Black Estate Damsteep Pinot Noir 2021

From the highest two blocks of our Damsteep vineyard, 180 meters above sea level and tucked away at the top of the Omihi valley.  The vines  were planted in 1999 and grow on clay overlying fractured limestone and sandstone soils.   Dense fruit, invigorating tannin, black raspberries.

THE PRODUCER:

The family.

Nicholas Brown and Pen Naish with Pen’s family own our three vineyards. Pen and Nicholas and their two children Sylvia and Arthur live at Netherwood and manage the business.  Nicholas looks after the vineyards and wines with his team and Pen manages the sales & marketing and the restaurant & cellar door with another great team.

Since 2007, when the we first purchased the Home vineyard from it’s founder Russell Black, Pen’s parents and siblings supported us with investing in the land here.  Pen’s father Rod is a 5th generation horticulturalist from North Otago. Pen’s mum Stacey provides much family support.

Russell and Kumiko Black planted the original eight hectares of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines in 1993 at Black Estate,  now called the Home Vineyard.  In spring 2007 we purchased that property and kept the name.  After buying Riesling and Pinot Noir fruit from the Hull family’s Damsteep Vineyard and Netherwood Vineyard  (5-10km up the road), we purchased those two sites in 2012 and 2015 respectively.  (Netherwood was originally established by Danny Schuster and Russell Black in 1986).

We converted all three vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming and are certified with BioGro. No.5202 and Demeter. 

It’s a privilege to farm these three sites.  We’re working with the land and looking to encourage natural balance and life at each site to share an original, quality expression of each place in the glass.

This dream is only possible with our team.  We are very grateful for the friendships and knowledge that grow here.