Sato 'Northburn' Cetral Otago Pinot Noir 2019

100% Pinot Noir from the Northburn Vineyard, which is on a lakeside terrace, West-facing, with sandy stony loam over river gravels with quartz and schist.

Organically farmed, hand picked, 15% whole bunch, wild fermented and pressed into French oak barriques (0% new) for 18 months. Bottled unfiltered, unfined and with 17mg/L sulphites added at bottling.

Just 12 barrels produced.

THE PRODUCER:

The story of Sato Wines is one of mentorship, dedication and a constant strive for perfection. 

Husband and wife Yoshiaki and Kyoko Sato quit their jobs in Japan in the early 2000's, moved to France, and worked for well known winemakers Pierre Frick, Philippe Pacalet, Christian Binner, Domaine Bizot and Matassa.

After a couple vintages in France they started doubling down with a second vintage each year in New Zealand, ultimately settling in Central Otago by 2006 where they worked at Felton Road and Mount Edward. 

In 2009 they established their own label, sourcing fruit from organic vineyards around Central Otago (Pisa Terrace, Northburn Station, to name a few), and by 2016 they established their own farm/domaine 'La Ferme de Sato', planting Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc on bare land. This vineyard has been farmed biodynamically since inception and is tended to solely by Yoshiaki and Kyoko. A few years later they built their winery (a small machinery shed and larger temperature-controlled barrel hall and aging room) on site too.

Sato’s wines are atypical for Central Otago; picked earlier with bright acidity yet perfect fruit ripeness, the wines are softer on the palate and more expressive of time and place than the more fruit-sweet, over-worked or youthfully-aggressive wines of the region. These wines are more detailed, more elegant and finer than most other wines in the region.