Mud House wines continues to live up to its reputation for excellent wine, with great results for two of their Pinot Noirs in the annual Cuisine Magazine Pinot Noir tasting panel (Issue 194, May 2019).

The Mud House Central Otago Pinot Noir 2018 was rated 4 stars and a best buy, meaning it is a wine that combines an ‘outstanding mix of both quality and price’.

Cleighten Cornelius, Mud House Winemaker said: “It is always nice to receive positive feedback in the form of a review like this. We strive to produce wine that is approachable, enjoyable and consistent. This recognition by Cuisine implies we are doing a pretty good job!

The grapes for this wine were sourced from the Mud House Claim 431 Vineyard in Bendigo, Central Otago.

“This wine is best described as a Bendigo beauty – Deep red in colour, with aromas of ripe and dark berry, hints of cherry and a dash of spicy oak. The juicy fruit flavours really pack a punch and contrast elegantly with the refined tannins and cool climate acidity that is a hallmark of the region.”

The Cuisine Tasting Panel also took a shine to the Mud House Single Vineyard Marlborough Dambuster Pinot Noir 2014, which was awarded a very worthy 4 stars, ‘a wine of very good quality’. The single vineyard range embodies wine that is refined, distinctive and textural – as much about the location it comes from as the wine itself.

This wine has a good yarn associated with it – the grapes were grown at Mud House’s flagship Marlborough Vineyard ‘The Woolshed’. When European settlers first arrived in the region, the land the vineyard sits on was converted from native bush and wetlands to grazing for sheep. Come WWII, the land was once again repurposed when it became home to the RNZAF Station Delta. It included a runway and camps where new recruits undertook their training.

“This wine was a limited release and we describe it as grunty, with character and maturity – much like those WWII RNZAF pilots who inhabited the land before us.“

The grapes for this wine were grown on a perfectly situated north-west facing site; directly below the Delta Dam. The sunny location and favourable climactic conditions allowed the fruit to ripen slowly, contributing to its robust structure and concentrated flavour.

“Ruby red in colour, this wine is spicy, fruity and savoury. When we bottled this wine in 2015 we said it would be great drinking now, or cellaring for up to 8 years. I think this wine is just hitting its stride now!’ Cleighten said.

For more information visit: http://www.mudhouse.co.nz/