Bendigo is a slightly newer viticultural precinct of Central Otago, the largest quartz reef deposit in New Zealand runs directly beneath the vines. Established to industrial mining in 1862, the historic town of Bendigo is gaining new renown, this time for the most cogent and compelling vintages of Central Otago Pinot Noir. Selective pickings, whole bunches and a gentle hand plunge of wild yeast ferments, pressed into French oak barriques for malolactic and age. A generously proportioned and effusive Central Otago Pinot Noir of great texture, substance and complexity.

Central Otago produces the new world's weightiest and most distinctive Pinot Noir. The vinification techniques at Quartz Reef however are very much in keeping with the traditional practices of the old world. Pinot Noir clones 10/5 and 5, 115 and 667, 777 and Abel are all hand picked off a closely planted, steep slope at Bendigo, a small percentage of whole bunches are retained. A week of cold soak and gentle hand plunging of indigenous yeast ferments are followed by maceration and pressing into a selection of seasoned and new French oak barrels for malolactic and maturation.

Single vineyard Nebbiolo from the superior Occhetti property near the Commune of Monteu Roero in Alba. Prunotto selected this very special site on the basis of terroir, its fortuitious south facing slopes and gravelled clay soils creating a mesoclime of remarkable affinity for Nebbiolo. Occhetti DAlba affords enthusiasts an approachable experience into the uncompromising excellence of Prunotto. A fruit filled wine of rose petal and raspberry characters, treated to a term of age in a mix of seasoned 500 Litre barrels and larger format 5000 Litre oak vats.

From parcels of Nebbiolo grapes, picked off vines planted to an auspicious terroir of mineral rich, calcareous clays, on the Bric Turot property at Barbaresco. The wines of Alfred Prunotto can trace their origins to the commune at Ai Vini delle Langhe, Alfredo eventually acquired sole proprietorship of the cooperative in 1922 and established a brand which would utimately merit consolidation with the illustrious Marchesi Antinori. Bric Turot yields a Nebbiolo of extraordinary richness, memorable and multi dimensional, a Barbaresco of profound seamlessness and length.

Single vineyard Barbaresco from a fully mature, five hectare site, acquired by Prunotto in 1996. Vines are planted to southern exposures near the very heart of the tiny region, to a confluence of propitious altitudes and mesoclimes, they yield a statuesque wine of remarkable power and sound structure, exquisite aromaticness and bucolic grace. The quality of fruit and standards of vinification at Prunetto are without peer. Choice harvests of Nebbiolo grapes are treated to an extended maceration and term of age in large 5000L format oak.

At just three square miles, Barbaresco is one of the most exclusive Denominazione di origine in all Italia. Such was the reputation for excellence established by Alfred Prunotto in 1922, the eminent Marchesi Antinori acquired the brand in the 1990s and lavished the estate with an endowment of the most invaluable viticultural assets. Bric Turot is a superior site within the elite DOCG of Barbaresco, the Antinori family take a very personal interest in the management of the property and husbanding of vines. An intense wine of magnificent structure and enigmatic seamlessness.

Barolo may be one of the world's most celebrated winemaking regions but it is also one of the smallest, just over two square miles supporting a population of a few hundred locals. There are several communes but they all must adhere to the strict DOCG regulations, exclusively Nebbiolo must be harvested off sunny hillsides, to the exclusion of valley floors and flat terrains, shaded sites or northern exposures. Prunotto make the most of their access to exceptional vineyards, collating parcels from the best growers in the townships of Monforte, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga.

The noble house of Prunotto began life as Ai Vini delle Langhe, founded in the Barolo township of Serralunga, re established under Alfredo Prunotto, they now retain an inventory of the finest vineyards in neighbouring Brabaresco. A collation of harvests Nebbiolo, from the townships of Treiso and Barbaresco, are treated to a fortnight on skins, for optimal extraction of tannins under warmer temperatures in the traditional Barbaresco way, followed by a course of maturation in a mix of seasoned, larger format oak, mellowing the fruit and taming the tannins.

The Home block at Prophet's Rock hosts a rare mix of soils, schist and quartz clays over a lens of alkaline chalk, all serving to stimulate the auspicious vines. Grapes are all fully destemmed and treated to a minimalist, hands off style of vinification, aimed at permiting the wine to make itself, uninfluenced and unperturbed. A succulent expression of Central Otago at its most exquisite, a jubilee of cherries, mineral and mace, seamless of tannin, graceful and intense. An extremely limited release from a tiny parcel of the most superlative vines, a mere sixty dozen bottles of vintage.

Prophet Rock's Home Vineyard was planted to a north facing terrac, high above the Bendigo Station homestead, to panoramic vistas across river terraces of Cromwell Basin and stoic mountains of Pisa Range. An opportune confluence of soils, aspect and clime translate into harvests of intensely flavoured Pinot Noir. Vinification to a regimen of minimalist handling techniques, a gentle ferment through the action of wild, indigenous yeasts, followed by eighteen months in oak, encourages the wine to make itself and to fulfill the promise of Central Otago's most remarkable terroir.

A joint effort by Prophet Rock's Paul Pujol and Bonnes Mares Musigny maestro François Millet. The most superior parcels of Pinot Noir were selected by Millet from the Prophet's Home Vineyard, a magnificent site on a high elevation, steep glacial terrace at Bendigo. Ferments are plunged only once and moved without any pumps into a sellection of Rémond Allier for a judicious term of maturation. The traditional old world handling techniques meet the excellence of new world fruit, in a pas de deux which defines the sublime elegance of Central Otago Pinot Noir.

The top cut, off a mere four hectares Pinot Noir, eighteen different rootstock and clone, all picked by hand and separately fermented. Parcels are treated to minimalist vinification and the extravagance of a Vaslin Bucher basket press, followed by a year in the finest French oak barriques and three years cellaring before release. Assembled for eloquence and complexity, a strict cull of twenty barrels brings the final Cuvée into amazing focus. Filled of red and black fruit flavour, cherries and plum, the succulence of its exquisite acid line, draped in a pleat of undulating, velvety tannins.