Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 2022

Beginning with meticulous site selection and vineyard design started in 1991, Felton Road's story is one of refusal to compromise. A strict 100% estate policy with fully organic and biodynamic viticulture (Demeter certified) ensures their fruit arrives at the winery as pure as it can be, while their entire estate comes as close to true sustainability as is possible. 

Felton Road farms four properties totaling 34 ha in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago. Block 5 is situated on a gentle north facing slope in the heart of The Elms vineyard and was planted in 1993. The soils vary up the slope from heavy loess and silt, clay lakebed deposits, and angular schist gravels. Meticulous summer management of a single vertical shoot positioned (VSP) canopy ensures even and early fruit maturity. Shoot thinning, shoot positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest are all carried out by hand to ensure optimum quality fruit. Cover crops are planted between rows to assist in vine balance and to improve soil health and general biodiversity.

20% of the fruit was retained as whole clusters with the remainder carefully de-stemmed directly to the fermenters by gravity without harsh pumping. Long pre-fermentation soaks of 8-10 days prior to fermentation with indigenous yeasts and punched down by hand up to two times per day with a total time on skins of 24 days. Pressed off and barrels filled immediately by gravity to the underground barrel cellars. The wine spent 16 months in barrel (29% new French) with two rackings and no fining or filtration, before bottling in early-September 2023.

The vivacious character of the 2022 vintage leads the intense nose of dark florals, black cherry and an array of classic Central Otago spice and dried herbs. The flavours are again classic with plentiful diversity and complexity. It’s incredibly seamless and finely poised already, but the tannins are there, svelte and integrated, waiting patiently in the background for the long haul. A chic and sophisticated Block 5.  

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - New Zealand
Region - Central Otago
Vintage - 2022
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 14%
Other - Organic & Biodynamic