In the year 2000, Mike and Claudia Elze Weersing found the patch of earth they’d been searching 15 years for.
With a background in winemaking from Burgundy and vintages of experience from some of Europe’s finest cellars, Mike knew what he wanted in a vineyard site. With Claudia by his side, they set about planting a biodynamic Garden of Eden from the ground up.
They planted four blocks, half Pinot Noir, half Chardonnay, on the slopes of Pyramid Valley in the South Island.
In 2017 the baton was passed to friends Steve Smith (of Craggy Range renown) and Brian Sheth, who took over the ownership of Pyramid Valley, to further develop this extraordinary legacy. One of their first developments was to extend the Pyramid Valley range to a magnificent winery in Central Otago.
These are some of the most compelling and individual wines in all of New Zealand that have deservedly received much critical acclaim.
94 Points Joe Czerwinski
The 2016 Angel Flower Pinot Noir, like its Earth Smoke stablemate, is a delicate ruby hue in the glass, showing that colour (at least in Pinot Noir) often has very little to do with flavour or intensity. On the nose, delicate herbal and floral nuances dance atop a base of freshly turned earth and ripe black cherries. In the mouth, it’s medium to full-bodied, rich and concentrated yet silky and fresh, with a lingering, elegant finish that ends on an uplifting herbal note. It should drink well for a decade, perhaps longer.