Wild Earth Reserve ‘Earth and Sky’ Pinot Noir 2023

Vintage notes
The 2022-2023 growing season was relatively warm overall with “normal” spring weather leading to a summer that was drier than average. Weather at flowering was warm and dry resulting in excellent yields and high quality. January was warm and dry, followed by a welcome rain event in February and then a brilliant, dry, and warm March. It was overall drier than 2022 but had a similar warmer feel to it.

Wine making notes
Only the very best grapes from vineyards in the well renowned Bannockburn area are selected to produce this Reserve ‘Earth and Sky’ Pinot Noir 2023. This wine is a blend of two vineyards ranging from 14 to 23 years old that border the Bannockburn Sluicings, a distinctive geographic landmark that is steeped in mining history. The grapes from these vineyards were fermented separately with a range of 20-33% whole clusters with the resulting blend having around 25% whole clusters which aids the tannin structure and aromatics of the wine. The total time on skins ranges from 21-28 days. The wine was aged for approximately 11 months in fine grain French oak barriques with 20% new and the rest ranging from 2-5 years old.

This vegan wine is unfined and unfiltered.

Alcohol: 13.5%
PH: 3.57
T.A.  6.16 g/l
Residual Sugar: dry

Awards and reviews

97 points, 5 stars (exceptional) – Sam Kim, Wine Orbit (May 2024)
“Gorgeously fruited and enticing, the bouquet shows dark plum, blueberry, violet, hazelnut and fragrant spice nuances, leading to a superbly weighted palate offering outstanding focus and concentration. Refined and richly textured with layers of complex flavours, combined with beautifully melded tannins, finishing impressively long and alluring. At its best: 2026 to 2037”.

5 out of 5 stars – Michael Cooper (June 2024)
“The powerful 2023 vintage (*****) was grown at two sites in Bannockburn, matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (20 per cent new), and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Still a baby, it has deep, purple-flushed colour. Mouthfilling, with vibrant, dense, plummy, spicy flavours, it is a complex, savoury, firmly structured red (some would call it ‘brooding’), crying out for cellaring.  Best drinking 2027+”.

96 points, 19+/20, 5 stars – Candice Chow, Raymond Chan Wine Reviews (June 2024)
“Deep, rich purple, lighter on the rim. The nose is softly full, with pure aromas of cherry, mulberry and plum, melded with subtle herb, floral details, and spice. Medium-bodied, aromas of black cherry, mulberry and plum are succulent and pure, entwined with red floral, thyme, nutmeg and black pepper. As it aerated, unfolded mushroom, black tea fragrant. The perfectly ripened fruit shows purity and enticing acidity; silky, filigree tannin smartly framed the attractive fruit, lending a long, alluring finish. This sleek and charming Pinot Noir is already tasty, but cellaring will be rewarded. Match with roasted pigeon and duck breast over the next 10+ years. Fruit from 2 vineyard sites in Bannockburn, fermented separately with a range of whole bunches, around 25% whole bunch in the final blend, on skins for 21-28 days, aged 11 months fine grain French oak barriques, 20% new oak, the rest 2-5 years-old. Unfined, unfiltered. 19+/20 (96 pts)”

94 points, excellent – Cameron Douglas MS (June 2024)
“Dark hues lead to an equally bold bouquet of smoky wood and dark berries, Doris plums and roasted black cherry scents, violets and clove. High energy on the palate with fruit and wood flavours to match the bouquet, plenty of tannin action with a finer texture then an acid line adding freshness and length. Well made with best drinking from late 2024 through 2029+”.

17.5/20 points – Joelle Thomson
“The new 2023 Earth & Sky Pinot Noir is a richly fruity, spicy Pinot Noir from Central Otago. Here is my tasting note on this new wine. This is the top tier Pinot Noir from Wild Earth Wines in Central Otago and was made by Jen Parr from a blend of grapes grown on two vineyards in Bannockburn, both bordering the sluicing site; a landmark that is, as winemaker Jen Parr says, steeped in history. This is a structural take on the Pinot theme with firm mouthfeel coming from 20 to 33% whole bunch fermentation, which adds a depth of spicy aroma, which intermingles with ripe dark cherry and plum flavours. The wine was aged for 11 months in French oak with a modest 20% new oak and remainder being between two and five years old. The wine was bottled unfired and unfiltered, which makes it vegan friendly”.

92 points, 4 stars – Stephen Wong, The Real Review (June 2024)
“Crimson. Reductive, firm aromas reluctantly give way to peppery, wild blackberry fruit with shaded, forest floor complexity and a dusky brooding personality. The palate has satisfying whole-bunch crunchiness and length, built around a solid core of tart young tannins. The concentrated flavours tighten towards the coiled finish before revealing dried herbal complexity and earthy spice. This needs time to settle but has plenty of material to age and develop Drink 2025–2036″.