High Garden Vineyard: “Pinot for Barolo Drinkers”

Planted in 2002 on schist over gravelly loess soils, the High Garden Vineyard in Gibbston, just outside of Queenstown, is an equilibrium of extremes.

High Garden Vineyard, Gibbston Valley, Central Otago

At 500 metres above sea level, it's the highest vineyard site in Central Otago's coolest region, and under its custodianship with Robin Tedder MW, along with esteemed viticulturist Gary Crabbe and legendary winemaker Jen Parr, High Garden Vineyard has become one of New Zealand's most exciting and detail-oriented contemporary pinot noir projects. The site exclusively produces pinot noir, and just one wine each year – an 80/20 blend of clones 777 and Clone 5 – made with essentially zero intervention: natural yeast fermentation, slow MLF and maturation in barrel; no racking, fining or filtering. That's it.

LR: Gary Crabbe, Jen Parr, Robin Tedder MW

The vineyard's growing season is exceptionally long: budburst typically occurs in the second week of October, with harvest commencing close to the end of April. Coupled with excellent shelter from westerly winds, and up to 90 minutes more sunshine per day during the growing season compared to surrounding vineyards, Robin and team have proven themselves (literally!) well-placed to produce world-class pinot noir. Vines are hand tended with great attention, and bunches are intentionally thinned: resulting yields are similar to the Romanée-Conti Vineyard.

High Garden Vineyard Pinot Noir 2023

96 Points, Andrew Caillard MW 96 Points, Bob Campbell MW

Sourced exclusively from the four-hectare, 2002-planted High Garden Vineyard, situated at 430 – 500m altitude on schist rocks over gravelly glacial loess.  

Natural fermentation with vineyard yeasts, three weeks on skins. Slow MLF in French barriques over winter and spring prior to maturation and bottling in autumn. No fining or filtering.

“A lovely strawberry pastille, hint of Campari/white pepper aromas. Supple and minerally with ample strawberry glacé, red cherry fruits, a touch of marzipan, loose-knit fine lacy/ chalky textures, attractive mid palate viscosity and well-integrated acidity. Finishes peppery with a light sappy/ grippy tail. Refined, generous and vigorous. A pinot noir for Barolo drinkers. Really delicious with lovely flow, torque and mineral length. I decanted this with brilliant results. Drink now or keep. 13.1% alc . Another gorgeous vintage from High Garden.” – Andrew Caillard MW