Bracken's Order 'Sleeping Nun' Pinot Noir 2023 is a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Bendigo in Central Otago, New Zealand, from a label named after an Arrowtown pioneer. This wine has dark plum, blueberry and thyme aromas, a plush palate and fine tannins, and Wine Orbit rated it 95 POINTS. It suits anyone who likes Pinot Noir with richness and structure.
Pour a glass and the aromas on the nose come up ripe and dark: plum and blueberry first, then florals, a sprig of thyme and a hint of hazelnut. Sam Kim of Wine Orbit called it wonderfully ripe and complex.
It's a good weekend wine for anyone who likes their Pinot Noir generous rather than delicate. Bracken's Order limits each vintage to 720 bottles, so this is a small release.
The label has a local story: it is named after one of Arrowtown's early pioneers, who helped found the hotel that became Eichardt's in Queenstown. Bracken's Order keeps each release modestly priced, which makes it a good-value way into single-vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir.
What it tastes like
The wine has aromas of dark plum and blueberry, with rich floral character, thyme and hazelnut.
The palate has excellent concentration and a plush texture. The tannins (the grippy, drying part of a red wine) are finely integrated, so the wine feels structured and supple at once. The finish is long.
Style at a glance
- Body: concentrated, with a plush texture
- Sweetness: dry
- Tannin: fine and well integrated
- Style: ripe, plush, complex, structured, supple
Food to enjoy this with
Best enjoyed with great food. Good matches include:
- Roast duck with a cherry sauce
- Herb-crusted lamb rump
- Roast chicken with thyme, which picks up the thyme in the wine
- Mushroom risotto
- Venison or slow-cooked beef cheeks
- Grilled salmon: the fine tannins are gentle enough for an oily fish, and the plum and blueberry fruit suits the rich flesh
Who makes it
Bracken's Order is named after Sergeant Major Hugh William Bracken. He arrived in Arrowtown in 1862 as a member of the Otago Mounted Police. In 1863 he and William Rees opened the Queen's Arms Hotel, which is now Eichardt's on the Queenstown waterfront.
The wines come from a single vineyard in Bendigo, Central Otago.
About the vintage
The 2023 Central Otago vintage report on JancisRobinson.com describes a dry lead-up to harvest. Just 44.4 mm of rain fell from December to mid-February.
Late in the season a cold snap brought several frosts, one of them reaching -5°C in places, and harvest ran well into late April.
The report expected the best wines from early-ripening areas such as Bendigo, and from the lower-cropping parts of Bannockburn.
Critic scores and ratings
- 95 POINTS – Sam Kim – Wine Orbit, March 2025
"Wonderfully ripe and complex, the bouquet shows dark plum, blueberry, rich floral, thyme, and hazelnut aromas. The palate delivers excellent concentration and plush texture, combined with finely integrated tannins, making it both structured and supple, with a prolonged, delectable finish. At its best: now to 2035." Rated 5 stars.
When to drink it
It is drinking well now and will be at its best through to 2035.
Technical details
| Winery: |
Bracken's Order |
| Wine: |
'Sleeping Nun' Pinot Noir |
| Vintage: |
2023 |
| Variety: |
Pinot Noir |
| Region: |
Bendigo, Central Otago |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the Bracken's Order 'Sleeping Nun' Pinot Noir 2023 is available from our winenz.com website. For delivery within New Zealand, buy it from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it at our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores, alongside a large range of New Zealand and international wine. On both websites and in both stores you can build a mixed case from a large range of wines, and if you are visiting from overseas, we can ship it home for you.
Questions we are often asked
What does Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023 taste like?
Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023 has ripe plum and blueberry fruit with floral, thyme and hazelnut aromas, a plush, concentrated palate and fine tannins.
Is Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir a single-vineyard wine?
Yes. It comes from a single vineyard in Bendigo, Central Otago.
Who is Bracken's Order named after?
Bracken's Order is named after Sergeant Major Hugh William Bracken, an Otago Mounted Police officer who came to Arrowtown in 1862 and co-founded the Queen's Arms Hotel, now Eichardt's in Queenstown.
How was Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023 rated?
Sam Kim of Wine Orbit rated Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023 95 POINTS and 5 stars in March 2025.
How many bottles of Bracken's Order are made?
Bracken's Order limits each vintage to 720 bottles.
When should I drink Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023?
Bracken's Order Sleeping Nun Pinot Noir 2023 drinks well now and should be at its best until 2035.
Where can I buy Bracken's Order 'Sleeping Nun' Pinot Noir 2023?
The Winery ships Bracken's Order 'Sleeping Nun' Pinot Noir 2023 internationally from winenz.com to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, and delivers within New Zealand from thewineryonline.co.nz. You can also buy it in our Queenstown and Arrowtown wine stores.
