Description / Reviews
// 100% Pinot Noir, organic, unfined and unfiltered
"Terra Sancta's pinnacle of Pinot Noir, from the first block planted in Bannockburn. One of our three single block Pinot Noirs, Slapjack Block, is located in the heart of the Terra Sancta Estate. On gentle sloping clay soils, old vines on their own roots produce fruit of outstanding character and complexity. Minimal winemaking using wild fermentation is designed for maximum expression of site and vintage. A 'complete' wine, showing lovely power and poise, it is fragrant and complex. A highly perfumed nose of raspberries, pomegranate, brambles, licorice, thyme, exotic spices and citrus peel. The palate is complex revealing layers of black cherry, crushed strawberry and citrus zest interwoven with bay leaf, star anise and a mineral core of crushed rock and earth. Beautifully layered, with ultra-fine texture, silky tannins and a lively line of acidity at its core. The finish is remarkably long and balanced, with a strong mineral thread tying fruit, structure and spice together." - Terra Sancta
"This is perhaps greatest pinot noir I have ever tasted in New Zealand. Aromas of blackberries, dried strawberries, orange peel, spices and graphite are subtle and refined. Full-bodied but not heavy, with perfectly formed tannins that go on for minutes. The tannins are powerful but totally integrated, with polish and poise. It’s rather endless in the finish. Own-rooted Dijon clone planted in 1991. From organically grown grapes. Give this three to four years in the bottle. Best after 2028." - 100 Points, James Suckling
"Ruby with a purple rim. Expressive and interesting, this is an open-knit, rather plush-textured wine with concentrated yet elegant flavours of wild raspberry, black cherry and plum set against sweet herbs, sweet baking spice, warm earthiness and roasted coffee. The broadly generous flavours spread across a bed of ripe, velvety tannins before settling into the gentle grip of cocoa nib on the finish. Excellent definition and balance with everything in place for a measured evolution in bottle over the next decade." - 95 points, Stephen Wong MW, The Real Review
