Vineyard: Renaissance Vineyard
Subregion: Bannockburn 
Region: Central Otago
Vintage: 2020
Soil Type: Mineral rich with glacial origins: a mixture of loess, gravels, schist and quartz
Viticulture: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand (SWNZ).

Winemaker's Notes: 

This is our second 'Una Volta' Pinot Noir from Central Otago, which is rather confusing considering Una Volta means 'one time' in Italian! 

The 'Una Volta' name is designated to limited release one-off parcels that we believe will make something very special. The 2020 Una Volta hails from a site with impressive pedigree: the Renaissance Vineyard on Bannockburn's Felton Road.

Sophie's family friends planted, manage and own this close-planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay site above the Kawarau River and opposite the Bannockburn sluicings in the Cromwell Basin where Sophie grew up. So, it was only fitting that when a small 4.5 tonne parcel of this fruit was offered to us in 2020 we said yes.

We're very excited to able to showcase Bannockburn Pinot Noir with all its glorious fragrance, generosity, innate structure and staying power.

Reviews: 

2020 'Una Volta' Pinot Noir | Bannockburn

18 POINTS (Top Equal Scoring NZ 2020 Pinot Noir)

‘Mid bricky red though a lot less evolved in colour than the 2019 Anthem Pinot. More savoury than the Anthem, more Côte de Nuits, with deeper bass notes of spice and ripe but not particularly sweet fruit – yet sweeter than burgundy. A touch of dried cherries. This has real depth on the palate, some spice, firm and smooth tannin texture and plenty of freshness in the most powerful of the Blank Canvas Pinots in this line-up. I personally prefer the Anthem style, with slightly more obvious stem effect, but this is impressive in its depth and staying power. Long and deliciously dry finish.’ - JULIA HARDING MW | JANCISROBINSON.COM

5 STARS - ‘The 2020 vintage is a single-vineyard red, hand-harvested at Bannockburn and bottled without filtering. Ruby hued, it is a mouthfilling, very savoury wine, with deep cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing excellent complexity, and a well- structured, finely poised finish. Best drinking 2025+.’ - MICHAEL COOPER MA ONZM 

96 POINTS  - OUTSTANDING ‘Fragrant and complex, there’s a delicacy as much as there is power; aromas of place and time, cherry flesh and raspberry, a fine savoury dried herb quality with layers of oak and mineral earth qualities. Plush and ripe with satin textures touching the palate first, flavours of cherries and flowers, dried herb and tilled soils. The oak add complexity and texture from a soft vanilla and sweetness to coarse silk tannins then a medium+ acid line. Delicious, powerful and charming. Best drinking from late 2024 or early 2025 through 2032+.’ - CAMERON DOUGLAS MS  

95 POINTS - ‘Pinot noir with restrained power and flavours suggesting black cherry, plum, mixed spice/wild thyme and spicy oak supported by fine, peppery tannins. Accessible but with good cellaring potential.’ - BOB CAMPBELL MW   

93 POINTS - ‘The 2020 Pinot Noir Una Volta is sourced from a parcel on Felton Road. It is open and fluid with a sense of plumpness and fruit generosity held together with a tension and line holding its shape. There's woody herbs and lifted florals from the whole bunches alongside cherry fruit, black tea, nutmeg and cloves on the drawn-out finish. The concluding impression is one of freshness, sinew and pep.’ - REBECCA GIBB MW | VINOUS.COM

92 POINTS - ‘Very succulent and juicy with plums and ripe strawberries with some orange peel undertones. Medium to full body. Round and creamy tannins and an enjoyable finish. Hard not to drink now. Sustainable. Drink or hold. Screw cap.’ - JAMES SUCKLING