Sato
Central Otago Pinot Noir
Central Otago, Otago, South Island, New Zealand
Big structure for a Pinot. Black fruits dominant. Interesting wine.
Big structure for a Pinot. Black fruits dominant. Interesting wine.
Oct 28th, 2018Blind. I called Central Otago Pinot almost immediately. It exuded it. The color/structure/concentration. It wasn't as clean/stripped as many are though and had some faint natural wine traits as well as some emerging mature wine character(showing smoke/mocha, dirt/hummus/mushrooms). I thought it was possibly Rippon from a ripe vintage since the tannin structure seemed familiar.
First vintage of Pinot for Sato. He was figuring things out and picks earlier now(this was 14% alc) and gets a but less oak extraction. For fans of the typical Otago Pinot, this will be a treat.
Blind. I called Central Otago Pinot almost immediately. It exuded it. The color/structure/concentration. It wasn't as clean/stripped as many are though and had some faint natural wine traits as well as some emerging mature wine character(showing smoke/mocha, dirt/hummus/mushrooms). I thought it was possibly Rippon from a ripe vintage since the tannin structure seemed familiar.
First vintage of Pinot for Sato. He was figuring things out and picks earlier now(this was 14% alc) and gets a but less oak extraction. For fans of the typical Otago Pinot, this will be a treat.

2012 pinot noir from Pisa Terrace vineyard in Central Otago, NZ | Natural wine made by Yoshi & Kyoko Sato | 15% whole bunch, aged for 15 months in French oak (25% new), SO2 added only at bottling | 3,220 bottles made
2012 pinot noir from Pisa Terrace vineyard in Central Otago, NZ | Natural wine made by Yoshi & Kyoko Sato | 15% whole bunch, aged for 15 months in French oak (25% new), SO2 added only at bottling | 3,220 bottles made
Jul 3rd, 2014Delicious wine. Tannin is dusty and soft, fruit is light but long.
Delicious wine. Tannin is dusty and soft, fruit is light but long.
Aug 17th, 2026
soft, round, and dense full of black berry and raspberry heavy fruit flavors. Could use a little more structure. 
soft, round, and dense full of black berry and raspberry heavy fruit flavors. Could use a little more structure. 
May 17th, 2024Deep violet colour made be expect a heavy bodied, jammy wine, but this wasn't. Perfumed, fresh flowers on the nose. Fresh strawberries on the palate. A little too sweet for my preference. Perhaps too young as finish seemed tight and tannins not integrated. Will probably do better after 3-4 years of cellaring.
Deep violet colour made be expect a heavy bodied, jammy wine, but this wasn't. Perfumed, fresh flowers on the nose. Fresh strawberries on the palate. A little too sweet for my preference. Perhaps too young as finish seemed tight and tannins not integrated. Will probably do better after 3-4 years of cellaring.
Oct 30th, 2016




