Akitu

“Subtle cherry on the nose. The palate is a lovely expression of unforced balance, an interplay between aromatic, ripe fruit and bracing freshness with a lovely savoury glint. Nothing is overdone here.” – Decanter on the 2016 A1 Pinot Noir, 2018

Both the Akitu A1 and A2 Pinot Noirs received Gold Medal (96 points) at the 2018 London International Wine Competition.

The A1 was also accoladed New Zealand Pinot Noir, and New Zealand Red, of the year.

Our Story

Akitu, in the Maori language, means the summit, the apex or the highest point. We called our wine that because at 380 metres above sea level we are right up there, right on the grape growing edge, against the alps and in the southern most winemaking region on earth. Here our entire vineyard is dedicated to Pinot Noir – that’s all we grow, the very best of our harvest makes Akitu.

The vineyard has been laid out in 6 sections: planted in 2002. Akitu have 45,000 vines in 12 hectares of Pinot Noir, planted across the vineyard according to soil and aspect. Over the years we have watched these 12 different plants settle and begin to express wonderfully diverse characters. They respond to weather conditions and the evolution of each vintage, quite differently and present us with a rich palette of choice come blending time.

Our Wines