MADAM SASS

Madam Sass lived her life with daring indulgence. She is an homage to heroines from Central Otago’s gold rush era; when gutsy women held little regard for the establishment and relished taking risks.

The Bendigo sub region of Central Otago is renowned for vibrant dark fruit flavours and finely tuned acidity. Formed from glaciers grinding schist rocks to smaller gravels and finer particles, the soil is rich in minerals, free draining and perfect for growing exceptional Pinot Noir. Literally named after a miner’s original gold claim, the Claim 431 Vineyard in Bendigo sits firmly at the heart of New Zealand’s illustrious gold rush history.

Winemaker, Cleighten Cornelius, completed his Bachelor in viticulture and oenology at Lincoln University and set off to the northern hemisphere to work vintages in France (Chambolle-Musigny), Germany (Rienheim) and Cyprus. After a decade of winemaking, Cleighten’s core focus remains unchanged, ‘to make the best wine possible!’