# Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir (2023)

- **Producer:** Oyster Bay
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** 100% Pinot Noir
- **Region:** Marlborough, New Zealand
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €16
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** red cherry, black plum, ripe fruit, berry fruit, dried florals, spice

## About this wine

Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir is a 100% Pinot Noir from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. The 2023 vintage experienced a challenging start with cool, wet weather, but a favorable autumn allowed for slow ripening, resulting in grapes with good concentration and structure. The region's temperate maritime climate, characterized by warm days and cool nights, is ideal for developing the intense varietal characteristics and crisp acidity of Pinot Noir. Oyster Bay, a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, focuses on showcasing the unique terroir of the region, with their Pinot Noir production emphasizing the quality of the fruit.

## Interesting facts

- Oyster Bay is a founding member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand.
- The wine uses a range of Dijon clones (777, 667, 115, Abel) for concentrated fruit flavors.
- The 2023 vintage was described as 'challenging yet ultimately successful'.
- Marlborough's soils are uniform, moderately fertile silts over clay loams.

## Food pairing

The wine's medium body and savory tannins complement the richness of proteins like duck and pork, while its bright red fruit notes and acidity cut through fattier dishes such as salmon and creamy risottos. Herbal undertones in the wine can echo herbs used in preparation.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process for Oyster Bay Marlborough Pinot Noir begins with harvesting individual vineyard blocks separately to allow for tailored treatment. The fruit is destemmed and crushed into stainless steel tanks for fermentation, with open-top tanks undergoing hand-plunging. A portion of the wine ferments in French oak barriques. Malolactic fermentation occurs in both tanks and barriques. The wine is then aged in a combination of new and older French oak barriques, selected for their tight grain and medium toast level, contributing to aromatic complexity and structure.