2015 Burn Cottage Pinot Noir

Burn Cottage

New Zealand / Central Otago / Burn Cottage

As is customary, this is composed of a range of Pinot Noir clones from a range of best-performing blocks for the vintage across the Burn Cottage site. The fruit, of which 31% went in as whole bunches, spent an average of 17 days in the fermenter before maturation in French oak (19% new) from the Damy and Mercurey cooperages.
Wonderfully complex aromas of fern leaf, rhubarb, potpourri and rose petal contrast with more mineral notes of dust, graphite and gravel. The palate possesses a lovely sweet attack and melts into supple, fine tannins which need a few years to completely marry to the wine. Nevertheless, the overall impression is silky and sensual. Excellent acidity lends great vibrancy to the palate and the wine ends on a long, lingering finish. The rich, silky completeness shows the great potential of this property.

May, 2017

Mike Bennie

The Wine Front

95 points

Remarkable site that the fruit is grown on here. Verdant, buzzy with Bambi-like scenes of animals and flowers and insects and stuff. Biodynamic farming, loads of care, a selected place to grow great grapes. Good ingredients. Clever winemaker, Claire Mullholland, and in the mix the wonderful consultant in Ted Lemon from Littorai, California. Good release here too.
Deep, moody, dark cherry and dark chocolate, clove and dried rose petals, sweet earth and undergrowth scents. A growl of perfume. Supple in texture with some serious concentration, but elevated on fresh acidity, spice, a spread of fine, silty tannins. Has some extension through the palate, leaves a trail of sweet fruit and a savoury character that feels moreish. Just lovely, here.

Bob Campbell MW

The Real Review

97 points

Very attractive Pinot Noir with trademark expression of subtle power. A refined mix of savoury, fresh herb, cherry, berry and subtle floral notes together with a suggestion of subtle mineral notes. The wine has an ethereal texture and surprisingly lengthy finish. Should develop well with bottle age. Drink 2017 to 2024.

Cameron Douglas MS

96 points

Steely and haunting bouquet with an enticing allure - aromas of crushed flowers, fine light red fruit layers, noticeable oak, plenty of mineral intoxication, spices and complexity. On the palate - dry, quite complex and enticing with flavours that reflect the nose as well as fine oak and fruit tannins, plenty of acidity, a very fine savoury layer, lengthy and flavourful finish. A fine wine, but also youthful still with a very specific pinosity message. Drink now if decanted otherwise from 2018 through 2028.

November, 2017

Nick Stock

jamessuckling.com

94 points

A nice evolution is in play. This wine is gathering power and finesse simultaneously, becoming more and more defined. Super fragrant strawberry and red cherry fruits on the nose with some meaty, spicy elements adding interest. The palate is lacy and enticing, with a core of vibrant strawberry and red cherry flavor. Fne tannins sweep long and even. A wine that delivers both pleasure and a sense of purpose. Drink now.

October, 2017

Bob Campbell MW

Gourmet Traveller WINE

When Burn Cottage came to Central Otago they hit the ground running with a cracking first vintage in 2009. Since then they have kept the impetus up – I rate the 2015 vintage as their second best yet by a narrow margin. It’s a refined mix of savoury, fresh herb, cherry, berry and subtle floral notes with a suggestion of chalk and minerality. As always, the wine has a superbly ethereal texture and incredibly lengthy finish.

January, 2018

Jamie Goode

www.wineanorak.com

95 points

Good concentration here with rich but balanced red cherry and raspberry fruit, and fine-grained spicy structure. This has depth but also finesse, with a silky texture under the fine tannin and acid structure. Very fine.

Standard Bottle Out of Stock

About Burn Cottage

Chicago wine importer Marquis Savage fell in love with Central Otago on what was meant to be a quick tour of the region. Falling in love meant purchasing 24 hectares in the Cromwell basin, which were subsequently planted with clones specific to soil type and in accordance with biodynamic principles. Enlisted to help in this task was Ted Lemon of Littorai, who brought with him more than three decades of practical knowledge of terroir winegrowing based on experience in Burgundy, California and Oregon. Ted continues to define the path of the wines, whose reputation has justly spread far and wide - and fast. Claire Mullholland, formerly of Martinborough Vineyards and Amisfield, takes care of the day-to-day winemaking duties.
Biodynamic producer

About

Ted's a lifelong winemaker who began his career by receiving an Oenology degree from the Université de Dijon in 1981. He worked at many prestigious estates in Burgundy: Domaine Georges Roumier; Domaine Bruno Clair; Domaine Parent; Domaine De Villaine; Domaine Delorme; and Domaine Dujac. He was the first American ever selected as winemaker and vineyard manager of a Burgundian estate, at Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, and remained in Burgundy until 1984. Upon returning to the US, Ted became the founding winemaker of Chateau Woltner on Howell Mountain. Since then he's been consultant to a number of prominent wineries and in the early '90s he and wife Heidi founded their own venture, Littorai, where they focus on making top-notch Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.