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Nestled on a slope above Mackenzies Road, James Course-Choi’s vineyard, Korimako, is said to be the only northeast-facing Pinot Noir vineyard in Waipara. This Biogro-certified site was initially planted by Guy Porter in 2004 and is populated with Clone 5 Pinot Noir, one of the so-called ‘Pommard’ selections that came to New Zealand in the mid-1970s via California.

In the shed (no exaggeration there) the harvest was hand-sorted to select only perfectly ripe fruit. Hew Kinch wild fermented this with one-third whole-bunch in wooden cuves for three weeks. The juice was pressed and settled before aging in French oak barrels for 18 months. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered, in September 2021.

This is the real deal, from a hemisphere where the term ‘cool climate’ has evolved into something of a marketing tool. Bottled at 12.5%, enticing aromas suggest a potpourri of pure red fruits and red florals with a back-note of mulchy savouriness. The palate also offers the alluring attraction of fresh and sweet red berries, wedged between vibrant mouth-filling structure and sleek, sinewy tannins. But in the end, the racy tension steals the show; a layered and complex mineral tang making it challenging to put the glass down. Keep it simple in the kitchen, and if the opportunity presents itself, serve with roasted poultry (the wilder, the better), red meats or hard cheeses. Make a night, and a conversation of it.

“Perfumed nose of mixed peppercorns, potpourri, cloves, strawberries, wild blueberries, lemons and fresh thyme. It’s so bright and elegant, with a medium body and firm, tight yet seamless tannins. Crunchy acidity. Full of energy and tension.” 94 points, James Suckling

“I cannot underline just how sensational the traction is here with saltiness and abrasive tannins that make this wine sing. The alcohol is a mere 12.5%, and it reminds me of the shape of old-style (I am talking four decades ago) Gevrey-Chambertin from an era when they, too, had a genuinely cool climate.” 18.5+/20 Matthew Jukes