Accolades:
95/100 Bob Campbell MW
92/100 Burghound
91/100 Robert Parker

Gently aromatic pinot noir with floral, red rose, plum, cherry and spicy oak flavours. A concentrated yet elegant wine, with an appealing core of fruit sweetness that makes it accessible now, although it promises to develop well. Bob Campbell MW

Here too there is just a background trace of reduction on the very somber, even brooding, dark currant and humus scents that should dissipate with age or with air. There is better volume and richness to the relatively powerful medium-bodied flavors that possess very fine intensity on the serious, sappy and built-to-age finish. This robust effort is balanced and while it's not going to win any awards for refinement, I quite like the bold delivery. Worth checking out provided that you have the patience to age this for at least a few years first. Burghound

A hint of pencil shavings accents notes of violets, pomegranate and black cherries on the nose of the 2017 Cowley Family Vineyard Main Slopes Pinot Noir. Medium to full-bodied, velvety and lush, this sexy wine finishes with bright acids and dusty tannins. You can count on it aging up to decade, although it's approachable now. Robert Parker‚ Wine Advocate

Tasting Note: The Cowley Family Vineyard is located in the Ben Morven foothills of Marlborough, New Zealand. A magnificent site planted intelligently and nurtured meticulously by the Cowley family. Facing nor-nor-east, the Main Slopes are planted at a density of 3,800 vines per hectare on clay-rich soils formed through the slow mixing and layering of glacial outwash and volcanic uplift. Main Slopes at its best with charcuterie-like savouriness and earthy dried florals working brilliantly together. Remarkable fruit sweetness leads the structured, saturated palate. Generous and transparent, with a verve and somewhere-ness all of its own.

Winemaking Notes: The grapes were hand-picked 2nd April, sorted into 1/2 ton bins and transported to winery. Eighty percent of the fruit was de-stemmed and sorted again to a sealed tank for 4 days at ambient temperature. Piegage was employed and a spontaneous rapid ferment emerged. Fermentation lasted 8 days, after which the young wine rested on skins for 6 days prior to pressing. Once settled the wine was transferred to seasoned (second and third year) French oak barrels. The wine remained in barrel for 13 months on original lees undergoing a natural malolactic ferment during this period. Late April 2018 the wine was moved from barrel to tank where it rested for a further 7 months prior to being racked once more and sulphured in preparation for bottling in November 2018. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

Alcohol: 13.0%

Variety: Pinot Noir

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

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