Church Road Grand Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 
Paired with Lemongrass and Chilli Beef – NZ Herald Canvas Magazine 23.7.2021
When beef is boosted by a whack of chilli and lashings of lemongrass, step away from the cabernet and pick up a bottle of the shiny new and ludicrously lush Church Road Grand Reserve Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019 $37 instead. Winemaker Chris Scott was finally let loose on some super-ripe fruit grown in Lowburn, on the shores of Lake Dunstan, and the result is scented with dried lavender, thyme and raisined cherries, old leather and dusty, carpenters workshop characters. Gently-spiced and juicy to drink, it’s smooth enough to soothe the heat in any dish. ChurchRoadWines
2019 was a great year in Central Otago as it was warmer than average and yet the sugar-ripeness was behind the physiological ripeness meaning lower brix levels and consequent balanced, elegant flavours, solid acidity and soft, elastic tannins. Quite a feat to think that the fruit was harvested and transported overnight from Lowburn to the Church Road winery in Hawke’s Bay. Clearly it was done with care.
