Kahiwi Scordatura 'Octa' Pinot Noir 2021

Scordatura (ˌskɔːdəˈtjʊərə)

noun music

The intentional mistuning of an instrument to gain new chords, special effects and timbre.

Experimental Batch Pinot Noir

Each year, we craft a selection of small, experimental batch wines under our Scordatura label. These wines either highlight a specific aspect of our winemaking approach or represent a singular, standalone parcel worthy of individual attention. As winegrowers, we constantly ask questions, and these wines reveal the answers we discover.

The Concept of Scordatura

In the realm of music, scordatura embodies the art of altering an instrument's standard tuning to unlock novel harmonic landscapes and tonal hues. We've embraced this philosophy in our experimental winemaking approach: By employing diverse and innovative techniques to a singular foundation—Pinot Noir from our vineyard—we uncover a spectrum of intentional variations, each a unique expression of place and process.

Just as alternative tunings awaken unexpected musical possibilities, each Platonic solid offers a distinct expression of three-dimensional space. 

The Labels

Our label designs pay homage to the five Platonic solids, forging a connection between scordatura and the pursuit of ideal form. As scordatura transforms musical experience, each Platonic solid offers a distinct tuning of three-dimensional space. These geometric archetypes represent varied methods of spatial division, mirroring how our wines articulate different facets of our vineyard's personality. Through this visual and conceptual linkage, we invite enthusiasts to explore the multifaceted nature of these wines, where each bottle serves as a window into the interplay between varietal, vineyard, and vinification. Each tasting, an exploration of the resulting form.

The Wines

For 2021, we created five wines from our Mount Pisa vineyard:

1. Tetra (Tetrahedron - Fire)

2. Hexa (Hexahedron/Cube - Earth)

3. Octa (Octahedron - Air)

4. Dodeca (Dodecahedron - Universe)

5. Icosa (Icosahedron - Water)

Each wine is inspired by a Platonic solid and its classical elemental association, representing a different interpretation of our vineyard and showcasing various aspects of its expressive potential.

Scordatura Octa 2021

Reflection

Scordatura Octa 2021 embodies the unique interpretation of our Mount Pisa vineyard's lower slopes, where schist and quartz overlay clay. The blend of three separate ferments has resulted in a wine that is bright and pure, with a seamless structure and flowing character. This wine showcases the complexity of its terroir, offering a rounded, fluid expression of Pinot Noir, highlighting the interplay between fruit brightness and subtle oak polish.

Experimental Design / Unique Feature

This wine explores the expression of lower slope schist and quartz over clay through a blend of separate fermentations with classic style winemaking.

Vineyard

Mount Pisa Vineyard, Central Otago ● Selected parcels from a low north facing block with schist and quartz over clay base ● Pinot Noir clones Abel and 115

Vintage Notes

A windy start with wild fluctuations throughout the season from very hot days to snow down on the mountains. The 2021 vintage at Kahiwi speaks of precision and detail. The wines promise to offer a unique expression of our site, shaped by a season of contrasts and challenges.

Winemaking

• Harvest Date: 1st April 

• Yield: 3.3t/ha

• Fermentation

• 21% whole bunch inclusion

• 21 days on skins

• Pressing was small batch either direct to barrel or with one night’s settling before barreling down

• Malolactic fermentation completed in barrel

• Maturation occurred in French oak barrels (33% new oak)

Technical Information (post bottling)

● Alcohol: 13.5% ● pH: 3.74 ● Total Acidity: 5.4 g/L ● Volume: 764 Bottles

Nestled beneath the Pisa Range in Central Otago, Kahiwi draws its name and inspiration from the very land it calls home. In Te Reo Māori, Kahiwi means "the ridge of a hill," our vineyard's unique landform. But Kahiwi also holds a deeper meaning - "the heart or trunk of a tree" - connecting us to the earth and flora of our region.

Our Roots in the Land

While Central Otago may appear dry and barren today, it once flourished with Kōwhai forests. Mānuka, Kānuka, Harakeke flax, Tī Kōuka (Cabbage Trees), and Horoeka (Lancewood) all find a home here. The twisted Mikimiki shrub, growing wild on the Pisa Range, provides a linguistic bridge to our name - both "Miki" and "Kahiwi" can refer to the ridge of a hill.

We nurture native plants alongside our vines. This connection to the land's past informs our present and future. We value these trees not just for their beauty, but for their essential role in our ecosystem. We plant them for diversity, for shelter and for the future.