Inside EOS
Updated: 4 days ago
EOS Pinot Noir.
Rose, raspberry and a trace of lemon thyme draw you into EOS 2022. Then comes the silky feel, followed by a depth that lasts well beyond the first sip. This balance of perfume, power and fine structure is what we seek in EOS, though each season gives it a different character.
The first EOS came from the 2022 vintage, entirely within the Clos Ostler monopole in the Waitaki Valley. It shares its vineyard with Caroline’s. Over the three vintages described here, the selection has begun to reveal both a recognisable character and the differences that make each year worth following.
From individual lots to EOS
Our Pinot Noir clones are harvested and fermented separately. For EOS, the selection centres on Dijon clones 667 and 777, with a smaller contribution from Abel. We follow each lot through maturation, judging its aromatic intensity, depth, tannin and length before composing the final wine.
We select from the wines those clones have produced in a particular season. Caroline’s brings all five together to reflect the year across the vineyard; EOS follows the lots whose perfume, depth and texture meet its more focused intention.
2022, fragrance and fine structure
The first EOS carries dried raspberry, wild strawberry and crushed rose petals, with lemon thyme and black pepper. Its aromatic delicacy is supported by fine tannins and vibrant acidity. The wine has depth through the middle and a long, savoury finish, with a silky feel that makes the structure easy to underestimate at first.
The fruit was hand-picked between 26 April and 5 May, after a mild summer and a dry, settled autumn. Even as the red fruit recedes on the palate, the floral and herbal notes linger. That persistence gives the first EOS much of its appeal.
Managing the texture of the 2022
For the 2022, the estate’s cellar notes record minimal pigeage, the plunging of grape skins back into the fermenting wine. Restrained extraction preserved perfume while obtaining the tannin needed to carry the wine. Its silky texture holds considerable depth.
The individual wines spent ten months in French oak before blending. Keeping them separate through that period allowed us to follow their development, then choose how their aromas, fruit and tannins would come together in the finished EOS.
Cherry, roses and precision in 2023
In our tastings, EOS 2023 is remarkably precise. Cherry compote and dried raspberry are joined by rosehip and bramble, with roses and fresh herbs lifting the nose. A vivid citrus freshness, almost like a squeeze of lime, carries through the fruit.
The cherry compote gives depth to the flavour, while the floral and herbal notes keep it lifted. There is richness in the fruit and a finely drawn freshness through the palate. Those qualities make the 2023 distinct within the first three vintages of EOS.
Darker fruit and greater complexity in 2024
In our early tastings, EOS 2024 is darker and considerably more complex. Dried plum, fig and cherry mingle with wild strawberry, while the perfume opens towards dried rose. Blackcurrant leaf, thyme and sage bring freshness to the darker fruit. Flint, tobacco, toasted walnut and leather emerge as the glass opens.
Silky tannins carry the long finish. These are early impressions of a young wine; the dried rose that emerges as it opens is already a detail we look forward to finding again.
The thread between the vintages
The 2022 brings crystalline red fruit and rose. In 2023, cherry compote, fresh herbs and lime-like freshness give the wine its particular lift. The 2024 moves towards darker fruit and greater complexity. Perfume, silky tannins and a lasting finish connect the three.
Give EOS time in the glass over dinner. The first fragrance is only the beginning, and a bottle can offer quite different pleasures by the last pour.
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