ME by Matahiwi Estate Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2024

"Sweetly ripe with elegant complexity, the wine shows dark plum, cherry, thyme, clove, and toasted almond characters, leading to a silky-smooth palate that's beautifully rounded and supple. Finely structured with harmony and balance, making it fabulously drinkable. At its best: now to 2029" Sam Kim, Wine Orbit, Aug 2025 "Crunchy, fresh, fruity, varietal and loaded with flavours of cherry and fruit spice. Low oak, tautness from youthful, polished tannins and BB of acidity. Well made, medium weight, youthful and ready from 2026 through 2029. Well made" Cameron Douglas, Master Sommelier, Sep 2025 This delicious Pinot Noir has complex aromas of herb, cherry, blueberry and spice. On the palate blackberry and plum fruit are supported by fine tannins and a long smooth finish. Our vineyard is situated on a raised gravel ridge between two rivers that was uplifted in massive Earthquake in 1855. This dry free draining site in the rain shadow of the Tararua ranges is the classic warm site in a cool climate, the perfect place to ripen Pinot Noir. Eight different clones of Pinot Noir are planted and careful sustainable management along with naturally low yields give us clean ripe fruit. The 2024 season was outstanding with a dry sunny growing season giving great colour and flavour concentration. The grapes are harvested by clonal selection and fermented in many small open to tanks using a variety of cap management techniques, including pumpovers, plunging and minimal handling. The mix of clones and ferments gives us a complex palette of wines to blend from. After aging in barrels and tanks where malolactic fermentation occurs, the wine is blended and prepared for bottling. Food Pairing: Excellent on its own , this wine is incredibly versatile with food, with Salmon, eel, chicken, duck lamb and beef being some of our favourites.