In 2002, husband and wife Marquis and Dianne Sauvage stumbled upon this undulating and sheltered-from-the-elements property. There were no neighbors or planted vines, and its only inhabitants were grazing sheep. They purchased the property in a lively back-and-forth auction and the first matter of business was securing the services of Ted Lemon. With a propensity for Central Otago’s wines and climate, Ted eagerly hopped aboard and biodynamic practices were immediately put into place—terroir-expression was to be the driving force behind Burn Cottage’s wines. Keep in mind, back in 2002, biodynamic farming in Central Otago was practically unheard of! But that didn’t halt the vision of this small team. They quickly brought in Highland cattle to graze the land, employed a bee population, and planted an olive grove. Essentially, this is a self-sustaining farm that just happens to make stunning expressions of Pinot Noir. Their self-defining motto: “Great wines are not made from fruit; they are born of the soils which nurture the vines.”

Nestled amongst the mountainous landscape of the South Island, Central Otago is the southernmost winegrowing region in the world, and can claim a climate most similar to Burgundy. Today’s estate bottling comes entirely from their biodynamically farmed “Burn Cottage” vineyard that is further divided into 10 blocks, each with their own distinct microclimates. Soils range from sandy loam to granite to schist, all of which are products of glacial deposits and ancient river beds. After hand harvesting their crop in late March/early April of 2017, 87% of the grapes were de-stemmed and a fermentation via ambient yeasts occurred. Burn Cottage adheres to biodynamic principles throughout the entire process, limiting the use of sulfur and almost always avoiding racking. The wine saw just under 25% new French oak and was bottled unfiltered after a lengthy aging regimen. 

Burn Cottage’s 2017 Estate Pinot Noir seems to have struck a harmonious chord with everyone around the world: Master of Wine Bob Campbell said “I never swallow samples during tasting but got pretty close with this wine...It’s just so damn delicious”; Master Sommelier Cameron Douglas exclaims that it is “complex, layered, mineral-laden, earthy...there’s no question about whether you should invest”; and an army of wine magazines and critics have dropped words like “generous,” “composed,” “regal,” and “savory.” I agree with all that, and much more, as Burn Cottage has consistently been my favorite New Zealand Pinot over the last several years. The 2017 expresses itself loudly on the nose, exploding from a large Burgundy stem with intense and high-toned aromas of black cherry and raspberry liqueur, strawberry preserve, violet candies, kola nut, dried herbs, orange peel, black tea, baked earth, forest floor, baking spice, and crushed stones. With each swirl, you’re guaranteed to uncover another rich layer, and due to Central Otago’s continental “Burgundian” climate, the cascade of ripe, dark fruit and elevated acidity delivers luxury and refinement at once. While accessible right out of the bottle, I recommend decanting for 60 minutes and allowing your bottle to stretch out over 4-5 hours. All other unopened bottles can be stored in a dark, cool place for enjoyment over the next 5-15 years. Cheers!