2023 Rua Red, Central Otago

• Style: Elegant cool-climate Pinot Noir
• Taste: Black cherry, red plum, dried herbs, vanilla, soft tannins
• Food: Roasted mushrooms, lamb, weeknight dinners
• Occasion: Weeknight; Sunday Lunch
• Serve: Screwcap, 13% ABV, vegan-friendly

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Ripe black cherry and red plum open first, followed by a subtle lift of dried herbs and vanilla that frames without overwhelming. The hallmark is restraint: tannins sit soft and integrated, acidity stays bright, and the whole impression feels generous without overripeness. This is a Pinot Noir that tastes good the moment you pour it, built for immediate pleasure rather than cellar time.

The Winery — Rua Wines & the Skeggs Family

Pioneers of Central Otago viticulture since the mid-1990s, the Skeggs family now steward six vineyards spanning 90 hectares across Bannockburn and Pisa. Their RUA brand has become synonymous with accessible, fruit-forward cool-climate expression. The 2023 vintage draws from glacial terraces at 270 metres elevation in Bannockburn—lending structure and depth—alongside flatter river terraces 65 metres lower in Pisa, which contribute roundness and charm. A hot, dry growing season ensured even ripening; a late spring frost stretched flowering and built complexity. In cellar, measured extraction—23 to 32 days on skins—balanced flavour against roughness, with the final blend split between stainless steel and a small portion of new oak to knit tannins. The result: refined, vegan-friendly, at 13% ABV.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

Pour this with roasted mushrooms, lamb, or any weeknight roast where you want a wine that doesn't demand attention but enhances everything around it. Sunday lunch calls for wines that bridge formality and ease—this delivers both. It's the kind of bottle that sits comfortably among the finest examples of Pinot Noir we stock, and one that captures why Central Otago has become essential to understanding cool-climate reds from New Zealand. If you're after something that balances refinement with drinkability, this belongs on your list. Browse the rest of our New Zealand selection.