18 May 2021
Our approach with Te Muna Pinot Noir
Wim Julicher originally planted the Te Muna Vineyard as an olive grove. The site’s unique aspect made it far too cold for the poor olive trees. Luckily for him (and now us), it creates the perfect amount of pressure for the divine struggle required to produce world-class Pinot Noir.
Our Butterworth Estate Pinot Noir is a single vineyard wine. Only select barrels are included to create a Te Muna wine with great mouthfeel and presence in the glass. As always, it's unfined, vegan friendly, and only lightly filtered.
2018 was a dream vintage; low rainfall and long sunshine hours led to fabulously concentrated grapes. The hardest part was selecting which barrels would inevitably make it into our flagship wine!
Filled with stunning red and blue fruit aromas, the palate is full thanks to 9 months on lees in barrel and holds its signature Te Muna chalky acidity.
- Martin Bell, Winemaker
While the Butterworth Estate Te Muna Pinot Noir 2018 is a personal favourite of Brad's, here's what some of New Zealand's revered wine writers had to say:
"A high-energy wine with a backbone of bright, fresh acidity & fine, peppery tannins." – Bob Campbell MW, 94 points.
"Complex, immediately varietal aromas with silty earth flavours and firm, chalky tannin textures." – Cameron Douglas MS, 94 points.
"Red berries, hints of boysenberry, dried herbs and a touch of star anise on the nose. A velvety palate with mineral notes on the finish add to the complexity of this wonderful wine." – Angie Atkinson The Wine Writer, 5 stars.