2017 Burn Cottage Pinot Noir, Central Otago

Bright lifted red fruit notes complement darker savoury earth tones along with spice, a touch of chocolate and subtle blood orange nuances. The palate is generous and complex, focused throughout by a mineral freshness and energy, and supported by lovely acidity with persistence of fine textural tannins. A wine that will continue to gain complexity, and a we expect a cellaring potential of 10+ years.

Varieties:  Pinot Noir 
Vintage:  2017
Country:  New Zealand
Region:  Central Otago
Alcohol:  13.5%

Burn Cottage Vineyard Property is a twenty four hectare estate in the foothills of the Pisa range in Central Otago, New Zealand. The vineyard is owned by the Sauvage family which also owns the celebrated Koehler Ruprecht estate in the Pfalz region of Germany, as well as several fine wine importing and wholesaling companies in the United States.

The Burn Cottage Vineyard property was purchased in 2002. It had been grazed by sheep for as long as can currently be remembered. There were, and are, no immediate vineyard neighbours. The site was much coveted in the region as it is sheltered from both northerly and southerly winds by large hills and forms a beautiful, protected bowl, much like a modern amphitheatre. 

Husband and wife Marquis Sauvage and Dianne Sauvage were on a return trip from the Mornington Peninsula in Australia and had decided to visit several regions in New Zealand. For some time the family had contemplated starting their own winery. Dianne and Marquis were struck by the extraordinary beauty of Central Otago and became even more impressed after tasting through the region's wines, particularly Felton Road and Gibbston Valley. They decided that they had found the place they were looking for. Marquis continued the property search with a real estate broker and came across the Burn Cottage site. As Marquis likes to say, he had visited enough great vineyards around the world and this one had the right look. Unbeknownst to the Sauvages, several prominent, local wineries and winemakers were interested in the site and had had their eyes upon it for some time. 

The property became available in January of 2002 and the Sauvages were able to purchase it at auction.