Burn Cottage Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Central Otago New Zealand 2020

While our focus at ACME is on emerging brands and up-and-coming winemakers from our own backyard, we harbor a special love for imported wines. Even more interesting things happen when one of our own favorite local winemakers travels abroad to experiment with foreign fruit made through a California lens. Central Otago in New Zealand is about as far from Napa as one can travel, and Ted Lemon of Littorai is as excited about its potential as one can be.
 
Its no stretch to say that Ted Lemon has inspired a generation of winemakers. His approach is totally void of ego, driven strictly by the health of the soil and ecosystem. He founded Littorai, a world-renowned estate in the small town of Occidental, California. Here, he has created an oasis of his own. His property is farmed biodynamically, and in fact, his giant compost pile is among many visitors highlights! By paying close attention to the health of the soil, he is able to coax out nuances that are distinctly terroir driven and have caused his wines to gain international accolades. 

This is the flagship wine from Burn Cottage ~ 100% estate vineyard Pinot Noir. The label is a derivative of a 1795 fairy tale called “The Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily” which represents the ideal intersection of people and the land reflected in Biodynamics. Aged in 25% new oak, this wine is a swift departure from the California Pinot palate that we know so well. The palate is rich and nuanced with notes of forest floor, mushrooms, wet leaves and wild bramble. The palate is focused throughout by a mineral freshness and energy, and supported by lovely acidity and fine, textural tannins. 
 
This has become one of my personal favorite releases of the year – please let me know if you are just as excited as I am and I will happily assist in securing your allocation!