Rippon Pinot Noir ‘Emma’s Block’ Mature Vine 2018

Picked by hand into small, 10kg cases allowing the fruit to arrive at the winery’s sorting table undamaged and intact. This wine represents many small parcels of different clones, vine ages and micro-sites within a single vineyard.  22% whole cluster component. Each parcel is fermented and matured apart before blending.  12 months of new (24%) to 4 year old French oak barrels. The malolactic fermentation went through unaided (non-inoculated) in springtime; it was then racked back into barrel and allowed a second winter in barrel before being run directly into bottle without filtering or fining.

Decisions made in the vineyard and winery first consider the effect the outcome may have on the micro-flora of the soils, vines & wines. Rippon does not use herbicides, fungicides, pesticides or soluble nitrogenous fertilisers on the property. All the property’s organic waste matter is recycled to make around 40 tonnes of fungal dominant compost every year. This is spread back over the land during the first descending moon after harvest as an inoculation of beneficial micro-flora for the whole property…and thus starts a diverse and vital web of life on which to live and produce. Certified biodynamic.

RIPPON PINOT NOIR CENTRAL OTAGO EMMA’S BLOCK 2016
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Score 94
This shows a very spicy and attractively complex style on the nose with a wealth of dark stones and violets, as well as dark cherries. The palate has a succulent, vibrant and almost crisp feel to the tannins. There’s attractive firmness, but plenty of flesh below. From biodynamically grown grapes. Try from 2022. JamesSuckling.Com

Rippon Emma’s Block Pinot Noir 2016
Posted on 26 April 2020.
WINEFRONT BY MIKE BENNIE
Not the cheeriest of songs from soul band Hot Chocolate, but ‘Emma’ sure is a toe-tapper. Here it’s a block of vines that contribute to this wine.
This took a while to come around but it sure is gorgeous once it finds its groove. There’s a fair bit of mocha-peanut shell seasoning through the fruit but there’s distinct, dark, brooding fruit character that comes through with authority. This is as big and bold as I’ve seen Rippon wines (across the 2016 fancy releases). Tannins ripple silty and charry, the wine finishes long and with pucker and cool acidity flowing. It’s a feature length kind of deal here. Perhaps a side step for Rippon but a complex wine of presence emerges.
Rated : 94 Points