Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Single Ferment Pinot Noir 2018

Reviews

James Suckling (JamesSuckling.com): 96/100 & Top 100 Wines from New Zealand 2021. Impressive blueberry and dark-cherry aromas, cocoa powder, sweet spices and violet-like florals. The palate has a very smooth, spicy feel with such attractive tannin texture. So fine, very detailed and carrying dark cherry and cocoa flavors so long on the finish. This is intense, smooth and round with impressive tannin structure.

Falstaff Magazine (Peter Moser, Ulrich Sautter): 96/100. Strong ruby ​​garnet in violet reflections. Inviting dark berry fruit, floral touch, a hint of candied violets, delicate to dry spices such as thyme and lemon balm, red heart cherries and raspberries in the background. Tight, shows good complexity, elegant, structured with finesse, carried by ripe, delicately chalky tannins, fine sweetness in the finish, salty appeal in the finish, excellent length. (Now - until 2040).

Bob Campbell, MW: 96/100. From an early pick of the vineyard, Quartz Reef's 2018 Bendigo Estate Single Ferment Pinot Noir is uncommonly elegant, with delicate but assertive notes of raspberries and cherries accented by hints of mint, thyme and bay leaf. It's medium to full-bodied, smooth and streamlined, and framed by gently dusty tannins that fan out on the lengthy finish.. Drink Date 2021-2032.

Cameron Douglas MS: 96/100. Complex and layered bouquet that takes time to open up and reveal the myriad of forest berries and wild flowers, dried herb and spice layers. On the palate the minerality begins to emerge with a core of fruit an oak sweetness then flavours of Asian spices. Firm chalky tannins and contrasting acidity add depth and length. Complex, dry finish. Best drinking from 2021 through 2028+.

Joe Czerwinski, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 94/100. From an early pick of the vineyard, Quartz Reef's 2018 Bendigo Estate Single Ferment Pinot Noir is uncommonly elegant, with delicate but assertive notes of raspberries and cherries accented by hints of mint, thyme and bay leaf. It's medium to full-bodied, smooth and streamlined, and framed by gently dusty tannins that fan out on the lengthy finish. Drink Date: 2021-2032.

Michael Cooper: 5 stars & Wine Super Classic.. ... the powerful 2018 vintage (5*) is 'a single ferment . . . personally selected by Rudi Bauer as it best expresses the Bendigo Estate vineyard' in Central Otago. Estate-grown and hand-harvested, it was matured for 15 months in French oak casks, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deep ruby, it is an authoritative, concentrated, well-structured red, with obvious potential. Mouthfilling, it has deep, ripe plum, spice and nut flavours, good tannin backbone, notable complexity, and a lasting finish. Best drinking 2023+.

Tasting note

Ruby-red in colour accompanied by notes of raspberry and spice. Rich and elegant on the palate with ripe plum, cherry and cinnamon. Medium bodied with velvet tannins integrated acidity and a long finish. Very good ageing potential.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: Red wine

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14% vol

Food match: Serve with wild duck and pork dishes

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Wine region: Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand. 

Vineyard: The pioneer Bendigo Estate vineyard. With a vine density of 5,000 - 8,000 plants per hectare on grafted pinot noir clones, planted in 1998. The soils on the beautiful north facing slope are Waenga fine sandy loam and Letts steepland with an elevation from 217 – 264 metres, on 44.55° south.

Winemaking: Hand-picked on the 12th March. 12.5% whole bunch. Cold soaked for 7 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in. Gentle hand plunging throughout ferment, followed by post-fermentation maceration of 6 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 24 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (33% new, 33% 1 year old and 33% 2 years old) where the wine aged for 15 months during which natural malolactic fermentation occured. Bottled without fining and filtration. The winemaking was very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the Old World. Winemaker, Rudi Bauer, has combined these techniques, and his own personal understanding, to create this wine.

Cellaring potential: 2025-2028. A maskuline Pinot from Central Otago that will develop well when you have the patience to cellar it.

Produced and bottled by: Quartz Reef, PO Box 63, Cromwell, Central Otago 9342, New Zealand

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