Overview
A distinctive single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Felton Roadās Cornish Point Vineyard in Bannockburn, Central Otago. The 2025 release combines vibrant red fruit and florals with an opulent texture, fine tannins and a long, energetic finish. Cameron Douglas MS awarded the wine 97 points.
Vineyard
Cornish Point Vineyard is surrounded on three sides by Lake Dunstan, creating a distinctive mesoclimate within Bannockburn. Fine loess and silt soils overlie alluvial gravels with calcareous seams. Vineyard work including shoot thinning, positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest is carried out by hand, while cover crops are grown between the rows to support vine balance, soil health and biodiversity.
Vintage
The 2025 season began with abundant spring rainfall before a significant katabatic frost struck on 3 November. Many vines recovered through secondary growth and favourable flowering conditions helped compensate for the early losses. A prolonged dry summer with even temperatures slowed ripening and concentrated flavour. Cornish Point was harvested from 25 March to 1 April, with the extended ripening period contributing breadth, harmony and finesse.
Winemaking
Fruit was gently destemmed by gravity directly into open-top fermenters, with 23% retained as whole clusters. Traditional fermentation and a moderately long maceration on skins developed colour, tannin and depth. Indigenous yeast and natural malolactic fermentation were used.
The wine matured for 13 months in French oak barrels from Burgundian coopers, with 24% new oak. It was bottled without fining or filtration.
Producer Tasting Notes
āInviting and attractive aromatics provide immediate focus of what is about to come: a wave of classic florals underpinned with cherry and raspberry. A burst of rich fruit leads the palate to a mouthfeel that is opulent and seductive. The vibrant finish is complimented with a fine dust of tannin lining the fruit and spice characters. A typical Cornish Point and immensely satisfying wine to aptly celebrate the vineyardās 25th year!ā
Critic Reviews
97 / 100 ā Cameron Douglas MS
āA fascinating wine with a bouquet of site then style, quite youthful and ālocked upā still ā¦ Complex and persistent, a wine that requires cellar time to ensure all the players have a voice.ā
Tasted August 2026
Producer
Felton Road farms four estate vineyards in Bannockburn, Central Otago under a strict 100% estate-grown philosophy. Its vineyards are certified organic by BioGro and biodynamic by Demeter. The winery uses gravity flow, indigenous yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation and a hands-off approach designed to preserve vineyard expression. Felton Road is also B Corp certified and a member of International Wineries for Climate Action.
Specifications
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Vintage: 2025
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Grape: Pinot Noir
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Country: New Zealand
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Region: Central Otago
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Subregion: Bannockburn
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Vineyard: Cornish Point Vineyard
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Viticulture: Certified Organic and Biodynamic; hand harvested
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Whole Cluster: 23%
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Fermentation: Open-top fermentation with indigenous yeast and natural malolactic fermentation
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Maturation: 13 months in French oak barrels
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New Oak: 24%
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Fining / Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered
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Drinking Window: 2032ā2042+ (Cameron Douglas MS)
