The Pyramid Valley Mānatu Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied, silky, and elegantly structured red wine from the certified organic Lowburn sub-region of Central Otago, New Zealand. Sourced from premium old-vine parcels on a sheltered, north-facing slope, this terroir-driven release captures the plush fruit concentration of the region while maintaining Pyramid Valley’s signature mineral clarity and light-footed grace.
- Aromas: Highly expressive and perfumed with black cherry, dark plum, and wild berries, beautifully layered with wild thyme, baking spice, mocha, and dried citrus rind.
- Palate: Satiny and composed, delivering a concentrated core of dark fruits and licorice, perfectly balanced by a lacy, fresh acidity and chalky, fine-grained tannins.
- Style: A refined Central Otago Pinot Noir that trades heavy extraction or over-ripeness for a pure, graceful, and persistent structure with an understated, quiet power.
- Winemaking: Hand-harvested from old vines on loess and deep gravel soils, wild-fermented with a small portion of whole bunches, and matured for 12 to 18 months in premium French oak.
- Cellaring: Wonderfully seductive and approachable in its youth, yet built with the structural density and balance to cellar beautifully over 8 to 12 years.
- Food Pairing: Sensational with high-end Asian pairings like Cantonese roast goose, Peking duck pancakes, five-spice slow-braised pork belly, or a rich wild mushroom stir-fry with XO sauce.
This is a masterclass in tension, displaying Central Otago's naturally boisterous, sun-soaked dark cherry fruit with all the seductive, velvet weight of a premium Pinot right up front, only for a burst of cool mineral energy to snap the finish bone-dry. It gives you all that comforting berry plushness and classy regional spice richness you crave, but stays brilliantly lively and light on its feet from start to finish.
Pyramid Valley
Pyramid Valley was founded in 2000 by Mike and Claudia Weersing after a 15-year search for the ideal vineyard site, eventually settling on the dramatic limestone and clay slopes of Waikari in North Canterbury, New Zealand. Guided by biodynamic principles and minimal intervention winemaking, the estate quickly gained recognition for producing exceptional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with a profound sense of place.
In 2017, the estate entered a new chapter under the ownership of Steve Smith MW and Brian Sheth, while maintaining the same unwavering commitment to terroir-driven wines that honestly reflect the land they come from.
