Waitaki Pinot Noir, Our Occasional Release
Updated: 4 days ago
Waitaki is our occasional Pinot Noir release, selected for freshness and savoury character. It comes from the same Clos Ostler vineyard as Caroline’s and EOS, on a north-facing limestone escarpment in the Waitaki Valley, North Otago.
The place of Waitaki
Caroline’s reflects the season across all five of our Pinot Noir clones. EOS is selected for perfume, power and the structure to age. For Waitaki, the emphasis falls on bright fruit, savoury detail and a fine, open texture.
The wine draws on the estate’s five clones, namely 115, 667, 777, UCD6 and Abel. Its composition is considered separately, according to the character of the individual lots. Waitaki appears in selected vintages; it is not an annual release.
The name belongs both to the valley and to this particular wine. On the label it identifies a Clos Ostler selection, grown within our own vineyard. We make Waitaki when the available lots give its fresh, savoury character a distinct expression.
The 2023 vintage
Spring and early-summer rainfall reduced fruit set in 2023, leaving a lighter crop. Ripening continued through a long, cool period before harvest in settled late-autumn conditions.
At 12.5% alcohol, the wine has a light frame. Redcurrant and cherry are accompanied by rosehip, thyme and tarragon. Bright acidity carries the fruit, while fine tannins and a subtle saline impression give definition to the finish.
Freshness and savoury character are both important here. The herbs remain present alongside the red fruit, giving the wine interest through the palate without requiring a weightier style.
Lightness and structure
The 2023 makes a useful distinction between body and tannin. Its modest alcohol and light frame sit alongside a definite fine-grained grip. In his April 2026 review, Cameron Douglas MS awarded 95 points and described plentiful tannins with a “needle-point texture”, together with floral aromas and red fruit. His account helps explain how a wine can feel delicate and still have considerable structure.
At the table, follow the sequence from the bright opening fruit to the herbs and fine tannin on the finish. That progression gives the wine its shape. With a young bottle, a first glass poured while the food is being prepared gives it time to open before the meal.
Serving the wine
Serve the 2023 at approximately 14–16°C. Roast chicken with thyme, mushrooms, or a dish combining earthy flavours with fresh herbs would be natural companions. A slightly cool first glass makes it easy to follow the aromas as the wine opens at the table.
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