Prophet's Rock Cuvee Aux Antipodes Pinot Noir 2020

Winemaker Paul Pujol refined his trade working in France’s classical wine regions, the Languedoc, Sancerre and, crucially, Burgundy and Alsace. His traditional aesthetic — respectful, patient, vineyard-focused – resonates in Prophet Rock's wines, and frees them to express the unique tenor of our sites. Each glass, then, embodies both the old world and the new, past and present unified by place. At Prophet’s Rock, they are committed to sustainable wine production. Their vines sit comfortably in the natural environment that surrounds them, and they treat these surroundings with care. Prophet’s Rock is a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand. Rocky Pinot on schist based soil and Kopuwai Delta on a mix of glacial and alluvial deposits. 

The wine's journey starts in the vines, where low yielding fruit is grown with great concentration and flavour, followed by harvesting done by hand. Their Pinot Noir requires minimal extraction due to the natural concentration of the fruit, and is fermented using only indigenous yeast from the vineyard. In barrel, the wines go through spontaneous malolactic fermentation and receive extended élevage. The Prophet’s Rock Pinot Noir are bottled unfiltered and are cellared before release.

The Cuvée Aux Antipodes represents the meeting and friendship of two winemakers, Paul Pujol and Francois Millet from the two hemispheres. The Old and the New World seemingly so distant, join here in a human and winemaking adventure with a common passion for Pinot Noir and the beauty of its terroirs. The grapes of this wine were sourced from their Home Vineyard which is located on a high-elevation, steep glacial terrace in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. This stunning site has clay and pedogenic lime soil, featuring schist and quartz. Cellaring will reward collectors over the next 10+ years from vintage.

This has an intense, complex nose of charred bark, dark cherries, black raspberries, cumin, spice box, iodine and slate. It's medium- to full-bodied with a firm, sleek tannin structure providing plenty of support to the dark fruit. Tight and mineral at the end. Better after 2023. - James Suckling, 96 points

The Finer Details
Style - Red Wine
Varietal - Pinot Noir
Country - New Zealand
Region - Central Otago 
Vintage - 2020
Bottle Size - 750ml
ABV - 13.5%