Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir 2024: Tasting Notes

WINE STYLE → Smooth Operator (Soft & Supple)

Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir 2024 is a certified organic Marlborough Pinot Noir with ripe cherry, dark fruit, mocha and gentle oak. It is smooth, dry and medium-bodied, with soft tannins and good length. This is an easy red to enjoy with food, especially savoury canapés, mushroom dishes, duck, red meats and winter salads.

Highlights

• Certified organic
• Vegan suitable
• Crafted by Little Goat Creek — organic Marlborough wines from New Zealand’s Wairau Valley
• Ripe cherry, dark fruit, mocha and gentle oak
• Soft tannins, smooth mouthfeel and good length
• 13.0% ABV

Tasting Notes

Ripe cherry and dark fruit sit at the centre of this Pinot Noir, with mocha, subtle oak and a soft savoury edge adding depth. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with smooth texture, fine tannins and good length. It is generous for Pinot Noir, but still keeps the freshness and lift that Marlborough reds do so well.

Winemaking

The grapes are crushed to separate fermenters, allowing different parcels and components to build complexity before blending. The wines are plunged daily, encouraging soft tannin extraction rather than hardness. Oak ageing adds roundness, mocha detail and extra softness without pushing the wine into a heavy style.

Vineyard & Vintage

The fruit is sourced from organic Marlborough vineyards in New Zealand. Low crop levels help produce small berries, giving the wine deeper colour, concentration and flavour. Marlborough’s long summer days and cool nights preserve freshness, which is especially important for Pinot Noir, helping the wine stay fragrant, balanced and food-friendly.

Why We Love It

This is a very approachable organic Pinot Noir: soft, cherry-fruited, smooth and ready to pour. It has more depth than a very light Pinot, thanks to the dark fruit and mocha detail, but it avoids heaviness. It is the kind of red that suits midweek dinners, grazing boards and anyone who wants Pinot Noir with comfort and softness.

Food Pairing

Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir 2024 works beautifully with savoury, earthy and gently rich dishes. The ripe cherry fruit suits duck and pork, while the soft tannins are excellent with mushrooms, beetroot, mild cheeses and winter salads.

Try matching this wine with →

• Mushroom risotto with parmesan and thyme — Find a Recipe
• Duck pancakes with hoisin, cucumber and spring onion — Find a Recipe
• Beetroot and goat’s cheese tart with herbs — Find a Recipe

Mood or occasion to match this wine…

Perfect for a relaxed dinner when you want a red that is soft, organic and easy to share. Open it with a mushroom dish, roast chicken or a simple cheese board and it will slip very comfortably into the evening.

Cellaring

Drink now to 2028. This Pinot Noir is made for softness and immediate drinkability, though it has enough fruit and structure to hold for a few years under good storage conditions. Enjoy young for cherry fruit, mocha and freshness.

Producer

Little Goat Creek is based around Marlborough’s Wairau Valley, one of New Zealand’s best-known cool-climate wine regions. The creek itself flows from the Richmond Ranges into the Wairau River, feeding the land that grows Marlborough’s famous grapes. Winemakers Chris Darling and Bart Arnst bring more than 30 years of winemaking experience, with work across France, Greece, Czech Republic, Australia and New Zealand. The wines focus on organic vineyard sourcing, varietal clarity, freshness and bright, approachable flavour.

Related Wines To Try →

For other organic, vegan-friendly or softly styled Pinot Noir options, try these:

• Certified organic Marlborough Pinot with cherry, plum and fine tannins — Momo Pinot Noir
• Preservative-free Yarra Valley Pinot with cherry, cranberry and savoury freshness — Wild Folk Preservative Free Pinot Noir
• Certified organic, preservative-free Pinot Noir with dark cherry, spice and silky length — Temple Bruer Preservative Free Pinot Noir

FAQ

What does Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir 2024 taste like?

It tastes like ripe cherry, dark fruit, mocha and gentle oak. The palate is dry and medium-bodied, with smooth texture, fine tannins and good length. It is soft, approachable and fuller-fruited than many very delicate Pinot Noir styles.

Is this Pinot Noir sweet or dry?

This is a dry red wine. The residual sugar is approximately 2 g/L, which sits firmly in the dry range. The ripe cherry and dark fruit bring flavour generosity, not sweetness.

Is Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir light-bodied?

It is medium-bodied for Pinot Noir. The wine has soft tannins and a smooth mouthfeel, so it does not taste heavy or bulky. The dark fruit and mocha notes give it a little more depth than a very pale, delicate Pinot.

How should I serve this wine?

Serve it around 14–16°C in a Pinot Noir or Burgundy-shaped glass. A slightly cooler serving temperature keeps the cherry fruit fresh and the tannins neat. Avoid serving it too warm, as Pinot Noir can lose its lift and elegance.

Should I decant Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir?

No formal decanting is needed. Open it 10–15 minutes before serving or let it breathe in the glass. This is a soft, approachable Pinot Noir made to drink easily from the first pour.

Does this wine contain preservatives or sulphites?

This wine contains sulphites. Certified organic wines are made to lower sulphur limits than conventional wines, but they are not automatically preservative free. For no-added-sulphur options, explore our No Added Preservative wine range.

Is Little Goat Creek Pinot Noir vegan friendly?

Yes, this wine is vegan suitable. It is also certified organic, making it a strong choice for drinkers looking for a softer red made with cleaner farming practices. The style is approachable, smooth and very food-friendly.

What food pairs best with this Pinot Noir?

It pairs beautifully with mushroom risotto, duck pancakes, roast chicken, pork, savoury canapés, red meat dishes and winter salads. The soft tannins suit earthy flavours and gentle richness. For a vegetarian match, try beetroot and goat’s cheese tart or grilled mushrooms with herbs.

Who will love this wine?

It will suit drinkers who enjoy smooth, cherry-led reds with soft tannins and a little savoury depth. If you like Pinot Noir but want something more generous than ultra-light styles, this is a lovely option. It is also a good choice for Merlot drinkers moving into softer cool-climate reds.

Is this wine keto friendly?

Yes, this is a dry, low-sugar red wine. At approximately 2 g/L residual sugar, it is a better fit for keto-conscious drinkers than sweet, off-dry or dessert wines. Suitability still depends on your own dietary goals and serving size.

(SKU: LG_PNo_CV)