according to soil, aspect and exposure differences. Clones and rootstocks were chosen with the philosophy that the more diversity each block had, the more complexity the resulting wines would display. Hence the diversity of clones of Pinot Noir planted on a variety of rootstocks. The first blocks were planted in 2003. The vineyard development has continued at a loving and deliberate pace to ensure that only the best plant material has been used. As well as Pinot Noir, there is a small amount of Gruner Veltliner and Riesling planted. The Pinot is planted on north and north east facing slopes and the Riesling and Gruner are planted on an east facing slope at the top of the property. The Gruner Veltliner planting is from the first generation of this variety released in New Zealand.
Burn Cottage vineyard has 10 hectares of vines on 24 hectares of land devoted to creating an enclosed and biodynamic farm system. The Highland Cattle provides integrated grazing of pastures and supply manure for integral compost programs. They also keep bees and have planted an olive grove to produce olive oil in the future. At Burn Cottage biodiversity is the corner stone of healthy farming, thus native species of New Zealand plants, bushes and trees have also been planted to restore native habitats. The energetic and crystalline wines the site produces stand as palpable evidence of their success.
Nose - Cherry Blossom, Red Apple Skins, Pink Peppercorn
Supple and spicy, with pink peppercorn, cherry blossom, red apple skins, a hint of blond tobacco and white pepper.
Palate - Silky, Black Cherries, Cocoa-like Tannins
It is all oh-so-Central black cherries, fresh feeling and lifted, a bit of spice to finish. Feels pure, cool and refreshing.
Finish - Garrigue, Orange Peel, Clove Finish
Orange peel, subtle clove and garrigue. Superb, silky, totally satisfying and enlivening.
The 2022 Moonlight Race Pinot Noir is supple and spicy, with pink peppercorn, cherry blossom, red apple skins, a hint of blond tobacco and white pepper. The wine is light in the glass (but vibrant) and the tannins suit it - they are totally fresh and fine - finely milled and like poudre. Superb, silky, totally satisfying and enlivening. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. - Erin Larkin, The Wine Advocate, 94 Points.
If you’re looking for a pure and unadulterated Central Otago Pinot that shows class but won’t break the bank, you’ll find it in the 2022 Moonlight Race. It’s suave and comfortable in itself. This is a chilled out, no worries Kiwi Pinot with plenty of class. Supple, concentrated and savoury with fine-grained cocoa-like tannins. It is all oh-so-Central black cherries with orange peel, subtle clove and garrigue. It’s a wine you can happily drink now but has the frame and fruit content to see out the decade. Being impatient, I will struggle to wait that long. - Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous, 91 Points.
The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - New Zealand
Region - Central Otago
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%
