2024 Craggy Range Pinot Noir, Martinborough, New Zealand

ABOUT THIS WINE

Handpicked from the higher terrace of the Te Muna Road Vineyard, this Pinot Noir reveals a silky, layered texture with remarkable complexity. Over ten carefully selected clones from diverse blocks are harvested and vinified separately, then artfully blended to capture purity, depth, and a true sense of place.

The Te Muna Road Vineyard is located some 7 kilometres outside of the Martinborough township. Two distinct terraces make up the vineyard, the higher comprising very old, stony clay-infused soils perfect for Pinot Noir. The lower terrace of younger stony soils interleaved with limestone provides an excellent environment for Sauvignon Blanc. The cooler climate of Martinborough ensures the wine is aromatic with steely minerality, while the rocky soils give intensity to the fruit. The region’s warm, dry summers and mild winters lead to complex and structured wines with subtle aromatics and an elegant finish.

A warm, dry spring led to excellent fruit set and higher yields, with much-needed rain in December followed by a mild, even finish to the season. An elongated harvest began on the 22nd of March, sourced from new plantings at the northern end of Te Muna Road, concluding three weeks later with fruit from an Abel clone block. This thin-skinned, large-berry vintage resulted in the majority of blocks being destemmed, with only selected older-vine parcels fermented with more whole-clusters. Fermentation was carried out with indigenous yeasts over an average of 16 days on skins, with gentle maceration predominantly through pumpovers. The wine underwent 100% malolactic fermentation in French oak barriques and was aged for 10 months, with one racking prior to blending. Unfined, it was bottled in February 2026.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

In 1993, Terry and Mary Peabody set out to create a lasting legacy. A wine estate that could be passed down through generations. Their vision was bold: to begin with untouched land and build something truly exceptional, with quality as the cornerstone from the very first vine.

Their search took them across France, America, and Australia before they arrived in New Zealand - a remote and dramatic landscape. Here, Terry discovered what he hadn't found elsewhere: an exceptional cool climate region, an emerging wine industry with a deep-rooted farming tradition, and an enduring pioneering spirit.

New Zealand's temperate maritime climate and youthful soils offered the perfect conditions to produce benchmark wines of remarkable freshness, purity, and elegance. They sought out the most distinctive parcels of land - terroirs capable of producing wines that truly reflect their place. This led them to the raw, gravelly soils of Gimblett Gravels, Hawke's Bay and the layered terraces of Te Muna, Martinborough.

The Peabody family aspired to create an exceptional wine estate that would sit comfortably alongside the world’s great wine producers. The desire was to produce exceptional wine, and craft an enduring legacy that would stand the test of time. This vision was anchored by the establishment of a 1,000 year trust – a commitment to their long-term thinking.