Founded in 1992 by French-trained, winemaker John Belsham, and one of the world's first flying winemakers, Belsham set out to make the best, single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in New Zealand; a novel concept at the time.

30 years on, Foxes Island offers the most extensive collection of cellar-aged, single vineyard wines on release in New Zealand. We craft our wines as gently as possible and as nature intended; with science, innovation and time, we will continue to do so. We believe wine is to be shared, to bring people together, foster community and celebrate inclusivity and diversity.

Since the first vintage in 1993, Pinot Noir has been at the heart of Foxes Island and the Icons wines reflect a lifetime of experience, tenacity and humility by founder and winemaker John Belsham.

It is a pleasure to present the 2012 vintage, a very artfully structured wine that is powerful yet elegant.  The warm growing season allowed the tannins in the grape to fully ripen providing a strong architectural framework.  A wine of the land with a special terroir, the juice was fermented with indigenous yeast that lives in the vineyard, providing a unique fingerprint to the wine, exclaiming that Le Renard can only come from one specific place in the world, the Belsham Awatere Estate.  

Aged in small French oak barrels, the wine has generous layers of flavours for depth and dimension. 

The wine had no fining and settled on its own, yielding a naturally vegan wine. 

Le Renard Pinot Noir can be enjoyed today or cellared for the next 15 to 20 years.