Our allocation of La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 is always limited, and it always sells out. La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 is the estate Pinot Noir from Yoshi and Kyoko Sato's biodynamic vineyard on Mount Pisa, Central Otago. The wine has fresh and dried strawberry, cherry, cranberry and orange peel over fine tannins, and James Suckling rated it 96 POINTS. It suits lovers of pure, medium-bodied Pinot Noir.
Sur les Nuages means "on the clouds". Pour a glass and the aromas on the nose are fresh and dried strawberries, then cherries, cranberries and a twist of orange peel. The palate is medium-bodied, with a juicy, crunchy feel and a hint of smoke and flint at the end.
Around 5,900 bottles were made, according to Sato's winemaking notes. It comes from the Satos' own vineyard on the Pisa Range. We'd reach for it with a good dinner, when you want a Pinot Noir that is pure rather than heavy.
The fruit is the reason to buy it. The vineyard sits at 295 to 345 metres and is farmed biodynamically with no chemicals. In the cellar the grapes were fully destemmed, with no whole bunches. They fermented on wild yeast and stayed on their skins for 26 to 35 days. The wine then spent 20 months in French oak and was bottled without fining or filtering.
What it tastes like
This wine has clarity and purity. Fresh and dried strawberries come first, followed by layers of cherries and cranberries. A touch of orange peel and burnt orange adds lift.
It is medium-bodied, with a solid core of fruit. The tannins (the part of a red wine that gives a slight drying grip) are fine, and there is a juicy, crunchy freshness through the palate.
Hints of smoke and flint show on the finish.
Style at a glance
- Body: medium, with a solid core of fruit
- Sweetness: dry
- Acidity: juicy and fresh
- Tannin: fine
- Oak: 20 months in French oak barrels, 22% new
- Style: pure, red-fruited, juicy, crunchy, smoky
Food to enjoy this with
This is a wine best enjoyed with great food. Good matches include:
- Seared duck breast with cherries
- Roast lamb rack with rosemary
- Wild mushroom risotto
- Grilled salmon: the fine tannins sit comfortably with an oily fish
- Venison carpaccio
- Duck à l'orange, which picks up the orange peel in the wine
- Chicken yakitori with a soy and mirin glaze: the sweet-savoury glaze and char meet the wine's red fruit and smoky finish
Who makes it
Sato is the work of Yoshiaki (Yoshi) and Kyoko Sato. They met in 1998 while working for a Japanese bank in Tokyo, and spent more than 10 years in banking in Tokyo and London. In 2006 they moved to New Zealand to study viticulture and winemaking at Lincoln University. Both started their wine careers at Felton Road under Blair Walter. Yoshi went on to make wine at Mount Edward from 2009. That was also the year of the first Sato wine: 190 cases of Pinot Noir. Kyoko spent 12 years at Felton Road before joining Sato full-time in 2018.
La Ferme de Sato is the couple's own vineyard, planted in 2016 on the upper slopes of the Pisa Range at 295 to 345 metres. The land had been used for sheep grazing and had never seen chemicals. It is farmed biodynamically and certified organic by BioGro. The vines are planted closely together across 3.2 hectares, mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, with smaller plots of Chenin Blanc, Gamay and Cabernet Franc. The Satos have made the wine in their own winery since 2019.
About the vintage
Sophie Preece's 2023 vintage report on Central Otago quoted consultant viticulturist Timbo Morrison-Deaker, who described it as the third exceptional season in a row under the influence of La Niña. The final 4 weeks brought a sharp change, and frost fighting was back for the first time in about 3 years. Berries were larger than usual, which lifted yields.
Sugars at harvest came in lower than expected, and natural acidity (malic acid, the tart acid in green apples) higher. Timbo still expected 2023 to be seen as a stellar vintage.
James Suckling found that 2023 performed exceptionally well in the South Island. In his 2024 New Zealand vintage report he named Sato among the excellent wineries of Central Otago, saying its "current releases, mostly 2023s, are excellent."
Critic scores and ratings
- 96 POINTS – James Suckling – JamesSuckling.com, October 2025
"A pinot noir with clarity and purity, showing fresh and dried strawberries, burnt oranges and layers of cherries and cranberries. A touch of orange peel. Medium-bodied with a solid core of fruit, fine tannins and a juicy undertone. Crunchy, with hints of smoke and flint at the end. Drink now."
When to drink it
James Suckling suggests drinking it now.
Technical details
| Winery: |
Sato Wines |
| Wine: |
La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir |
| Vintage: |
2023 |
| Variety: |
Pinot Noir |
| Region: |
Mount Pisa, Central Otago |
| Country: |
New Zealand |
| Alcohol: |
13.6% |
| Oak: |
20 months in French oak barrels, 22% new |
| Fermentation: |
Wild yeast, fully destemmed, 26 to 35 days on skins |
| Organic: |
Estate vineyard certified organic by BioGro |
Where to buy
For international delivery to the USA, Australia, UK, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, China and South Korea, the La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages 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 stores (7–9 Ballarat Street, Queenstown and 27 Ramshaw Lane, Arrowtown), 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
How was La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 rated?
James Suckling rated La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 96 POINTS.
What does Sur les Nuages mean?
Sur les Nuages is French for "on the clouds". It is the name of the estate Pinot Noir from La Ferme de Sato.
Is La Ferme de Sato organic?
Yes. La Ferme de Sato, the Satos' own vineyard on the Pisa Range, is farmed biodynamically and certified organic by BioGro.
Is Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 made with whole bunches?
No. Sato fully destemmed the grapes for Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023, then fermented them on wild yeast with 26 to 35 days on skins.
When should I drink La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023?
James Suckling recommends drinking La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023 now.
Where can I buy La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages Pinot Noir 2023?
The Winery ships La Ferme de Sato Sur Les Nuages 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 stores, at 7–9 Ballarat Street, Queenstown and 27 Ramshaw Lane, Arrowtown.
