Sherwood Estate Waipara Pinot Noir 2019

Dayne and Jill Sherwood have always made good Pinot Noir, but the 2019 Sherwood Estate Pinot Noir with all Waipara estate fruit looks to be Sherwood’s finest estate Pinot Noir to date. The expressive 2019 Sherwood Estate Pinot Noir outshines many Burgundy Pinot Noirs selling for $40.00 and $50.00. It offers an elegant medium body and beguiling aromatics. It’s also positively easy to drink. In short, it provides all the attributes one can expect from well-made, cool weather Pinot Noir: a floral bouquet of cherry, cranberry, and strawberry fruit interlaced with hints of lavender and spice. And in the mouth, the 2019 Sherwood Estate Waipara Pinot Noir graces the palate with a wonderful mélange of crushed berries, tomato leaf, and exotic spices, all of which flow on juicy acidity in Burgundian fashion. Fine grained tannins frame this elegant Pinot Noir and give it a refreshing, graceful finish. We suggest aerating the 2019 Sherwood Estate Waipara Pinot Noir for 15-20 minutes before serving at cool room temperature (58º-62º F). Anticipated maturity: 2022-2027.

In the company of meats, cheeses, and seafood, the 2019 Sherwood Estate Waipara Pinot Noir positively shines as New Zealand winemakers are exceptionally adept at crafting wines to fit the bounty of their pristine islands and surrounding seas. Lamb, sheep’s cheeses, and seafood dishes pair superbly with Dayne and Jill Sherwood’s exuberant 2019 Estate Waipara Pinot Noir. Lamb chops, brushed with olive oil and herbs, and grilled to perfection; a salad of fried sheep or goat cheese with red pepper jelly, caramelized onions, basil oil and arugula; calamari tossed with wasabi glaze served over red bean salsa with chipotle remoulade, sprouts and fresh basil oil; and tuna sliders with wasabi and caper aioli are just a few gastronomic delights to accompany Sherwood’s flavorful Pinot Noir. Salmon in a creamy fennel sauce and roast chicken with grilled shitake mushrooms provide tasty accompaniments, too. Enjoy!

Sherwood Estate is very much a family business, with Dayne and Jill Sherwood owning and operating their state of the art winery since the late 1980s. Located in Waipara on New Zealand’s South Island, the Sherwoods have been two of the early pioneers of premium viticulture in Waipara. Waipara is the fastest growing wine region in New Zealand and an appellation that renowned Master of Wine Bob Campbell calls “one of the unsung heroes of the wine industry.” In addition to their excellent estate holdings in Waipara, the Sherwoods own several outstanding vineyards in neighboring Marlborough.

Waipara Valley enjoys a unique location; it lies nestled against the leeward side of the Teviotdale Hills, which sit midway between Christchurch and Marlborough, New Zealand’s most famous wine country. These hills admit the warm, drying northerly and westerly winds into Waipara Valley, but they also protect the area from the cold easterly winds that blow from the sea. Snuggling up against these hills with north facing slopes (the equivalent of a highly coveted south facing terrain in the Northern Hemisphere) provides the ideal sun trap for vines. The unique terroir of Waipara with its long warm autumn days lends itself to the production of round, spicy Pinot Noirs and Rieslings, as well as world class Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

The Sherwoods fashion several lines of wine in limited quantities. Presently, the winery’s Heritage Collection and Estate bottlings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc constitute the focus and flagship offerings of this pioneering estate.