Quartz Reef Billie Jean Pinot Noir 2019

Reviews

Cameron Douglas MS: 97/100 & Top 2022 NZ Wine & Highest Scoring Pinot Noir on the Top Wine NZ list 2022.  I suggest you taste this wine over 2 days - it begins to show its true potential after around 24 hours open. Aromas and flavours of dark cherry and dried raspberry, a spiced plum flesh and spices of the forrest and barrel. There’s a fine savoury quality and core earth and mineral statement. The texture on the palate is what I notice first with coarse silk tannins and a saline refreshing acid line, barrel spice and and earth smoke layer in complexity. A delicious and engaging example with a core pinosity and loud heartbeat for the variety. A voice of Bendigo and Otago captured. Best drinking from late 2024 through 2030+.

Bob Campbell, MW (The Real Review): 95/100.  Pinot Perfection. Billie Jean is a selection of the best grapes, only made in the best vintages, in this case the generally excellent 2019. Fine, seamless wine with floral/violet, dark cherry, plum, fivespice and roast chestnut flavours supported by powdery tannins. Ageing: now to 2033.

Michael Cooper: 5 stars. From the most eastern block of the vineyard, Quartz Reef Royal Series Billie Jean Pinot Noir 2019 ... is a very refined, rare red – only 500 bottles were made. Deep and still youthful in colour, it is full-bodied and very savoury, with notable depth and complexity.  Still unfolding, it should break into full stride 2024+.

Tasting note

Deep in colour with dark cherry, plum and floral aromas. Exceptional depth and complexity with cherry, plum and sweet spice on the palate. Full-bodied with a finely textured finish.

Aromas and flavours:

Additional information

Type: Red wine

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Food match: Serve with wild duck and pork dishes, e.g. confit duck leg with parsnip and quince.

Vintage: The season started with mild temperatures throughout Spring, an earlier than usual budburst and rainfall in late Nov/early Dec providing good levels of moisture. We were challenged with two severe cold fronts during budburst and flowering which despite frost fighting efforts resulted in a smaller crop. Warm and settled weather followed producing overall a hotter than usual growing season. With veraison starting in the last week of January, we began (to expect) yet another early harvest. The 2019 vintage impression is extremely good quality

Winemaking: Hand-picked on the 28th March. Cold soaked for 4 days before indigenous yeast fermentation kicked in with 16% whole bunch. Gentle hand plunging throughout ferment, followed by post-fermentation maceration of 9 days to ensure optimum fruit and tannin balance. Total time on skin; 26 days. Drained directly into selected French oak barriques (100% one year old) where the wine aged for 14 months during which wild malolactic fermentation occurs.

Production: Only 500 bottles made.

The name Billie Jean: Quartz Reef have named this release after the vineyard dog Billie Jean. This is what they have to say: "Most beloved four-legged family member of Rudi and Suellen who sadly passed away in 2018, before her time. “Billie Jean” Bauer was quite the fur princess. She possessed an amusing and often hectic personality (despite her wee stature) and was a treasured member of the Quartz Reef team both at the winery and vineyard causing mayhem and laughter when most needed. She was most definitely ‘top dog’. To honour our princess “Billie Jean”, we felt it fitting to name the next vintage in our ‘Royal’ series – “Billie Jean” Pinot Noir 2019, as she was held in such royal regard and what better way to honour her memory."

Cellaring potential: 2029+

Alcohol: 14% vol

Total Acidity: 5.9 g/l

Residual sugar: <1 g/l

Bottle size: 0.75l

Notice: contains sulphites

Produced and bottled by: Quartz Reef, PO Box 63, Cromwell, Central Otago 9342, New Zealand