Felton Road Pinot Noir Bannockburn 2024

Renowned winery Felton Road operates on a philosophy of "non-intervention" in winemaking. This Pinot is a blend from four vineyards in Bannockburn. It is a one-of-a-kind Pinot that only they could produce.

For meat pairings, try Beef Fillet Rossini, roast duck, lamb chop steak, or venison stew. For fish, grilled eel (kabayaki) or salmon marinated in miso are also excellent choices.

A World-Class Pinot

Known as one of the absolute pinnacles of New Zealand wine, this is "Felton Road."

The Central Otago region, home to this winery, is recognized by wine enthusiasts worldwide as one of the "world's three great Pinot Noir regions."

The catalyst was the initial release of their Pinot Noir in 1997. When American critic Robert Parker awarded this wine top marks, it drew global attention not just to Felton Road, but to the Central Otago wine region as a whole.

Felton Road is a winery with a "non-intervention" philosophy, aiming to craft wine as naturally as possible by minimizing human interference. Among their range, their Pinot Noir is the most highly acclaimed. There are several series, classified by origin, vineyard, and even specific blocks within those vineyards.

This wine is a Pinot labeled with the sub-region name "Bannockburn." It is crafted by blending grapes from the four vineyards they own in Bannockburn.

The aroma features notes of blackberry and American cherry. It also carries complexity with animalistic nuances like tanned leather, along with violet flowers and dried herbs.

On the finish, you can clearly detect hints of vanilla and cacao.

The first impression on the palate feels more strongly of woody, spicy, and animalistic leather nuances rather than the fruit sensed on the nose.

These elements blend seamlessly with the flavors of ripe cherries and berries.

There is also a smokiness and astringency derived from the barrels, but it is extremely pleasant and smooth.

As it ages, the fruit, spice, and animalistic notes will likely harmonize even further. With time, the tannins will become even smoother, creating a wine with even greater complexity.

Recommended Pairings

For a Pinot Noir with such depth of flavor, it is best paired with high-quality meat dishes.

Please enjoy it with a slightly gorgeous meat dish on a special day with someone special.

Beef Fillet Rossini

Roast Duck

Grilled Eel (Kabayaki)

About the Winery: Felton Road

"Felton Road" is one of New Zealand's representative wineries. It began in 1991 when Stewart Elms established a vineyard called "Elms Vineyard" in Bannockburn, Central Otago.

Later, they brought on winemaker Blair Walter and released their first Pinot Noir in 1997. That wine immediately captivated wine fans worldwide, and Felton Road became a top-tier winery with world-class recognition.

While Central Otago is now a famous region recognized by wine lovers globally, Felton Road was the pioneer that drew the eyes of the world to this area through its Pinot Noir.

Branding modeled after Burgundy

At Felton Road, wine series are distinguished by which vineyard the grapes are sourced from. Even with the same varietal harvested in the same year, they release multiple types based on the "differences in vineyard."

This is because even within the same Central Otago region, each vineyard has unique soil characteristics, and these differences lead to variations in grape quality and the aroma and flavor of the wine.

The more limited the vineyard, the smaller the production quantity, often making them "rare wines" and resulting in higher prices.

This follows the traditional branding practices of the Burgundy region in France.

A pioneer of New Zealand's "Gravity Flow System"

Valuing the power of nature, Felton Road cultivates all its vineyards using biodynamic farming and pursues winemaking through a more natural approach.

Particularly noteworthy is their "Gravity Flow System."

This is a technique that utilizes natural gravity as much as possible, without using machinery, during the processing of harvested grapes and winemaking.

While adopted by advanced wineries worldwide in recent years, Felton Road was one of the first in New Zealand to implement this system in their pursuit of more natural winemaking.

About the Central Otago Region

The country's southernmost wine region, "Central Otago," is known as a premier Pinot Noir growing area and is called one of the "world's three great Pinot Noir regions," alongside Burgundy and Oregon.

Beyond Pinot Noir, they are focusing on aromatic white grapes. This region features a unique semi-continental climate—the only one among New Zealand's wine regions—characterized by large daily temperature fluctuations, cool conditions, and very low humidity.

It is also a treasure trove of small-scale wineries, and winery tours based in the scenic town of Queenstown are very popular.

Felton Road Pinot Noir Bannockburn 2024

Item	Details
Winery Name	Felton Road
Country of Origin	New Zealand
Region	Central Otago
Type	Red
Grape Variety	Pinot Noir
Vintage	2024
Alcohol Content	13.8%
Volume	750ml
Other	Biodynamic Farming
Notes	Screw cap