⏱ 2 min read
The Short Version
Forget the idea of a monolithic Pinot Noir; Central Otago is a landscape of radical stylistic shifts. By distilling 76 wines into the "Central Dozen," experts have mapped a spectrum ranging from savory, iodine-driven power to bright, crunchy elegance.
Emma Jenkins, alongside winemakers Jen Parr, Greg Lane, and Sam Davies, recently distilled the essence of Central Otago into a single case. To create the “Central Dozen,” the team blind tasted 76 wines from the 2024 vintage, narrowing them down to a shortlist of 19 before selecting twelve that best capture the region’s current stylistic breadth. In a territory where Pinot Noir dominates—occupying 1,765 hectares out of roughly 2,000 total plantings—this curation offers a snapshot of a landscape shaped by diverse soils ranging from gravelly lochar to wind-blown loess.
This wasn’t meant to be a selection of the very ‘best’ wines from the region, but more a set of Pinots that capture the place and the season.
A spectrum of fruit and texture
The selection avoids simply picking the highest scores, opting instead for variety. Amisfield’s Pisa bottling delivers a supple, sweetly fruited profile (93/100), while Burn Cottage Moonlight Race provides an assertive counterpoint with savory iodine and tarry notes (94/100). For those seeking elegance, Dicey The Inlet showcases fresh cranberry and wild strawberry through 16 months in used French oak (93/100). This wasn’t meant to be a selection of the very ‘best’ wines from the region, but more a set of Pinots that capture the place and the season. This intent is evident in the way the collection moves between the bright, crunchy Bendigo style of Moko Hills (93/100) and the warm, spicy richness found in Maude Estate’s Poison Creek (94/100).
Precision across key subregions
The technical diversity within the dozen highlights how specific sites dictate character. Pyramid Valley’s Low Burn Pinot Noir, grown on loess over compacted lakebed silts, earns a high 95/100 for its silky, voluminous texture. Similarly, Valli Gibbston captures its namesake’s floral potential with white pepper and sagebrush notes (95/100), while Wild Irishman Tūturi—the latest project from 85-year-old pioneer Alan Brady—offers a wide dynamic range of black cherry and iron savouriness (95/100). Even the highly structured Grasshopper Rock Block 6 stands out with its peppery spiciness and potpourri aromatics (94/100).
From the delicate, old-vine brightness of Mora Vale to the sleek, stewed fruit of Mt Difficulty, these twelve bottles prove that Central Otago has moved far beyond a monolithic style. The result is a curated narrative of a region defined by both intense concentration and remarkable freshness.
Does a curated selection like this change your perception of a region more than tasting individual flagship labels?
Questions & Answers
What is the Central Dozen wine collection?
The Central Dozen is a curated case of twelve Pinot Noir wines designed to showcase the stylistic breadth of the Central Otago region. To create this collection, Emma Jenkins and a team of expert winemakers blind tasted 76 wines from the 2024 vintage to find the most representative bottles. Rather than just selecting the highest-rated wines, the team chose a variety of profiles that capture the unique landscape, soil types, and seasonal nuances of the area.
How much of Central Otago is dedicated to Pinot Noir production?
Pinot Noir is the dominant grape variety in Central Otago, occupying approximately 1,765 hectares of the region's total plantings. Out of roughly 2,000 total hectares planted, the vast majority is dedicated to this single varietal. This massive concentration of Pinot Noir allows for significant stylistic diversity driven by different soil compositions, such as gravelly lochar and wind-blown loess, which shape the character of the wines produced across the various subregions.
What different flavor profiles can be found in Central Otago Pinot Noir?
Central Otago Pinot Noir offers a wide spectrum of fruit and texture ranging from bright and crunchy to warm and spicy. For example, some wines like Dicey The Inlet provide fresh cranberry and wild strawberry notes, while others like Maude Estate’s Poison Creek offer a rich, spicy profile. Other variations include savory iodine and tarry notes from Burn Cottage or delicate floral characteristics like white pepper and sagebrush found in Valli Gibbston wines.
Why do different subregions in Central Otago produce different wine styles?
Specific site characteristics and soil types dictate the unique character of wines across Central Otago's subregions. For instance, Pyramid Valley’s Low Burn Pinot Noir achieves a silky, voluminous texture because it is grown on loess over compacted lakebed silts. Similarly, the different geological landscapes, including gravelly areas and wind-blown loess, ensure that the region produces a diverse range of wines rather than a single monolithic style.
Originally reported by Wine Anorak.
