Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir

Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir is made from especially low yielding, ripe, handpicked fruit. Gentle winemaking and extended maturation in French oak have resulted in a complex and powerful wine. It has aromas of ripe cherries and plums, a rich and silky smooth palate and a long spicy finish. A great example of one of the best Central Otago Pinot Noirs.

Country: New Zealand
Region: Central Otago
Vintage: 2009
Colour: Red
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
ABV: 14%
Bottle Size: 75cl
Closure: Screwcap
Style: Benchmark NZ Pinot
Drink With: Chinese roast duck

Cromwell’s Wooing Tree Vineyard is a family owned single vineyard site, located in the heart of Central Otago, the wine region fast becoming known for its top quality Pinot Noir. For many thousands of years Cromwell has been subjected to sandstorms during strong north-westerly winds. Wind blown sands form Cromwell’s unique habitat as one of the only inland sand dunes in New Zealand. Indeed, the development of Wooing Tree vineyard created a few sandstorms of its own.

Made from ultra low yielding vines crop thinned to just one bunch per shoot, only about 220 cases of Wooing Tree Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir are produced each year. It spent 16 months in French oak, a third of which was new.

From Lisa Perrotti-Brown writing on Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:
Medium ruby-purple coloured, the 2009 Sandstorm Reserve Pinot Noir is a little closed to begin, giving way to black cherry and black plum notes with nuances of spice box, chocolate and violets. Medium bodied with finely grained tannins and good concentration, it has a long spicy finish. 91+ Points