Having recently spent a fascinating day among the vines and in the cellar at Amisfield, it’s difficult to escape the impression that the estate is operating at the height of its powers.
When Sam Davies arrived as chief winemaker in 2021, he inherited what many regard as the finest fruit Amisfield has produced. That transformation began in 2013, when vineyard manager André Lategan embarked on the long process of converting the estate to organic viticulture. Eight years later, Amisfield achieved full organic certification, with the 2021 vintage becoming the first produced entirely from certified organic fruit. Since then, regenerative farming has become equally central to the estate’s philosophy, further reducing yields in pursuit of healthier vines and greater site expression.
Davies embodies much of what defines modern New Zealand wine. Beneath his friendly, modest exterior lies a winemaker of deep conviction, unafraid to challenge convention.
He never intended to become a winemaker. An abandoned Law and Arts degree in Auckland prompted a change of direction, leading him to study Viticulture and Oenology in Christchurch before embarking on a career that took him from Margaret River to Portugal, the Adelaide Hills and, ultimately, Central Otago.
Along the way, he was shaped by a series of influential mentors. Glenn Goodall at Xanadu taught him that making wine demands both passion and perspective. Portugal’s Luís Duarte deepened his understanding of terroir, while five years at Shaw + Smith under the formidable quartet of Martin Shaw, David LeMire MW, Michael Hill Smith MW and Adam Wadewitz proved the defining chapter of his career.
Returning to New Zealand in 2020, Davies completed a vintage at Kumeu River before joining Amisfield the following year. His task, among many, has been to harness the elemental side of Amisfield’s Mount Pisa fruit. Beneath the dramatic mountain range, gravelly soils, intense ultraviolet light, cool nights and persistent winds combine to produce Pinot Noir of remarkable colour, structure and concentration.
“There’s a vibrancy to the wines and a depth of flavour that’s almost unparalleled,” Davies says.
Rather than trying to extract more from naturally powerful fruit, Davies has embraced the philosophy of new-wave Otago sensitivity and restraint. Less, in other words, is more. The estate’s 26-year-old vines, together with the concentration that has accompanied organic farming, have reduced the need for forceful extraction. Natural ferments are guided by gentle cap wetting,
restrained pump-overs and an infusion-style approach that relies on time and temperature to build texture, finesse and aromatic complexity.
“It’s about being sensitive to the particular vineyard, the particular site and the fruit as it comes in,” Davies says. “We’re making decisions at a microscopic level throughout fermentation. Techniques such as whole-bunch fermentation, low sulphur and extended skin maceration are simply individual components that come together to create the bigger picture that is Amisfield Pinot Noir.”
After a career spent learning from some of the Southern Hemisphere’s finest producers, Davies’ own signature is one of quiet confidence: trust the site, intervene sparingly and allow the vineyard to speak for itself.
The 2023 release
As Davies puts it, “2023 is a real Pinot lover’s vintage.”
Rather than obvious power, the wines are defined by brightness and detail—lower-case sophistication rather than block capitals. Bright redcurrant fruit forms the core of the vintage, layered with savoury nuances that speak clearly of both place and season. Fine tannins and vibrant acidity bring energy, structure and poise. Sitting between the generosity of 2022 and the richness of 2024, the 2023s occupy a more classical middle ground: fresh, complex and transparent.
“We love the 2023s,” Davies says as we wrap up the tasting. Not that we need any more convincing.
2023 Amisfield Estate Pinot Noir
Certified Organic. The emblematic Estate Pinot Noir is sourced exclusively from parcels across the Amisfield estate, with vines planted in the Waenga silty loam soils of the lower terraces and the gravelly Lochar sandy loam soils surrounding the winery. While this is a true single-estate wine, its complexity comes from the careful blending of fruit from multiple blocks, clones, vine ages and soil types across the property. All up, around 30 to 40 different parcels go into making the Amisfield Pinot.
The fruit is hand-harvested and placed in a four- to five-day ambient cold soak before the onset of natural fermentation. Gentle hand plunging and carefully timed pump-overs are used throughout fermentation to extract fine skin and seed tannins while preserving elegance and purity. Approximately 15% whole-bunch fruit is included in selected ferments to enhance aromatic complexity and structural finesse. Following fermentation, the wines are regularly assessed before being transferred to French oak barrels for 15 months of maturation..
“Bright ruby with a core of red cherry and plum fruits, layered with hints of Medina spice, wildflowers, leaf litter, crushed stone, charcuterie, shiitake mushroom and dried raspberry. Savoury, stony and fine on the palate, with a lovely mineral backbone and appealing layers of spice. Crushed stone and minerals linger on the finish as the pure fruit slowly trails away.”
92 points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
2023 Amisfield Breakneck
Reserve Pinot Noir
This limited barrel selection showcases the distinctive character of Amisfield’s prized Block 7 and 7C Pinot Noir vines – the first blocks converted to organics – rooted in Lochar sandy loam soils. The wine is centred on the iconic Abel clone—also known as the “Gumboot” or “DRC” clone—whose fruit consistently stands apart from the rest of the estate. As the latest-ripening clone on the property, it is typically harvested one to two weeks after the other Pinot Noir blocks. Its hallmark profile combines vibrant redcurrant, rhubarb and rooty aromas with a savoury edge, delivering exceptional freshness, energy and precision.
To further enhance this distinctive expression, approximately 25% whole-bunch fermentation is employed, adding aromatic lift, spice and structural complexity. As winemaker Sam Davies explains: “The Abel blocks always tend to have a more savoury redcurrant, rhubarb and beetroot nature to them—a real pop and core of energy. We throw a little bit more whole bunch at it.”
Hand-harvested, low-yielding fruit is fermented in small open-top fermenters, remaining on skins for 20 to 32 days to build depth and texture. The wine is then matured for 16 months in French oak barriques, 30% of which are new, while undergoing natural malolactic fermentation in spring.
“Red and dark cherry fruits with touches of dark plum, exotic spice, nutty oak, crushed rock, flinty mineral tones, pomegranate, schist, mountain herbs and wildflowers. Taut and pure, with a toothsome, grippy array of silty tannins and a bright mineral cadence. The flavours trail away with great persistence and an air of elegance and latent power.”
94+ points – Dave Brookes, Halliday Wine Companion
