2023 Sheild Pinot Noir Nelson

Beautifully ripe and complex, the enticing bouquet shows dark cherry, cured meat, mushroom and toasted almond characters, followed by a splendidly weighted palate that's succulent and finely textured. Tannins are fine and well infused, making it structured and persistent.

The 2023 Sheild Pinot Noir might just be the perfect wine for springtime: it’s fresh and vibrant, bursting with youthful fruit flavors, and it’s incredibly silky and seamless on the palate. Hailing from Nelson, at the very top of the South Island, this is a delicate, fine-boned example of Pinot Noir that also completely overdelivers for its modest price point. Compared to warmer or more southerly regions of New Zealand, the wines of Nelson are known for being lighter-bodied on the palate, with more subtle earthy notes. Proximity to the ocean lends a coastal feel to the wine, while the region’s ample sunshine ensures perfectly ripe fruit. And while the purity of the fruit in this wine – juicy red cherries, wild raspberry – clearly speaks to the New World, there’s something distinctly Old World about the freshness of the palate and the electric backbone of acidity. It’s just superbly light on its feel and elegant in expression. According to winemaker Trudy Sheild, this wine is crafted from three Pinot Noir clones – Abel, 10/5, and Pommard – with the inclusion of 40% whole clusters during fermentation, which amplifies the bright freshness of the fruit. The wine was then matured in French oak barrels for 9 months, 25% of which were new. In other words, at under $20 per bottle, this is a screaming deal for the quality of winemaking and regional expression of the wine. With only about 1000 cases made, this also is a wine to stock up on by the case.