Akitu A2 Pinot Noir, Central Otago (2020)

Perched at 380 metres in the Upper Wanaka subregion of Central Otago, Akitu is a specialist estate devoted exclusively to Pinot Noir. Planted on a north-facing slope of thin, schist-rich soils, the vineyard experiences dramatic alpine diurnal shifts that build aromatic detail and natural structure. Guided by winemaker Andrew Donaldson, the approach is measured and low-intervention, allowing the site to speak clearly across the A1 and A2 labels. These are precise, high-altitude Pinot Noirs with purity, depth and a distinctive crystalline tension that reflects their remarkable setting.

Central Otago is the most southerly wine region on earth - a dramatic landscape of mountains and gorges at the bottom of New Zealand's South Island, where the vines grow higher and further south than almost anywhere else. Unlike the maritime rest of the country, it is dry and continental: fierce sunny days and cold nights, which is exactly what Pinot Noir wants. The result is Pinot of real depth and perfume, grown where few would dare to plant it.