Craggy Range 'Te Muna Road Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

Dark cherry, lavender and jasmine rise from 2024 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir, joined by sweet spice and exotic incense over a powerful yet seamless palate of silky tannins and vivid fruit. Hand harvested from the higher terrace of the estate's Te Muna Road Vineyard, the Pinot Noir is destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-top oak tanks before ten months of maturation on the lees in French oak barriques. The result reflects Craggy Range's estate-focused philosophy and Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs' pursuit of wines that combine purity, balance and substance with a clear expression of place.

Product Details:

• Owners: Terry and Mary Peabody
• Chief Winemaker: Ben Tombs
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
• Vineyard: Te Muna Road Vineyard, higher terrace
• Harvest: Hand-harvested
• Vinification: Destemmed and fermented with indigenous yeasts in open-top oak tanks
• Aging: 10 months on the lees in French oak barriques; 24% new French oak
• Alcohol: 14%
• pH: 3.72
• Acidity: 5.1 g/L

Sensory Description:

Deep scarlet in color, with an intensely perfumed bouquet of lavender, jasmine, and dark cherry layered with rich sweet spice and exotic incense. The palate carries considerable depth and concentration while remaining composed, with ripe fruit framed by vibrant acidity and fine, silky tannins. Floral and spice notes continue through the wine as the structure gradually unfolds, giving this Te Muna Pinot Noir a combination of power, savory complexity and polished length.

Awards & Accolades:

• Wine Enthusiast: 94 Points
• James Suckling: 93 Points
• Wine Advocate: 92 Points

Winemaker's Background:

Craggy Range was established by the Peabody family in 1998 after Terry and Mary Peabody set out to create a New Zealand winery capable of producing wines with a lasting international reputation. Rather than concentrating on a single region, the family established estate vineyards in sites selected for particular varieties, most notably the Gimblett Gravels in Hawke's Bay and Te Muna Road in Martinborough. The family remains the owner of Craggy Range, with a 1,000-year family trust intended to preserve the estate for future generations and third-generation family members now participating in its governance. Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs joined Craggy Range in 2021 and assumed leadership of the winemaking program in November 2023, making 2024 his first vintage as Chief Winemaker. At Te Muna Road, Craggy Range works with a terraced vineyard shaped by ancient river activity, where stony soils, persistent winds and significant shifts between daytime and nighttime temperatures contribute to the freshness, structure and savory character that define the estate's Pinot Noir.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve at approximately 15-16°C in a generous Burgundy-style glass, allowing the wine's floral perfume, dark fruit and spice to develop while preserving its freshness. Its silky tannins and savory complexity make it particularly well suited to roast duck, lamb, mushroom risotto, grilled salmon and dishes featuring earthy mushrooms or root vegetables. A brief period of aeration can help the concentrated 2024 vintage reveal additional aromatic and textural detail.