Mt Difficulty proves you don't need to go to Burgundy to make great pinot noir
The Mt Difficulty story begins in the early 1990s, when the owners of five newly planted vineyards in Bannockburn shook hands and decided to work together to produce wine under one label, Mt Difficulty. The agreement between the original “gang of four” was bound only by a gentlemen’s handshake, and remained in effect until 2004 when Mt Difficulty Wines Ltd was formed. Mt Difficulty now owns some of the oldest vineyards in the Bannockburn sub-region of Central Otago. The vine age gives the wines – particularly the pinot noirs – extra complexity and concentration.
The Bannockburn area is internationally recognised as one of the few places in the world outside Burgundy where the pernickety pinot noir variety has found a home. The unique microclimate of the Bannockburn area is partially created by the presence of Mount Difficulty, which overlooks the southern Cromwell basin and provides low rainfall and humidity for the region. This “continental” style climate, combined with unique soils, makes the region ideal for growing pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
The Bannockburn area is internationally recognised as one of the few places in the world outside Burgundy where the pernickety pinot noir variety has found a home. The unique microclimate of the Bannockburn area is partially created by the presence of Mount Difficulty, which overlooks the southern Cromwell basin and provides low rainfall and humidity for the region. This “continental” style climate, combined with unique soils, makes the region ideal for growing pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc and pinot gris.
