TWO PADDOCKS THE LAST CHANCE

The Last Chance is a beautifully refined expression of Central Otago Pinot Noir, with bright red cherry and darker berry fruit wrapped in subtle spice, dried herbs and that lovely stony, mineral character you often find from schist soils. The palate has real elegance and energy, with fine tannins, fresh acidity and a long, graceful finish. There’s plenty of depth here, but it never feels heavy. The vineyard itself has a wonderful story, perched above the Earnscleugh Valley on one of the most southerly pockets of vines in the world, with its name coming from an old gold-mining watercourse. And given Sam Neill’s other life on screen, it seems fitting that this is a wine from the edge of the map that still manages to steal the scene.