winemakers comments:
A rich bouquet of black cherry, plum and spice. The vein of ripe fruit continues into the mouth coating the palate along with generous and velvety tannins. Building in intensity at the back of the palate where the fruit, spice and mineral flavours linger on a wonderfully long and detailed finish.
The Mason Vineyard Pinot Noir is a single vineyard wine grown on the Mason vineyard in the Parkburn sub-region of the Cromwell Basin. It is a unique and captivating site on a north facing frost free slope. The wine is predominately made up of a parcel of Abel clone Pinot Noir that grows on the steep north facing “O” block. We favour the grapes that grow there because of the underlying clay and pedogenic lime layers. The vines seem to struggle more than the rest of the block, and the fruit that is produced has smaller bunches and more intense flavours as a result. It is very spicy and the fruit is elegant and sinewy on the palate. We also pick at the same time a smaller amount of clone 777 & 667 grown on either side of the Abel. These clones give the wine good tannin structure and fruit weight.
Bob Campbell MW 96 points.
"A positive first impression with a delicately floral aroma of floral and spice steps up a gear on the palate with more intense cassis, black cherry, anise and smoky oak characters. Elegant and appealing pinot noir."
WINE PILOT 94 points.
"Always fascinating to see the Chard Farm Pinots, all Central Otago, all the same vintage and with similar winemaking methods but from four different vineyards across the sub-region. If you doubt terroir and its impact, this is your opportunity to see it in all its glory. The Masons is from the Parkburn Valley sub-region, usually frost-free with north-facing slopes. The grapes are largely the famous Abel clone with a few others for extra complexity. The colour here is an attractive crimson with an alluring nose of red fruits, spices, dry herbs, raspberries, animal skins and a hint of aniseed. There is balance here, with a silkily-textured palate, very good length and satiny tannins. Fine acidity in a well-balanced Pinot from go to woe. Five to six years. "KG.
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