One Job for Award-Winning Pinot Noir Makers: ‘Don’t Mess it Up’

The Champion Pinot Noir from a previous vintage at the Marlborough Wine Show was born out of a desire to create outstanding Pinot Noir. 

Marisco Vineyards Red Wine Programme Lead Winemaker, Seb Bouchut, says he and his team were thrilled to receive the award, officially known as the Classic Oak Products Champion Pinot Noir, 2019 & older, for The King's Wrath Pinot Noir 2019.

“We were ecstatic to receive the award for our King's Wrath Pinot Noir. We think there is a massive potential for Marlborough Pinot Noir with the quality levels continually climbing upwards,” he says.

“To be recognised by the industry for producing a quality Marlborough Pinot Noir was very rewarding.”

The making of the champion blend was a mixture of outstanding work in both the vineyard and the winery, Seb says.

Using grapes predominantly from their Ben Morven vineyard, the company’s oldest, the fruit of the 2019 vintage was exceptional.

“We ended up with no disease pressure and we had perfect weather, allowing plenty of hang time for the fruit to ripen up. It was almost a drought and this produced intense flavours, great fruit concentration and structure. It was a great year.”

“Once it got to the winery, the quality of the fruit was so outstanding it was obvious that our job in the cellar was to not mess it up really, the vineyard team had done such a great job,” Seb says.

Opting to add 10% whole bunch in open top fermenters to add complexity, the cellar team completed up to four rounds of cap management a day during peak fermentation before leaving the skins to soak for a week post ferment.

The deep dark hue of 2019 Pinot Noir wines was a real stand out, Seb says.

The final blend consisted of 60% fruit from Ben Morven, along with a small amount from Slopes Vineyard, as well as their newest site, Leefield Station Vineyard.

Award sponsor, Classic Oak Products NZ’s Susan Macks agrees with Marisco’s belief in Marlborough’s ability to produce quality Pinot Noir.

“It has truly been a rewarding journey for Classic Oak NZ to see the growing confidence and maturity in the local Marlborough [Pinot Noir] industry and be a critical partner in this,” she says.