Folding Hill, Pinot Noir 2021

Get to know: Folding Hill, Pinot Noir

Tasting Note

This is a proper treat of a Pinot Noir – silky, rich and gorgeously balanced. Expect a swirl of ripe Black Doris plums, tart cherry and wild strawberries on the nose, with hints of spice and toasted almonds lifting from the glass. On the palate, there’s a lush depth of dark fruit – morello cherry, blackberry and juicy plum – wrapped in soft tannins, warming cinnamon spice and a touch of vanilla oak.

The finish? Long, elegant and utterly moreish.

Food Pairings:

• Roast beetroot and lentil salad with tahini dressing (vegan)

• Grilled lamb chops with rosemary and garlic

• Mature Comté or a creamy Somerset Brie

Kate Says

“This is one of my absolute favourite Central Otago Pinot Noirs. It’s got all that vibrant fruit you expect from New Zealand but with a really classy, Old World-like structure. It’s one of those wines that feels special the minute you open it – but not too posh for a midweek roast. Definitely worth snapping up a few bottles for now and a few to forget about for a couple of years!”

Producer Info

Folding Hill is a small, family-run vineyard nestled in the Bendigo sub-region of Central Otago. Owned by Tim and Nikki Kerruish, two ex-doctors who swapped stethoscopes for secateurs, their dream was simple: grow the best Pinot Noir the land would allow.

Their organic vineyard (certified BioGro) is all about letting nature do the talking. Everything is hand-harvested, with low yields to concentrate flavour. In the winery, the fruit is treated gently – fully destemmed, fermented in small batches, and aged in top-notch French oak (mostly old barrels, with a few new for spice). No fining, no filtration – just pure, expressive Pinot Noir.

That low-intervention, organic approach makes a real difference. You get a wine that’s full of energy and integrity – clean, focused fruit, fine tannins, and a texture that wraps around your palate like velvet. This is New Zealand Pinot Noir at its most elegant and age-worthy.