Johner Estate Humming Wire Pinot Noir 2023

Johner Estate Humming Wire Pinot Noir is the accessible end of Karl-Heinz Johner's Wairarapa project, made from the estate's younger vines and built for drinking now rather than cellaring. Johner, a German winemaker who fell for the Wairarapa's Burgundy-like cool climate, hand-picks and fully de-stems the fruit, then eases off fermentation a touch early to keep some natural sweetness before a year in French oak. The result is light and easy-drinking, with sweet red and dark berry fruit, a savoury lift of spice and a faint smokiness, and soft, approachable tannins rather than anything grippy. It's Pinot for a Tuesday night, not a special occasion - and it's honestly better for it.

What the winery says:

Humming Wire is made from hand-picked, fully de-stemmed fruit from Johner Estate's younger Pinot Noir vines. The grapes are cold-soaked and fermentation is stopped a little early to preserve natural sweetness, then the wine spends around a year ageing in French oak. It's a lighter, more immediate style than Johner's Reserve wines, built around sweet berry fruit and lifted savoury spice notes rather than power or structure. Karl-Heinz Johner established the estate in 2001 on what was previously bare grazing land, convinced the Wairarapa was the best place outside Burgundy to grow serious Pinot Noir.

What the experts say:

Phil Parker, 5 Stars (2023 Vintage)
“From Johner Estate, an absolute bargain. Buy before I do! Very smoky, ripe and juicy with umami soy and tar. Ripe blackberry, plum and dark berry fruits. Medium tannic lengthy finish”