Rippon Mature Vine Pinot Noir 2022

Rippon is a long-running family-owned organic and biodynamic winery in the Central Otago winemaking region of New Zealand. Central Otago sits on the 45° south latitude line, near the bottom of the country’s South Island. The world’s southernmost viticultural region, Central Otago falls on the eastern side of Australasia’s largest mountain range, the Southern Alps, and is also the only viticultural region in New Zealand with a continental climate. Rippon sits at 330 metres above sea level on the shores of Lake Wanaka. Rippon boasts schist-based soil rich in silica, quartz, and mica, contributing to wines that are layered and complex. The Mills family planted experimental vines here in 1974, later planting the bulk of the vineyard – primarily Pinot Noir – in 1982. The winery produced its first commercial vintage in 1988. These days, Rippon makes wines with as little intervention as possible from six grape varieties: Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay, and Osteiner (a variety born of Riesling and Sylvaner).