Carrick Bannockburn Pinot Noir 2022
- 94
- $56
- Drink by: 2026-2036
Share
The Estate’s Central Otago Pinot Noir, from the Bannockburn sub-region, is the wine on which the team hangs its hat. The vineyards providing the fruit for this wine were approaching three decades in age at the time of harvest, making them some of older vines in the region. From four discrete parcels and a range of clones, maturation was in barrels for a period of ten months, with 19% of the French oak barriques new. The wine spent a further six months in tank prior to bottling. Russet/garnet in colour, early complexity is already evident in this thoroughly enjoyable Pinot Noir. The nose gives us aromas weaving through spices, cranberries, herbs, cherries, leaf litter and red fruits. The oak handling is exemplary, and the wine has excellent length, with fine balance throughout. Finishing with very fine, satiny tannins, there is bright energy here. A Pinot for the long haul, it should be still providing immense pleasure in eight to ten years.
Ken was born and bred in Brisbane, Queensland. He had a non-trendy, perfectly happy childhood, in a family convinced alcohol meant instant condemnation to Hades. But a break fishing on the Great Barrier Reef, and some good wine, started a serious obsession that eventually took over. It did not stop Ken being chastised later for drinking Pol champagne, disgusted he’d drink anything made by a Cambodian dictator. Now, Ken mostly writes on wine, champagne and spirits for various newspapers, magazines and books, but is perhaps best known for his work in The Courier Mail. He also has a little sideline writing on cigars, fishing, travel and food. When not writing, fly-fishing for trout in NZ or bonefish on the flats of Cuba, travelling or smoking cigars, he is no doubt following a variety of sporting teams – the occasionally glorious Queensland Reds rugby, the dysfunctional Washington Redskins, the dodgy Arsenal and especially revels in the world restored to its proper axis with the return of the Ashes to their rightful home.
