Toi Toi Wines has set a new benchmark with its 2023 Clutha Pinot Noir, recently titled Best Wine by Value at the 2025 USA Wine Ratings. Scoring 93 points and earning a Gold medal, the wine stood out for its balance of quality and affordability — a hallmark of Toi Toi’s philosophy. Crafted from three Central Otago subregions, the 2023 Clutha layers lush cherry and red plum with subtle smoke and vanilla, finishing smooth with soft tannins and minerality. The USA Wine Rating took the opportunity to speak with Toi Toi wines and chat about how this recognition offers not just an award-winning Pinot Noir, but a compelling story of provenance, craftsmanship, and value that resonates in today’s market.

How does it feel to have your 2023 Toi Toi Pinot Noir Clutha recognised as Best Wine By Value at the USA Wine Ratings?

We’re absolutely thrilled! It’s always rewarding to see the hard work in the vineyard and winery recognised on an international stage. The honor validates our commitment to crafting premium wines that deliver exceptional quality at an accessible price point.

From your perspective, what does this win signify for Toi Toi Wines as a brand? How do you plan to leverage this medal in your marketing and sales strategy moving forward?

For us, this is a strong endorsement of our philosophy of producing world-class quality without compromise. It’s a message that resonates in all markets, especially in the US where value and premium positioning matter. Given that we bagged the titles for Best Wine by Value, we most certainly will be leveraging this recognition across trade marketing, digital campaigns, and in-market activations to give our partners and distributors a powerful story to share with their customers.

What kind of support—marketing, promotional, or logistical—does Toi Toi Wines offer its US buying partners?

We see our distributors and retail partners as an extension of our team, so we provide comprehensive support, ranging from digital content and social media assets to point-of-sale materials, staff training and promotional programs. We also work closely on logistics, supplying to both the East and West Coast to make sure our wines arrive in perfect condition and on time.

Why did you choose to enter the 2023 Clutha Pinot Noir into the USA Wine Ratings specifically? What, in your view, sets this wine apart from other New Zealand Pinot Noirs?

The USA Wine Ratings focus on three pillars: quality, value, and packaging. It's these criteria that align perfectly with our approach. The Clutha Pinot Noir is a standout because of its sense of place. Sourced from three distinct Central Otago subregions, it balances vibrant fruit purity with fine structure and elegance. It’s a wine that truly speaks of its origin.

Could you walk us through the winemaking process for this vintage, and how these techniques influence flavour and texture?

We selected fruit from low-yielding vineyards to ensure intensity and purity. After gentle destemming, the wine was fermented with a mix of wild and cultured yeasts to build complexity. We use oak staves for subtle spice and texture without overpowering the fruit. The result is a Pinot Noir with silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and layers of red cherry, raspberry, and spice.

Your 2023 Pinot Noir Clutha is sourced from three distinct vineyard sites—how does each site contribute to the final profile of the wine?

Each vineyard brings something unique. Our Bannockburn site delivers rich, dark fruit and depth. The Pisa site adds bright red berry characters and floral lift, while the Gibbston fruit contributes fine tannins and an elegant acid line. Together, they create a wine that’s balanced, layered, and unmistakably Central Otago.

What trends are you currently witnessing in the New Zealand wine market, both domestically and in exports? Have you noticed shifts in consumer preferences that are influencing your production or marketing choices?

Globally, we’re seeing strong demand for premium wines with authentic stories and sustainable credentials. Consumers are looking for provenance and transparency, they want to know where their wine comes from and how it’s made. That’s driving us to effectively communicate with like-minded enthusiasts about our vineyards, sustainability practices, and the people behind the wine.

With international judges responding so favourably to the 2023 Pinot Noir Clutha, how might this recognition shape your product development or marketing campaigns in the future?

This recognition gives us the confidence to keep striving harder in the premium Pinot Noir space. Awards like this reinforce our strategy of sourcing from the best sites and investing in quality at every stage. When it comes to marketing strategy, we’ll continue to build and shape our campaigns around authenticity, craftsmanship and value because this accolade proves that these pillars resonate with a global audience.

Do you see this award influencing your global positioning or opening new market opportunities beyond the US?

Absolutely! While the recognition is from a US-based competition, the prestige carries across all markets. It strengthens our global positioning as a producer of outstanding New Zealand Pinot Noir and opens conversations with new partners in Asia, Canada, and Europe who are seeking quality, value-driven wines with international acclaim.

Header image sourced from Toi Toi Wines (Website).