"The Steppes" is a Tarras Vineyard on a beautiful site in Central Otago, New Zealand.
Located on the 45th parallel in an undulating landscape above New Zealand's largest river, The Steppes is most definitely a 'cool climate' pinot noir. The continental climate of the region, with its extreme diurnal temperature variation, gives The Steppes an aroma of concentrated fruit in a lower alcohol (13.5%) pinot.

The name "The Steppes" comes from the huge alluvial tablelands or 'steppes' which characterize the Cromwell Basin and which surround and pass through the vineyard property.

The vineyard was established in 2003 for owners Gary and Nancy Carlston by Robin Dicey, of Mt. Difficulty Wines. With 45 years in the wine business, Robin's choice of clone and rootstock combinations has resulted in an ideal mix of vines for the local growing conditions.

The 19 hectare vineyard is currently managed on a sustainable basis by our viticulturist Chad Douglas.

The Steppes 2007 Pinot Noir is selected from the best 20% of our barrels. Over half the vines used in this wine were bunch thinned down to one bunch per shoot resulting in concentrated flavours for such young vines and an incredibly low cropping density averaging around 1.5 tonnes per hectare.

The legacy of the gold mining days is visible throughout the vineyard site, with old water races, windmills, and sluices visible dotting the landscape. To alleviate the effects of the cool Central Otago climate The Steppes features a picturesque storage dam used to "frost fight" during spring frosts.

Central Otago Pinot Noir