The Last Chance Vineyard is in the hills above Earnscleugh (pronounced "earn-skloo") and is a relatively bony site fed by the Last Chance water race and hand dug by the early gold miners in the 1860s. It's a special spot, one that I drove to so I could get a clear understanding of the Earncleugh Valley layout. So, this 2021 The Last Chance Pinot Noir is, like all the Proprietor's Reserve Pinots, around 80% whole bunch, and each of the sites wears this differently. This is the first cuvée where the whole bunch is evident in the wine, and it creates a capacious mid-palate, drawing out length on the finish. It's a special wine—they all are—and one that, via the stems (I never say this, as stems can sometimes work against the expression of terroir), seems to speak of the wild place. 13.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap. Erin Larkin, Robert Parker Wine Advocate

The 2019 Pinot Noir The Last Chance Earnscleugh Vineyard is seductive and succulent, enticing you with its soft, mouthfilling fruit. Displaying a transparent ruby hue – this is thin-skinned Pinot Noir, after all – it follows it up with layers of fragrance, from dried herbs to red cherry and cranberry. It has a structured frame of fine, mouthcoating tannins and fine acidity that blossoms like a babbling brook on the fine, savory finish, reminiscent of graphite, clove and a slightly feral gamy meat. Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous

Region: Central Otago, New Zealand

Grape Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Critic Rating: Robert Parker Wine Advocate 94 Points

Suggested Drink Window: 2023 - 2036