NZ
Australia
The Forrest family draws Pinot Noir from Marlborough's Southern Valleys, where river stones & clay give structure
Raspberry, cherry & violet aromas merge with dark fruit cake & forest floor notes
Fermented in small oak cuves, hand‑plunged & aged ten months in 20% new/80% old French barriques (13% ABV)
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Description
Pinot Noir has become Marlborough's quiet achiever, and no subregion has driven that rise more convincingly than the Southern Valleys. Once deemed too cool for early-ripening varieties, these clay-rich slopes now underpin the region's most ageworthy reds. Forrest's estate parcels here are defined by loess and dense river gravels - soils that promote deep rooting, low vigour and slow, even ripening. In 2022, hand-harvested fruit was destemmed and wild fermented in small open-top oak cuves, with gentle plunging and a touch of whole cluster. Maturation followed in French barriques, 20 percent new, for ten months. At 13% ABV, the wine opens with wild raspberry, rose petal and cinnamon bark before deepening into black cherry, forest floor and smoked herbs. Tannins are fine but architectural, giving the wine length without excess weight. This is a cool-climate Pinot Noir of intent and precision - expressive in youth but built to evolve.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
Palate:Herbal
Food Pairings:
Asian
Game
Poultry
Description
Pinot Noir has become Marlborough's quiet achiever, and no subregion has driven that rise more convincingly than the Southern Valleys. Once deemed too cool for early-ripening varieties, these clay-rich slopes now underpin the region's most ageworthy reds. Forrest's estate parcels here are defined by loess and dense river gravels - soils that promote deep rooting, low vigour and slow, even ripening. In 2022, hand-harvested fruit was destemmed and wild fermented in small open-top oak cuves, with gentle plunging and a touch of whole cluster. Maturation followed in French barriques, 20 percent new, for ten months. At 13% ABV, the wine opens with wild raspberry, rose petal and cinnamon bark before deepening into black cherry, forest floor and smoked herbs. Tannins are fine but architectural, giving the wine length without excess weight. This is a cool-climate Pinot Noir of intent and precision - expressive in youth but built to evolve.
Tasting Profile
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
Palate:
Herbal
Food Pairings:
Asian
Game
Poultry
- Light
- Full
- Low Tannin
- Tannic
- Sweet
- Dry
- Low Acidity
- High Acidity
Herbal
Asian
Game
Poultry