Overview
A powerful and site-driven single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Felton Roadās MacMuir Vineyard in Bannockburn, Central Otago. The 2025 release combines darker fruit, fine but substantial tannin and notable depth with the purity and finesse that define Felton Roadās approach to Pinot Noir.
Vineyard
MacMuir Vineyard lies approximately 1km east of Felton Roadās Elms Vineyard and winery and around 300m west of Calvert. The site has a higher vine density, a diverse range of clones and deep, heavy silt soils. Vineyard work including shoot thinning, positioning, leaf plucking, bunch thinning and harvest is carried out by hand, while cover crops are used to support vine balance, soil health and biodiversity.
Vintage
The 2025 growing season began with abundant spring rainfall before a significant katabatic frost struck on 3 November. Many vines recovered through secondary growth, while settled conditions during flowering produced a successful fruit set. A prolonged dry summer and even temperatures slowed ripening and concentrated flavour. MacMuir was harvested from 7 to 16 April, with the extended ripening period contributing breadth, harmony and finesse.
Winemaking
Fruit was gently destemmed by gravity directly into open-top fermenters, with 31% retained as whole clusters. Traditional fermentation with a moderately long maceration on skins developed colour, tannin and depth. Indigenous yeasts and natural malolactic fermentation were used.
The wine matured for 13 months in French oak barrels from Burgundian coopers, of which 25% were new. It was bottled without fining or filtration.
Producer Tasting Notes
āMacMuir always has a distinctive nose: darker fruits, with leaf hints and a touch of forest floor. On the palate there is the immediate impact of MacMuir muscle, a solid authority rather than aggression, eventually revealing its subdued powerful core. While there is copious tannin, it is wonderfully fine, adding a note of suavity to what might otherwise be an expression of strength. An impeccable finish, long and pure.ā
Critic Reviews
97 / 100 ā Cameron Douglas MS
āA wine of savoury elegance and power, velvet tannins and a powerful-sweet acid line ā¦ Delicious, lengthy and well made.ā
Tasted August 2026
Producer
Felton Road farms four estate vineyards in Bannockburn, Central Otago and follows a strict 100% estate-grown philosophy. Its vineyards are certified organic by BioGro and biodynamic by Demeter. The gravity-flow winery follows a hands-off approach using indigenous yeasts, natural malolactic fermentation and minimal intervention. 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: MacMuir Vineyard
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Viticulture: Certified Organic and Biodynamic; hand harvested
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Whole Cluster: 31%
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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: 25%
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Fining / Filtration: Unfined and unfiltered
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Drinking Window: 2032ā2042+ (Cameron Douglas MS)
