Awards, Ratings & Reviews
98/100 — Bob Campbell MW · 2021 Vintage
"A wine of extraordinary finesse, purity and precision. Silky, layered and beautifully structured, with the concentration and balance to reward decades of cellaring."
97/100 — James Suckling · 2021 Vintage
"A beautifully detailed Pinot Noir with aromas of spiced cherry, wild berries, dried herbs and crushed stone. Seamless, refined and incredibly long, with superb energy and mineral precision."
About This Wine
The 2021 Prophet's Rock Cuvée Aux Antipodes Pinot Noir is one of New Zealand's greatest Pinot Noirs, born from the celebrated collaboration between Prophet's Rock winemaker Paul Pujol and legendary Burgundian vigneron François Millet, the former winemaker of Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé. Their shared vision brings together the purity of Central Otago with the elegance and philosophy of Burgundy.
Produced from a single parcel within the organically farmed Home Vineyard in Bendigo, the vineyard sits on ancient schist, clay, quartz and limestone-rich soils that naturally produce low yields and exceptional fruit concentration. The 2021 growing season delivered outstanding conditions, producing fruit with remarkable aromatic definition, freshness and structural harmony.
Winemaking is deliberately gentle and uncompromising. Indigenous yeasts drive fermentation with minimal extraction, preserving the vineyard's delicate perfume and mineral character. The wine is matured for 17 months in French oak barrels before being bottled unfined and unfiltered, allowing every nuance of the site to be expressed.
The bouquet is intensely perfumed, revealing wild cherry, raspberry and red plum intertwined with rose petals, alpine herbs, black tea, crushed rock, forest floor and subtle spice. The palate is both powerful and graceful, combining crystalline acidity with silky, ultra-fine tannins and exceptional mineral precision. Layers of pure red fruit unfold effortlessly across a remarkably long, savoury finish, reflecting both the pedigree of the vineyard and the influence of François Millet's Burgundian philosophy.
Although already captivating with extended decanting, the 2021 Cuvée Aux Antipodes Pinot Noir is built for the long term and will continue to evolve beautifully over the next two decades.
Specifications
Vintage: 2021
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Region: Bendigo, Central Otago, New Zealand
Sweetness: Dry
Maturation: 17 months in French oak barrels
Alcohol: 13.5%
Closure: Cork
Drinking Window: 2026–2046+
