2021 Settlement Pinot Noir Blank Canvas Wines Marlborough NZ

Settlement Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021

$60.00 NZD

Vineyard: Settlement Vineyard
Subregion: Omaka Valley | Southern Valleys
Region: Marlborough
Vintage: 2021
Soil Type: Shallow layer of wind-blown loess over low vigour clay loams.
Clone: Dijon clone 777
Viticulture: BioGro certified organic and Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Certified (SWNZ).
Growers: Sutherland, Healy and Beattie families
Viticulturist: Nigel Sowman

Appellation Marlborough Wine Certified (AMW) | Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand Certified (SWNZ) | BioGro Organic Certified

Our Settlement Vineyard Pinot Noir is a classic representation of Pinot Noir from the Omaka possessing incredible density and power of fruit and structure. From the very low-yielding 2021 vintage, this wine delivers black cherry, red and black berry fruits alongside a savoury seam of hillside herbs, forest floor and sappy spice. Firm, polished tannins and framed, integrated oak provide structure and tension, while the wine’s density masks a nimble energy and freshness from the use of whole- bunch. Built for the cellar yet already generous, it rewards patience with evolving complexity and tertiary charm.

The low-cropping Settlement Vineyard Pinot Noir was hand-harvested on the 19th March 2021. Once at the winery, two thirds of the handpicked fruit was left as whole clusters while the balance was destemmed and crushed over the top within the open-tank fermenter. The fruit was kept cool until natural fermentation commenced after five days.

The fruit was gently hand-plunged throughout its 15-day fermentation period after which we drained and pressed the wine to barrel where it completed natural malolactic fermentation. We prefer savoury, low-toast French oak barriques (35% new) for elevage of this wine, from a variety of coopers.

It spent a total of 15 months on lees, gently and naturally settling. We bottled the wine without filtration on the 15th June 2022.

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Reviews

5 STARS

"The powerful, very harmonious 2021 vintage (*****) was hand-picked from 20-year-old vines in the Omaka Valley, barrel-aged and bottled unfiltered. Full-coloured, it is a weighty, very savoury and complex red, with dense cherry, spice and nut flavours, and good tannin backbone. Set for a long life, it should break into full stride 2027+."

- MICHAEL COOPER MA ONZM

96 POINTS - OUTSTANDING

"The bouquet is impressive and strong with power and precision. Aromas of ripe mid to dark-skinned berry fruits including boysenberry and wild forest berries. There’s a seam of ripe plum then clove and vanilla spice elements. Wood and earth-smoke add complexity and definition. On the palate a dry wine with the power and precision that the bouquet suggested driving texture and tension, tannins and acidity make a bold statement contrasted by the core fruit flavours that reflect the bouquet. A delicious wine, one for the cellar with best drinking from 2029 through 2037+"

- CAMERON DOUGLAS MS

95 POINTS

"A very pretty tension to this pinot with strawberries, orange blossoms and perfumed cedar character. Medium body, fine tannins and a fresh finish. Love the focused length. Drinkable but better with time. Screw cap."

- JAMES SUCKLING | JAMESSUCKLING.COM

94 POINTS

"Dense, deep and firmly-structured pinot noir with plenty of weight and heft. Flavours suggest dark chocolate, mocha, cassis, dark-fleshed plum, and. Bold wine with obvious cellaring potential."

- BOB CAMPBELL MW

94 POINTS

"The 2021 Pinot Noir Settlement Vineyard is a remarkably satisfying and layered expression from a low-vigor, high-density, sloping site. There's plenty of concentration here with two-thirds whole bunch and sinewy tannins. Savory and floral, medicinal herbs and spices offset the sweet and ripe red fruit."

- REBECCA GIBB MW | VINOUS | From: New Zealand Reds: Making the Bucket List (Jul 2025)

93 POINTS

"A distinctive nose of whole bunch; kanuka, smoke, earth and gravelly minerality, all woven into subtle oak spice. The palate is framed by chalky, structured tannins which make space for the floral, fresh herb and elegant black fruit to flow. Counter-balanced by vibrant acidity, it forms an elegant, fine-boned package which allows the perfume to persist right through the finely linear finish. Not a blockbuster but a wine of finesse, this is currently in a youthfully closed state and will improve significantly with more time in bottle"