Loop Road Pinot Noir 2023

Loop Road Pinot Noir is Quartz Reef's entry point into single-vineyard Bendigo pinot noir, drawn from certified organic and biodynamic estate fruit first planted in 1998. The nose is inviting, layering Dawson cherry and blueberry with fine notes of thyme, while the palate delivers sweet, ripe fruit, spirited acidity and lush flavours rounded off by soft, supple tannins. A moderate, steadily ripening growing season gave concentrated, balanced fruit, and partial whole-cluster fermentation with ten months in French oak add structure without weight. Approachable and generous, it offers immediate charm alongside genuine Central Otago pinot character.

What the winery says:

The fruit comes from Quartz Reef's BioGro-certified organic and Demeter-certified biodynamic estate vineyard in the Bendigo subregion of Central Otago, planted in 1998. The 2023 growing season brought moderate temperatures and steady ripening, allowing vibrant red berry character and gentle acidity to develop. Grapes were hand-picked and fermented in small batches with careful temperature control, using a portion of whole clusters to build structure, before ageing for ten months in French oak, during which the wine underwent natural malolactic fermentation.