2017 RIPPON 'Rippon' Mature Vine Pinot Noir, Lea & Sandeman

RIPPON

2017 'Rippon' Mature Vine Pinot Noir

Grapes Pinot Noir
Colour Red
Origin New Zealand, South Island
Other Bio-dynamic, Certified Organic, Practising Organic
ABV 13%

The ultimate sense of place is the goal here with the Rippon signature wine - their 'Rippon' Pinot Noir. From a single vineyard, Nick Mills calls this the 'voice of the farm' and tasting it does transport you right there to the shores of Central Otago's Lake Wanaka. An iconic image and this mesmerising wine brings that beauty to the glass. A real "vin de terroir" made following bio-dynamic principals and a clear resolve to ignore flashy wine-making and a big fleshy style. Purity, energy, vitality and a realness are the hallmarks here of this thought-provoking, beautifully textured wine. There is soul here and this is a wine to dive into and be transported. Quite simply delicious, grown-up Pinot Noir. L&S (Aug 2023)


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This offers aromas of violets, blueberries, red and dark cherries, fragrant, freshly cracked black pepper and wet dark stones. Complex, but still tightly wound and reserved. The palate is very concentrated, dense and elegantly poised with such powerful tannin, carrying concentrated blueberry and dark-cherry flavors long. Really taut, fully ripe and mouthwateringly intense pinot noir. Dark cherry-pit freshness to close. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but better in five years. Rating: 99 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Jul 2021)

Seductive, come-hither Pinot Noir that tastes like it's just finished a three-day yoga retreat. I could talk about the dried herb, umami and plum flavors, but that would be neglecting what is important about this wine: its ease of texture and in particular the almost honey-like texture of the tannins. It has relatively delicacy on the palate but it expands, giving a sense of generosity in terms of the space it covers while in your mouth. Starting to drink now – as are many of the 2017s vs the current-release 2019s – this should continue to evolve gracefully until the latter half of the 2020s. The finish is all tea leaf and plum, spice and cedar. And, in the world of Pinot Noir, still relatively well priced. Rating: 94 Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous.com (Mar 2021)

Rippon

Nick Mills returned home after several years away, working with the likes of Alain and Sophie Meunier at Domaine JJ Confuron, and Pascal Marchand (late of Domaine Comte Armand and then at Domaine de la Vougeraie). This experience with some of the leading players in Burgundy fired him up with enthusiasm, and we are already seeing the fruits of his experience in the changes in viticulture (to bio-dynamism) and the increased depth of mineral complexity in the wines.

Nick Mills on Biodynamics: 'Granted custodianship over this very special piece of land, the family's principle goal is to create vins de terroir, wines that are an accurate reflection of their surroundings. It is the micro-life in our soils which, in their ability to metabolise minerals into a form that vines can assimilate, are the link in between plants and the earth. This simple biology is the essential framework in producing a wine which is true to its soil and site. With this understanding comes an absolute respect for the land and life therein and it is for this reason that Rippon is run biodynamically.

Decisions made in the vineyard and winery first consider the effect the outcome may have on the micro-flora of the soils, vines & wines. Rippon does not use herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or soluble nitrogenous fertilisers on the property. All the property's organic waste matter is recycled to make around 40 tonnes of fungal dominant compost every year. This is spread back over the land during the first descending moon after harvest as an inoculation of beneficial micro-flora for the whole property...and thus starts a diverse and vital web of life on which to live and produce.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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