Terra Sancta Shingle Beach Pinot Noir

A wise man once said “find the best vineyard sites you can because you can’t out perform your vineyards.” So they found the Sancta vineyard on the now world famous Felton Road in Bannockburn and set up shop.

Terra Sancta. It means sacred earth, holy land and there’s definitely something pretty bloody special about this little corner of the wine world. It’s home to the first vines planted in Bannockburn. And the firsts don’t stop there, these guys can also claim to be the first producer of a wine based Botanical Aperitivo in NZ, the first to plant the Lagrien variety, the first  super premium Rosé and the first Rosé producer to make Michael Cooper’s “Super Classic” list.

This is the world class (and currently HIGHLY sought after) Terra Sancta Shingle Beach Pinot Noir from the legendary 2024 vintage. Legendary why? Because one of the world’s leading critics in James Suckling awarded it a jaw dropping 99/100 and called it “An incredible wine…superb presence and intensity.“

Suckling went on to say “An incredible wine with aromas of dried strawberries, dried flowers, cloves, white pepper and limestone. It’s medium- to full-bodied with superb presence and intensity. The strawberry and mineral undertones go on for minutes. Great texture and energy. From Dijon clone planted in 2001. Organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”

In Terra Sancta’s own words “From a densely planted limestone block on the edge of the Kawarau River, Shingle Beach is the most lifted and finely detailed of our single block Pinot Noirs. Close-planted vines rooted in limestone and schist produce fruit of purity and mineral tension. Wild fermented and handled with restraint, this is an ethereal expression of Pinot Noir — red berry brightness, fine-grained tannins and a long, finely textured finish. Finesse-driven, poised and quietly powerful.”

A wine you simply don’t want to miss out on. Drink now or up to 10 years from vintage.