Jules Taylor Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand

Returning customers will find a darker-fruited, more firmly structured expression in the 2024 Jules Taylor Pinot Noir. Following our previous 2020 vintage, remembered for its floral perfume, red plum and finely woven tannins, this release brings concentrated blackberry, boysenberry and black cherry, supported by grippier tannins and juicy acidity. At 13.55% ABV, it retains the aromatic detail that makes Marlborough Pinot compelling while offering a more substantial frame for food and further development in bottle.

Product Details:

2024 Vintage:

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 13.55%.
• pH: 3.63.
• Total Acidity (TA): 5.29 g/L.
• Residual Sugar: 0.6 g/L.
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir.
• Vineyard Sources: Brookby 32%, Wrekin 26%, Anderson 21% and Meadowbank 20%.
• Growing Conditions: A warm, very dry El Niño season, with early frost damage and light flowering reducing crop size. Warm days accelerated ripening, while clear, cold nights helped retain acidity.
• Harvest Dates: March 13–26, 2024; predominantly hand-harvested as individual blocks reached optimum ripeness.
• Fruit Preparation: Destemmed into small open-top fermenters.
• Cold Soak: Five to ten days.
• Fermentation: Indigenous yeasts, with hand plunging once daily; pressed immediately upon reaching dryness.
• Maturation: A portion matured in French oak barrels.
• Malolactic Fermentation: Completed in spring.
• Sustainability: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.
• Closure: Screw cap.
• Owners: Jules Taylor and George Elworthy.
• Winemaker: Jules Taylor.
• Viticulturist: Stephen Dempster.
• Bottling: Late March 2025.

2020 Vintage Reference:

• Alcohol by Volume (ABV): 13.75%.
• pH: 3.68.
• Total Acidity (TA): 5.22 g/L.
• Residual Sugar: 0.8 g/L.
• Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir.
• Harvest Dates: March 20–31, 2020; hand-harvested.
• Vinification: Five- to ten-day cold soak, indigenous-yeast fermentation and partial whole-bunch inclusion.
• Maturation: French oak, with full malolactic fermentation.
• Bottling: February 2021.
• Vintage: 2020.

Sensory Description:
On the palate, the 2024 is generous and concentrated, with firm, grippy tannins giving the fruit a more assertive structure. Juicy acidity and spicy oak bring definition through the finish. Its analysis shows slightly higher total acidity and a lower pH than the 2020, alongside marginally lower alcohol and residual sugar. These are modest differences, but they reinforce the new release’s combination of fruit concentration and freshness. The comparison draws on the wines’ documented profiles rather than a current side-by-side tasting.

The 2020 established a fragrant reference point through violet, rose, damson plum and red cherry, with raspberry, cinnamon and earthy spice adding detail. Its earlier description emphasised refinement and finely woven tannins. The 2024 shifts toward a darker register: blackberry, black cherry, boysenberry and plum, accompanied by violet, vanilla, cocoa spice, subtle earth and a little liquorice.

Awards & Accolades:

• Gold Medal: New Zealand International Wine Show, 2026, Pinot Noir category, awarded to the 2024 vintage.
• Wine Orbit, 94 Points & 5 Stars: March 2026, Sam Kim, 2024 vintage. “The palate delivers succulent fruit intensity, a fleshy mouthfeel”.
• Cameron Douglas MS, 93 Points: March 2026, 2024 vintage. “Precise and salivating, gently saline and perfectly balanced.”
• Michael Cooper, 4.5 Stars: 2024 vintage. “Fresh, concentrated cherry, plum and spice flavours”.
• The Real Review, 91 Points: Stephen Wong MW, 2024 vintage. “youthfully grippy tannins and lingering flavours of blackberry”.

Winemaker’s Background:

Marlborough-born Jules Taylor founded her namesake label in 2001, drawing on winemaking studies at Lincoln University, experience at Cloudy Bay and Kim Crawford, and vintages spent working in Italy. The business remains owned by Jules and George Elworthy, who manages its operations, with viticulturist Stephen Dempster working alongside Jules in the vineyards. Longstanding grower relationships underpin the range, allowing the team to select sites suited to each variety. For Pinot Noir, the focus is on fruit expression, texture and the differences each growing season brings.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve the 2024 at approximately 14–16°C in a Burgundy-style glass. Taste on opening, then allow 30–60 minutes of air if the tannins feel firm. Revisit the pairings that suited the 2020, including smoky pulled pork sliders with kimchi and slaw, seeded crackers with smoky eggplant dip, roast duck or mushroom risotto. The new release’s darker fruit and structure also suit slow-roasted lamb. Enjoy now with food or cellar well-stored bottles toward 2032, consistent with current reviewer guidance. Any remaining 2020 bottles should be assessed individually according to storage and condition.