Hewn of low yielding older vines and extracted with a strident confidence that seeks inspiration in the finest Burgundy: foot-plunging, a long wild fermentation, extended maceration and 18 months in high quality French oak. The result? Compelling! Not a wine for those seeking solace in easy-going fruit, but a style for those that relish resonant, savoury and long-lived Pinot Noir. The fruit, of a darker shade. The tannins svelte, but thickly coated with extract. A serious Pinot of force and lightness all at once.
This is gloriously composed and styled; the immensely appealing bouquet shows dark fruit, charcuterie, olive, vanilla and cedary wood characters, leading to a powerful yet graceful palate that is supple, soothing and flowing. The wine delivers refinement as well as richness, making it hugely appealing.
96 points, Wine Orbit (July 2019)
Made from grapes grown on the oldest vines on the property planted in 1991. Dense, savoury pinot noir with rich, earth, floral, plum and berry flavours. The wine has weight and intensity. It's showing some bottle development but clearly has potential to develop further.
94 points, The Real Review (June 2019)
Hewn of fruit from the oldest vines on the estate, planted in 1991, the artisanal approach remains: hand-harvested, foot-trodden, fermented under the aegis of ambient yeasts and extended maceration. This delicious medium-weighted Pinot then spent 18 months in quality French wood, melding with a svelte lick of tannin and moresih acidity to become a firmament of ageworthiness. Indeed, this is still youthful. Aromas of bing cherry, mulch, vine tomato and Asian five-spice are corralled by the structural latticework. Firm and savoury, this will grown in stature across the next five-years by virtue of the fine fruit and gossamer tannin profile.
94 points (August 2020)
<p>Koyama Mountford was planted in 1991 on an enviable calcareous scree embedded in the northwestern face of the eastern Waipara Valley. A substrata of marl brimming with plentiful active limestone, it is known as ‘The Golden Mile’. This is the soil type on which Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel. A geological foundation seldom found in the antipodes, limestone imparts a structural carapace while infusing the Mountford wines with a signature mineral force. Be it the resinous expressions of Chardonnay, or densely layered Pinot Noir, an apogee of complexity reached with the single vineyard expressions, the Mountford wines have long struck a chord with even the most devout Burgundy lovers.</p>
<p>Success is due as much to a propitious confluence of site and meticulous attention to detail, as it is to a savvy succession plan.</p>
<p>Crafted by CP Lin since inception, a maker well versed in the magic of Burgundy, the cultish renown of the Mountford style continues to evince authority while exhibiting an even more refined cut-glass precision, since his retirement.</p>
<p>It was then only fitting that the head winemaker role be bequeathed to his assistant, Takahiro Koyama. Koyama sought investment from top wine collectors in the world’s most venerable and demanding market for Burgundy. Where else, but for Japan! These collectors were as smitten by the Mountford track record as the world’s top buyers and critics remain spell-bound.</p>
<p>In 2017 Koyama purchased the estate to complement his eponymous label. Today both Koyama and Koyama Mountford benefit from this superlative site, Koyama’s winemaking nous, a dedicated posse of well versed backers and unparalleled Japanese precision.</p>
