2017 Dry River Pinot Noir 750ml

This is among the top 10 most highly rated Martinborough wines (based on critic scores).

ABOUT THIS WINE

A fresh, complex and floral nose shows Christmas lilies, violets and honeysuckle. There are the hallmark, darker Dry River characters of fruit of the forest, plum and berry compote, mixed with a gentle touch of oak. Upon first approach the wine is soft and broad, with ripe, almost sweet fruit characters on the front of the palate. Towards the mid palate the wine is gaining power with an invisible force, presumably the fruit and tannin density, governed through a radiant acidity. The structured finish is long and abundant in fruit, lingering to ponder the interest in the typicity of the vintage.

ABOUT `DRY RIVER`

The name Dry River carries an historical significance as the name of one of the earliest Wairarapa sheep stations (ca. 1877). This was later sold off by the Seddon government and renamed Dyerville, leaving the renamed Waihora River (circa 1900) and the renamed Dyerville Rd (1994) - both after Dry River - as the only reminders of this part of our pastoral farming history. In 1979 Neil and Dawn McCallum planted a vineyard a few kilometres from Dyerville in a very dry, gravely and free-draining area now called the 'Martinborough Terrace' and they took the name Dry River for the vineyard and wines in what was to become another chapter of Martinborough's farming history. Their dream was to produce individual, high quality regional wines which faithfully reflect the 'terroir', vintage and are suitable for cellaring.