Cloudy Bay’s evocative distillation of the most extreme southerly and continental Pinot Noir terroir of Central Otago.

Built on the belief that pinot noir should speak of its origins, Te Wahi comes from the Maori phrase for “the place” and perfectly embodies the raw beauty that is New Zealand’s Central Otago.

A wine of incredible finesse, Te Wahi showcases the complementarity of two terroirs: the silky, richly flavoured grapes from Cloudy Bay’s Calvert vineyard, and the powerful, structured qualities found in Northburn.

The 2021 Te Wahi Pinot Noir is open and expressive, with appealing hints of dark chocolate and cherry liqueur alongside a touch of minty freshness. The palate is fresh and lively, with vibrant, juicy acidity and a beautiful sense of purity. There’s an attractive damson jelly note alongside darker cold brew coffee characters and – again – a lovely crushed mint leaf lift. The tannins are fine and silky, giving the wine a supple and appealing texture.

Fruit from our two complementary Central Otago vineyards is mostly de-stemmed into open-top fermentation tanks, with some whole bunch fermentation. In spring, the wine goes through extended maceration and spontaneous malolactic fermentation. The wine then spends a year or more ageing in French oak barrels before bottling.

Te Wāhi comes from two contrasting vineyards. Northburn sits on Lake Dunstan’s steep east bank, where unforgiving, rocky, glacial soils produce fruit with structure and intensity. Calvert, on Felton Road in Bannockburn, sits in the silty, loamy soils of an ancient lake bed and produces opulent, fragrant fruit.

Te Wāhi’s complex, sophisticated and powerful flavours make it a perfect match for game meats and roasted vegetables. It’s a perfect addition to any winter banquet - try it with slow-roasted lamb shoulder and grilled root vegetables, or beef wellington and parsnip purée.