In the Wairarapa in 1979 Dry River quickly established a reputation as one of the finest producers in the country producing Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Syrah and Pinot Noir. McCallum retired in 2011 and the winemaking duties have been taken over by Wilco Lam with Robet Willis and his team tending the vines. The vision of Neil McCallum is in good hands and Dry River continues to be one of New Zealand's most sought after wines.

The 2016 vintage was Dry River's driest growing year in recent wine cultivation history. Fruit set was above average, and combined with good heat accumulation
the resulting wine certainly shows ample concentration. Care was exercised in maintaining yield, approximately four tonnes/ha, and vigilant winegrowing techniques enabled ripening of what I consider to be a classic and refined Dry River Pinot noir.

Immediately red currant, strawberries and plum fruit deliver an aromatic hit. Though primary red fruit are visibly dominant, there is more to be found; Christmas spices, rosehip and floral notes like lilies and freshly cut hay are the more obvious characters that we see. The supporting role of the oak intensifies the underlying tobacco and caramel notes.
The palate shows a youthful intensity with a tendency to speak with great clarity. However, another more serene voice commands the fruit to spread out and surrender to the maze of tannins and juicy acidity that ascends from underneath. They bring a degree of order and longevity through their ripe phenolic compounds.
Like most of our Pinot noirs, the 2016 wine requires three to five years additional evolution for optimum drinking pleasure.