Tinpot Hut Pinot Noir 2019
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Sourced from two well-tended, low yielding vineyards in Blind River and the Omaka Valley, each parcel was picked at optimum ripeness. Classic black cherry notes dominate the palate and are supported by hints of bramble, reflecting the aromatics. Structurally the tannins are soft silky. Well-balanced acidity ensures good length and weight.
Other Vintages
2017- Decanter
Tinpot Hut's owner and winemaker Fiona Turner began developing her Blind River "Home Block" vineyard in Marlborough's Awatere Valley with husband Hamish in 2005.
Now fully mature, the Home Block's Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay are the foundation of Tinpot Hut wines today. A select parcel of Blind River Grüner Veltliner adds further varietal diversity to the range.
Dedicated to quality production, Fiona oversees every step of their wines – from vine to bottle.
Inspired by the sheep farming origins of her
own Home Block vineyard, winemaker Fiona named her range of wines after the
historic “Tinpot Hut”; a Marlborough landmark frequented by local high-country sheep herders. Nestled between the Awatere and Wairau Valleys, the Tinpot Hut symbolizes the history of agriculture in the region and reflects its evolution from a sheep farming heartland to one of the world’s most dynamic wine regions.
Thin-skinned, finicky and temperamental, Pinot Noir is also one of the most rewarding grapes to grow and remains a labor of love for some of the greatest vignerons in Burgundy. Fairly adaptable but highly reflective of the environment in which it is grown, Pinot Noir prefers a cool climate and requires low yields to achieve high quality. Outside of France, outstanding examples come from in Oregon, California and throughout specific locations in wine-producing world. Somm Secret—André Tchelistcheff, California’s most influential post-Prohibition winemaker decidedly stayed away from the grape, claiming “God made Cabernet. The Devil made Pinot Noir.”
An icon and leading region of New Zealand's distinctive style of Sauvignon blanc, Marlborough has a unique terroir, making it ideal for high quality grape production (of many varieties). Despite some common generalizations, which could be fairly justified given that Marlborough is responsible for 90% of New Zealand's Sauvignon blanc production, the wines from this region are actually anything but homogenous. At the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island, the vineyards of Marlborough benefit from well-draining, stony soils, a dry, sunny climate and wide temperature fluctuations between day and night, a phenomenon that supports a perfect balance between berry ripeness and acidity.
The region’s king variety, Sauvignon blanc, is beloved for its pungent, aromatic character with notes of exotic tropical fruit, freshly cut grass and green bell pepper along with a refreshing streak of stony minerality. These wines are made in a wide range of styles, and winemakers take advantage of various clones, vineyard sites, fermentation styles, lees-stirring and aging regimens to differentiate their bottlings, one from one another.
Also produced successfully here are fruit-forward Pinot noirs (especially where soils are clay-rich), elegant Riesling, Pinot gris and Gewürztraminer.