Caroline’s and EOS from One Vineyard
Updated: 4 days ago
Caroline’s reflects the season across all five of our Pinot Noir clones. EOS is a selection centred on 667 and 777, chosen for perfume, power and the structure to age.
Both come from the same limestone vineyard at Clos Ostler in the Waitaki Valley, North Otago. Their distinction begins with how we bring the individual lots together.
Caroline’s
A clone is a selected line within a grape variety. These are all Pinot Noir, grown within one vineyard. Keeping the lots separate allows us to understand their character in a particular season before deciding how they work together.
Caroline’s brings together 115, 667, 777, UCD6 and Abel. Each clone is harvested and fermented separately, allowing us to follow its development before blending.
The intention is to express the vintage through the full range of Pinot Noir grown here. The balance changes with the season, so Caroline’s carries the character of that year across all five clones.
This gives the separate fermentations a practical purpose. We can follow the aroma, acidity and tannin of each lot before considering the blend. A component’s value becomes clearer alongside other lots, through the fruit, length and texture it brings to the blend. Caroline’s is assembled around the character of the harvest, with all five clones taking part.
EOS
For EOS, we look for the lots that combine aromatic intensity with depth and sustained structure. The selection centres on 667 and 777, with a small contribution from Abel.
Perfume matters as much as power. The wine must have the concentration and tannin to develop in bottle, while retaining the lift and definition that make it compelling to drink.
Tasting the two together
The clearest comparison is within a single vintage. Caroline’s 2022 and EOS 2022 share the conditions of the same growing season; tasting them side by side brings the different selections into focus.
In 2022, Caroline’s moves through red cherry and plum towards rose, thyme and earth, with supple, dusty tannins. EOS brings dried raspberry, rose petal, lemon thyme and black pepper. There is a family resemblance in the floral and savoury detail, while the individual fruit and texture give each wine its own shape.
Aromatic intensity can give an initial impression of lightness, even where the palate has considerable depth. With time in the glass, the distribution of tannin and the persistence of fruit make the differences between Caroline’s and EOS clearer. Each selection has its own balance of perfume, weight and structure.
The shared vineyard and year give the two wines a close relationship. Their composition gives each a distinct expression, bringing several lots together through the judgement of selection and blending.
Both are made with cellaring in mind. Tasting them together is a way of understanding the choices within one vineyard.
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