The most important release of Single Vineyard Pinot Noir in NZ’s history
A powerful indictment of our potential to seriously challenge Burgundy

(Limited stocks available – ultra low-yielding ‘exceptional’ vintage – order early)

Hi from Matt,

I am tremendously excited to offer the 2010 Escarpment Insight Series’ releases, described by “The Prince of Pinot” Larry McKenna as  his “greatest vintage ever”.

Tasting through the 2010 Pahi, Te Rehua, Kiwa and Kupe Pinot Noirs with Larry, I really got the sense that all of the stars aligned that year.  They are the culmination of 26 years of experience crafting Martinborough Pinot Noir, vine age, and what Larry himself describes as “an exceptional year for Martinborough”. 

Larry paved the way for Martinborough Pinot Noir in the 1980’s and in my opinion is still leading the pack.  He continues to evolve his winemaking, and eventually others follow.  This is because he approaches Pinot Noir craftsmanship with incredible courage and conviction, resulting in wines that are the best of the region. 

Just one example, is his inclusion of a portion of ripe stems in his ferments resulting in greater complexity and richer structure.  It is common practice in the great domaines of Burgundy, but a technique that is rarely practiced in New Zealand, requiring incredible skill and sensitivity.  Larry applies this practice with aplomb, giving his wines extra layers of depth rarely seen outside of the Cote d’Or.         

The embodiment of Larry’s Pinot Noir hand craftsman ship can be experienced in “The Insight Series”.  These are Larry’s Burgundy-style collection of single-vineyard Pinot Noirs making wines that truly reflect the terroir of their individual sites. The wines allow for individual vineyard expression from exceptional sites utilising some of the oldest vines in the district.

As Bob Campbell MW says; “To say that Larry McKenna is passionate about Pinot Noir is an understatement. McKenna led the way, with the help of a few other single-minded winemakers, in transforming New Zealand Pinot Noir from a pleasant red wine to an artform.” With the “Insight Series”, Larry has taking his craft to a whole new level.

While Raymond Chan says of the 2010’s;“The Escarpment ‘Insight’ single vineyard Pinot Noirs are markers of our industry’s understanding and interpretation of terroir, made by one of this country’s leaders with the Pinot Noir variety. Any serious student and lover of wine must experience them. These are robust, complex, layered wines with great mouthfeel and textures. For the above reasons, the Escarpment Vineyard Pinot Noirs, including the new 2010s, are fascinating to study, cellar and drink.”

In Larry’s hands each individual vineyard site yields very different wines with their own special characteristics. I’ve presented them in order from most elegant to most powerful and briefly described their unique style and character at the beginning of each wine review
 

Escarpment ‘Pahi’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2010

Exclusive Cellar Journal Price – $61.99

18.5/20 Five Stars Raymond Chan 

91/100 Bob Campbell MW
Five Stars Yvonne Lorkin


‘Pahi’ is grown on slightly heavier soils resulting in an elegant style Pinot Noir. From a single clone on own roots this is a remarkably pure Pinot – “soft, silken, fragrant and perfumed.”

Grown on the 4 ha McCreanor Vineyard, Princess Street, from 24-year-old vines. It was fermented with 40% whole bunches in traditional open-top wooden cuves, hand plunged, with a total vat time of eighteen days. After pressing it was matured in 33% new French oak barriques for 11 months, then lightly egg white fined before bottling. This subtly powerful Pinot will reward careful cellaring through to 2024.

“Reasonably dense yet supple wine with appealing fruit sweetness and a silken texture. Cherry, plum, wood smoke and a hint of floral/violet characters. Quite an accessible and appealing wine that nonetheless hints at good cellaring potential. Ethereal.” Bob Campbell MW

“An elegant, accessible and sweet fruited wine with floral and herbal flavours prominent.” Raymond Chan

“Larry describes this as ‘tasting what I want New Zealand Pinot Noir to be like’.  Elegantly styled, yet darker and fuller than last year’s.  A poised, fine and silken-textured wine with aromas of berry coulis, ripe cherry, toast, spice, dried herbs and spring flowers.” Matt Deller, FWDC Wine Programme Director
 
 
Escarpment ‘Te Rehua’ Pinot Noir 2010

Exclusive Cellar Journal Price – $61.99

94/100 Five Stars Bob Campbell MW
19/20 Five Stars Raymond Chan

“Te Rehua” is made from a blend of many clones grown on classic Martinborough deep gravels which give power and complexity while the vineyard’s sheltered location results in a long growing season, giving depth and intensity – “Dense, deep, balanced and complete”.

Grown on the 1.1 ha Barton Vineyard, Huangarua Road from 20-year-old vines. It was fermented with 40% whole bunches in traditional open-top wooden cuves; hand plunged with a total vat time of 24 days. After pressing it was matured 33% new French oak barriques for 11, then lightly egg white fined before bottling.  This dense, complete Pinot will reward careful cellaring through to 2024.

“Dense, rich Pinot Noir with strong sweet fruit wrapped around a core of firm, drying tannins. Bold and assertive wine with plum, prune, chocolate/mocha, spice/anise and red cherry flavours. Complex wine with great depths of flavour – will need time to fully express its potential.” Bob Campbell MW

“This is a fulsome, richly fruited, complete Pinot Noir with vibrant dark fruits, complexing savoury notes and perfumed lift..” Raymond Chan

“Te Rehua is particularly rich, perhaps because it naturally ferments slower than the other wines, spending longer on skins. Dense and rich with fine balancing acidity and powerful flavours of forrest fruits, fruitcake, cherry liqueur and spice.” Matt Deller, FWDC Wine Programme Director
 

Escarpment ‘Kiwa’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2010

Exclusive Cellar Journal Price – $61.99

19/20 Five Stars Raymond Chan
95/100 Bob Campbell MW
Five Stars Michael Cooper

‘Kiwa’ from some of New Zealand’s oldest vines, grown on the classic Martinborough deep gravel soils is a classic Martinborough Pinot in the big, bold style with added complexity from a blend of clones – “Rich, Burgundian, savoury and complex”. 

From 28 year old vines grown on the 2 ha.  Cleland Vineyard, Cambridge Road. It was fermented with 40% whole bunches in traditional open top wooden cuves; hand plunged with a total vat time of 19 days. After pressing it was matured in 33% new French oak barriques for 11 months, then lightly egg white fined before bottling. This outstanding, classic Martinborough Pinot Noir is ideal with game food will continue to improve through to 2020.

“Intense wine with great density and a wonderful silken texture. Powerful ripe plum and berry fruit flavours occupy centre-stage with hints of floral and savoury complexity in support. Complex wine – elegance on a grand scale. Great not but will develop.” Bob Campbell MW

“This is a poised and elegant wine with good acid brightness and fine structure carrying a range of complex fruit flavours.” Raymond Chan

“Deep and youthful in colour, it is rightly described by its winemaker, Larry McKenna, as ‘savoury, complex and spicy.’   A notably ‘complete’ wine, it has a ripely fragrant, savoury bouquet, leading into a weighty, warm, cherryish, plummy and nutty palate, showing excellent backbone, complexity and length.   A ‘masculine’ style, it should be very long-lived; open 2014+.” Michael Cooper

“Kiwa always appears more complete and forthright in its youth, and matures more quickly than the other ‘Insight’ wines.  Very Burgundian in style, strong and fulsome, with  rich tannins and savoury flavours of stewed plums, dried herb, cedary, sandlewood, forrest floor, mushrooms and woodsmoke.”
Matt Deller, FWDC Wine Programme Director
 

Escarpment ‘Kupe’ Martinborough Pinot Noir 2010

Exclusive Cellar Journal Price – $79.99

93/100 Five Stars Bob Campbell MW 

19+/20 Five Stars Raymond Chan 

Five Stars Michael Cooper

The first release of Kupe was in 2003 which quickly established this wine as a New Zealand classic and positioned Escarpment at the vanguard of New World Pinot Noir production. Decanter Magazine said “McKenna’s first Pinot Noir from his new vineyard, Kupe 2003, strongly endorses his faith in the area. This first taste of success combined with McKenna’s past form has created high expectations for this new producer.” As Wine Enthusiast said back in 2007; “Since its debut in 2003, this has been one of New Zealand’s top Pinot Noir’s, combining power, structure and complexity.”

From Escarpment’s 1.8 ha. close planted vineyard on Te Muna Road. Established from the outset to grow New Zealand’s greatest Pinot Noir, this is one of highest density vineyards in the country with 6700 vines/ha, around three times that of an average Kiwi vineyard. These densities are more similar of those of Burgundy, from where the inspiration for this wine comes. Fermented in wooden French cuves with 50% whole bunches, hand plunged and aged in 50% new French oak barriques the wine was given every priority during its elevage and now shows all the hallmarks of a grand young wine on its release in 2012, it will continue to evolve through to 2030. 

“Flagship Pinot Noir made from grapes grown on their Te Muna vineyard. Dense Pinot Noir with plum, dark cherry, dried fruits and Oriental spices. A solid oaky overcoat inhibits fruit flavours a tad but that will change in time. Attractive texture with a long and drying finish. I’d like to re-taste and almost certainly revise my score upwards in another year or two.” Bob Campbell MW

“This is a full-bodied rich and complex Pinot Noir with real fruit presence, and, one of the bigger ‘Kupe’ wines.” Raymond Chan

“The 2010 vintage is a wine for the ages.  Harvested in “brilliant condition”, it is boldly coloured and lush, with powerful, splendidly ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours and fine-grained, buried tannins.  Dense, savoury and finely textured, it is a very complex and ‘complete’ wine.” Michael Cooper 
   
“This is the epitome of New Zealand Pinot Noir today.  Dark, deep, dense and powerful, with an almost balsamic concentration, yet still poised and silken-textured.  It has a breathtaking array of aromas, including fruitcake, forrest fruits, game, dried herbs, cedar and truffle.” Matt Deller, FWDC Wine Programme Director