Aotearoa New Zealand might be a long way from New York but the 2023 vintage has a lot in common with the most famous song about the Big Apple; if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere, sang Frank Sinatra, and the sentiment applies
to the 2023 vintage.
As if two cyclones weren’t enough for winemakers to contend with, continuous rainfall gave further pause for thought about that all-important winemaking decision – when to pick the grapes. It didn’t actually rain all the time. It just felt like it.
Last month’s relentless rain was a reminder not only of the 2023 vintage but also of a newly released wine from it. The 2023 Craggy Range Aroha has exceptional weight and concentration for a Pinot Noir grown in the cool climate Te Muna Valley and from one of the rainiest years in living memory. In between pockets of downpour there were drier days and the meticulous viticulture team at Craggy Range’s Te Muna Vineyard paid a lot of attention to their vines that year.
The 2023 Craggy Range Aroha puts forward a strong case for the benefits of following great wine producers every year because if you can make it in the toughest times and places, baby, you can make it anywhere.
Wines of the month
2023 Craggy Range Aroha RRP $175
Dense and delicate with impressive depth of colour, a silky mouthfeel and ripe red fruit aromas. Aroha (te reo Māori for love) is a labour of love and this exceptional wine is fruit forward, fresh, supported by a firm, spicy backbone and smooth texture with fine acidity underpinning every sip. Decant and savour it or cellar it. This wine’s high price tag makes it a keeper or a special gift. Great value Pinot Noirs are also available from Martinborough Wine Merchants.
Also in the news last month
Craggy Range’s new 2024 Martinborough Pinot Noir was awarded Best in Show at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) with a score of 97 points out of 100. It’s not easy to impress wine judges anywhere, least of all at the DWWA where there are 16,000+ wines all strutting their vinous stuff.
Only 50 wines out of the 16,000+ total were awarded a Best in Show award and the 2024 Craggy Range Martinborough Pinot Noir was one. The DWWA is now in its 22nd year and has carved a reputation of respect for its rigorous blind tasting process and authoritative panel of international wine experts.
This win is incredibly validating for Craggy Range’s position as a great wine producing company and also shines a light on the great potential of Martinborough as a wine region.
“Our vineyards here continue to prove why this site is so special for Pinot Noir – complex, elegant, and deeply expressive;” says Craggy Range’s Chief Winemaker Ben Tombs.
“This award is a testament to the passion and hard work of our vineyard and winery teams.”
