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Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
Buy any 6 bottles and save 5%. Buy any 12 bottles and save 10% (excludes wines on offer). Free UK delivery on orders over £100. Tel: 02922 337454
2022 Earth Smoke Pinot Noir, Pyramid Valley Wine Republic

2023 Earth Smoke Pinot Noir, Pyramid Valley

North Canterbury, New Zealand

Woodland Silk

Quietly captivating, Earth Smoke draws you in with intricate perfume and a deliciously savoury heart. Red cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry mingle with darker berry notes, while rose petals, crushed herbs and woodland earth lend depth and intrigue. With air, hints of dried porcini, cinnamon and pepper emerge, accompanied by delicate cedar and a stony mineral edge. There is something wonderfully absorbing about its unfolding aromas, each return to the glass revealing another detail.

The palate is silky and finely poised, with concentrated fruit carried on a surprisingly delicate frame. Supple tannins bring a gentle, chalky grip, while lively acidity keeps the flavours fresh and flowing. A savoury, almost saline quality builds through the long finish, drawing out the berries, spice and earthy complexity. Already compelling with food and a little time in the glass, this is a Pinot Noir for those who prize perfume, texture and detail, with the potential to develop further layers over the coming decade.

For when: An autumn evening calls for candlelight, good company and an unhurried dinner.

Pairs with: Duck breast with sour cherries, roast guinea fowl with thyme, wild mushroom and chestnut risotto, pork fillet with lentils, quail with truffle butter, or baked beetroot with goats’ cheese and walnuts.

Earth Smoke belongs to Pyramid Valley’s Botanicals Collection, whose wines take their names from plants growing within individual vineyard blocks. Here, the inspiration is fumitory, a member of the poppy family traditionally known as earth smoke. It thrives in this small, east-facing parcel on the estate’s limestone and clay slopes at Waikari.

Whats in the bottle
Pinot Noir 100%

Notable Awards
97 points, Decanter

£86.00 - £86.00
£86.00
£86.00 - £86.00
£86.00
Availability:
In stock

Pyramid Valley was founded in 2000 by Mike and Claudia Weersing, following a 15-year search for a vineyard site that matched their ambitions. They settled in the limestone hills of Waikari, North Canterbury, bringing together Mike’s winemaking experience in Burgundy and Claudia’s dedication to biodynamic farming. Brian Sheth and Steve Smith MW acquired the estate in 2017, continuing its focus on distinctive Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

The Waikari estate combines a cool climate, hillside exposures and limestone, clay and marl soils. Its closely planted vineyard blocks are treated individually, with the Botanicals Collection exploring the differences between these small parcels. Earth Smoke’s east-facing slope and clay-rich soils give it a particular place within that collection, typically producing a more structured, savoury Pinot Noir than neighbouring Angel Flower.

Winemaker and estate manager Huw Kinch joined in 2018, alongside viticulturist Nick Paulin. Organic and biodynamic farming guide work across Pyramid Valley’s estates, supported by indigenous fermentations and gentle handling in the cellar. The aim is to preserve the detail of each vineyard, allowing texture, fragrance and natural balance to shape the wines.

Made from 100% Pinot Noir grown in the Earth Smoke block at Waikari. The vines were planted between 2000 and 2002 at a density of 11,111 vines per hectare and have been farmed biodynamically from the outset. The east-facing site has soils containing approximately 30% clay and 15% active lime. Harvest took place on 27 April 2023.

The fruit was carefully hand sorted and fully destemmed before fermentation with yeasts originating in the vineyard. Gentle infusion methods were used over 25 days, extracting flavour and fine tannins while retaining aromatic detail.

After settling in tank, the wine was transferred to French wooden barrels for 18 months’ maturation. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered, with just 209 six-bottle cases produced.

Alcohol: 12.5%. Total acidity: 5.0g/L. pH: 3.80. Recommended drinking window: 2025–2035.