Wow
2009 Pyramid Valley Earth Smoke Pinot Noir North Canterbury
Smoky, mineral, musky, sappy dark fruit, almost a touch of chocolate, campfire, aromatic smoke, very smooth, nice mineral base, wild cherry fruit, mineral, stemmy herbal notes, fine limestone tannins, great transparent finish, good length.
2008 Pyramid valley Earth Smoke Pinot Noir North Canterbury
More fruit, brighter, nice mineral freshness, little fresh leather, a bit of meatiness, touch of flint, a bit calcareous, little stemmy, spicy nuances, super focus, bright, massive mineral backed raspberry fruit, then a huge cola, medicinal, spice not on the backend, finish is really savory, firm, a touch of black licorice bitterness, black cherry bitterness, brilliant.
2009 Muddy Water Hare’s Breath Pinot Noir Waipara
Floral, lightly stemmy, cocoa soil tones, wild berry fruit, ripe, black cherry, nicely balanced, bright, super tannins on fini, nice length, very complete.
2009 The Pruners Reward Waipara
Oily, slate, lingonberry, iron, perfumed spice. Cut red fruit, touch of pomegranate, spicy, balanced, zesty, pure delicate, super Sapid raspberry notes, wiry and light.
2010 The Crater Rim Pinot Noir Waipara
Very pretty, cola, black cherry, herb, spice, floral. Bright, super fine in the mouth, detailed fruit, black berry, herb, lovely nuanced oak and soil tones, this is a winner, lovely spicy fini, succulent tannins on finish.
2009 The Crater Rim Omihi Rise Pinot Noir Waipara
Nice, musky, low, some nutty oak, little stemmy herbs. Nice brightness, astringent tannins, round, kind of opulent but structured with a nice mineral tone on the back, then a touch of grapefruit oil in the red fruit, spicy, lightly minty finish, peppery.
2010 Craggy Range Te Mania Pinot Noir Hawkes Bay
Gorgeous red fruit, savory, a little stemmy, dried floral notes, dried herbs, fine, gentle, rather ephemeral. Ripe but spare tannins, soft integrated acid, a touch of wood early on the palate then savory, slight gamy blood, black pudding notes, wild cherry fruit, little wood spice, fine Sapid, gene, duty finish, good length.
2010 Ata Rangi Pinot Noir Martinborough
Tight, super fine, cool, crushed berry fruit, silky, supple, rather large scaled but deliciously well balanced, deep sappy fruit, fine bitter cherries huge mineral notes on the finish, a touch of toasty, nuts on the, bright and tense, huge real ours of deep, savory fruit, long and supper fine finish, dry and severe but not austere, , this is extract of bitter wild cherry.
2010 Escarpment Pinot Noir Martinborough
Perfumed, fine cur plum and crystallized raspberry fruit, lovely herbal back tones, fresh and fragrant, a little tight, tense, glossy black plum skin, black raspberry fruit, touch of cool spice nice solid core of spilt ones, Stony back fruit, super fine balance, has excellent tension, ice drive, this have knifepoint balance, huge extract of fruit but there is no fat here, fine black cherry fruit.
2010 Tiwaiwaka Pinot Noir Martinborough
Dense, lightly beefy, pressed flowers and cut cherry fruit, soil, almost chalky, bit of pencil lead, oak showing. Vibrant and bright, pretty large s led but this shows some blueberry up front, game, Sapid and fine dark plum notes, mineral cut, little cola, very complete, steely acids, nice aromatic spice notes on the finish, then this terns tight and. Bit stern, excellent length with. Right spice and a touch of heat on the finish, great juniper, green herbed strawberry seeds finish.
2010 Gladstone Pinot Noir Martinborough
Pretty on the nose, lightly floral, fresh plum, sappy astringent red berry, very light and layered, fine herb notes' sweet berry fruit on entry, bright, lovely herb toes, delicate and fresh, delicious wine, super inner mouth perfumes, refined and delicate, lovely drive to the fruit, puritans precision, finishes a bit short but succulent with red plum finale and spice notes.
2010 Martinborough Terraces Pinot Noir Martinborough
Tight, touch of powdered cherry sugar, wood, spice, hint of age, rich, broad and high, great inner mouth perfume, wild cherry, plum, herbs, a touch of meaty extract, superb tannin ripeness, powerful but still retiming a sense of delicacy, really fine drive to the cherry fruit on the backend, finishes with rich flavor and continuing delicacy of texture.
2010 Murdoch James Blue Rock Pinot Noir Martinborough
Intense and heavy on the nose. Firmly oaky, plummy, tobacco smoke, blackberry fruit, super savory dried herbstem notes, rich and very powerful but with impressive cut, there's really bright acid here, a deep core of savory fruit, super savory and layered with dried herb tones, a touch of salted plum, vanilla and incipient game notes, too big for me with. Touch of het showing but an impressive powerhouse, finishes with ample tannins.
2009 Margrain Home Block Pinot Noir Martinborough
Pretty perfumes, earthy, lightly smoky, floral, rhubarb, strawberry and raspberry, a little wood, a touch blocky in the mouth but light and lively, really attractive freshness here with an edge of sage and spice topping the vivid raspberry fruit, very Oregon styled, rose pets in the mouth, plummy finish, vibrant and zesty, impressive fruit density.
2009 Schubert Block B Pinot Noir Martinborough
Leafy, dried herbs, aromatic, wild red fruit, nice soil tones, cooked lingonberry notes, smooth, round, nice and bright red fruit flavor, little plum skin, spicy, delicious, super ripe tannins, bright juicy acids, really clear fruit, shows great Stony soil tones, long, strawberry fruit n finish, this is firm and clear, still a touch tight perhaps.
2009 Johner Pinot Noir Reserve Martinborough
A bit smoky, a bit of nuttiness, larger format wood? A bit sappy, some earthy, herbal rhubarb notes, very fine texture, a lovely richness with some peachy tones knit into the seamless bitter cherry, slightly jammy strawberry fruit, late arriving earth and wood spice add detail, floats away on the finish, lovely ripe tannins and well integrated acids, good length, lost red currants on the finish, fine wild red cherry.
2009 Brodie Pinot Noir Martinborough
Perfumed, very pretty, Burgundian, leafy dried herb aromatics, bright fruit, bit of wood backing it all up, delicate and clear, raspberry fruit, light red fruit, super lively in the mouth, touch too much wood perhaps but this is aromatic and vibrant in the mouth, nuanced herb and savory notes all over the place, a bit too much wood again on the finish but it should integrate, nice length, fine ripe tannins.
2010 Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir Nelson
Tight. Fine, perfumed, a bit of obvious oak, very focused nose, fine dried herbs, almost a touch of lavender, tender one try, silky, fairly rich background note of blackberry, black raspberry, bit of mint, supple tannins, bright, firm classy finish, long fresh black raspberry fruit finish, very Burgundian bit of licorice on finish.
2010 Neudorf Home Vineyard Pinot Noir Nelson
More depth, dry, face powder, black cherry skin, soil, shale, a touch of herbal spice, a bit of wood sweetness, a. Optical le step up in density, getting very close to premier cry burgundy here, fine density, sappy, liquory fruit, dense but not weighty, long, very fine and refined.
2010 Saint Clair Block 16 Pinot Noir Marlborough
This smells fine, with real mineral notes spice, ash, toast, nice intensity of liquory yet not terrible sweet fruit, bit of medicinal. Power, density on the palate but super fine, short, skin tannins, closed but hinting t wonderfully perfumed quality, fresh yet big.
2010 Churton Pinot Noir Marlborough
Candied, earthy, forest floor, rhubarb, bit of cowpatty, peaches, rosebuds, bit of cheese and prosciutto savory ness, sage, sandalwood. Bright, lithe, pure Pinot, this shows wonderful lightness, sage and lingonberry accents, bit of rhubarb, the some wild raspberry fruit, spices flying through the air, a bit of lavender, lovely delicate but firm texture, a wine with real clarity's d fine complexity, retains its aromatic quality in the mouth.
2010 Akarua Pinot Noir Central Otago
Intense nose slightly toasty, ripe balanced and rich. Rich but bright and transparent, fine black cherry fruit, spiced, fine supporting wood, big tannic follow through, needs time for the oak to integrate, little chocolate.
2009 Mud House Pinot Noir Central Otago
Little mocha, red fruit, spicy stem, wonderful fresh herbal edge, very pretty aromatics. Super vibrancy in the mouth, ripe, red fruit, zesty and brilliant, succulent, exciting texture.
2007 Maude Mt. Maude Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago
Lovely nose, beautifully perfumed, ripe stems, a little prosciutto, some herbal quality, great musky fruit, cinnamon. Bright, Sapid, naively balanced, good transparency, lovely freshness of fruit, good inner mouth energy between ripe fruit and fine texture, good length too.
2010 Maude Mt. Maude Vineyard Pinot Noir Central Otago
Little beetroot, quinine, mineral tight nose. Round, intense and opulent, layered, fine layered texture, lovely mineral tinged black raspberry, black cherry fruit, this has an innate sweetness, fine length, spicy, rocking wine.
2006 Chard Farm The Tiger Pinot Noir Central Otago
Perfumed, mineral, bay and mint , aggressive lean, slightly angry nose. Super fine, delicacy and elegance very clear and vibrant red fruit raspberry bit of red currant excellent ripeness good length about as elegant as things get.
2010 Felton Road Cornish Point Pinot Noir Central Otago
Fine tea, far fruit, bit of mahogany. Whoa, this is rich and bright, super fine balance, ripe with rel energy, clarity of fruit, ripe tannins, fine lifting acidity, succulent fruit, bit sweeter on the finish, tense with real cut, lovely brightness on the long finish, cut of raspberry fruit, warm berries.
2009 Felton Road Block 3 Central Otago
Fine tea, far fruit, bit of mahogany. Whoa, this is rich and bright, super fine balance, ripe with real energy, clarity of fruit, ripe tannins, fine lifting acidity, succulent fruit, bit sweeter on the finish, tense with real cut, lovely brightness on the long finish, cut of raspberry fruit, warm berries.
2008 Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir Central Otago
Muscular, deep fruit, a bit more obvious oak, sweet violet a touch medicinal. Delicacy, purity, finely ripe fruit, intense but not hugely rich or dense, inner mouth perfume, sage, touch of citrus pith, dusty but ripe tannins, really nice jump in quality here.
2010 Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir Central Otago
Tight, rosebud very floral, heathery, very well integrated oak treatments, dry, almost austere, very refined, a touch compressed, very layered, lovely almost Burgundian density of fruit, deep, wiry, slightly amiable though no fat, lean and muscular, fine tannin structure, nice length, wood aromatics peak out on finish.
2008 Bell Hill Pinot Noir Canterbury
Dark, muscular, mineral, juniper, fine edged fruit. Rich, perfectly ripe, precise, muscular, firm, focused, lively, touch of its pith, excellent length and fresh, Sapid.
2009 Kaimira Pinot Noir Nelson
Lovely, earthy, herbal, wiry toasted spice nose, green and ripe, strawberry tops. Bright and vivid in the mouth, very spicy herbal quality, plenty of sage, soft ripe tannins, integrated acids, finishes a touch short but still aromatic, spicy, green peppercorn.
Comments
So glad to see Churton on there. So sad to not see Bell Hill or Grasshopper Rock on the list.
May 01, 2012 at 12:59 PM
Greg,
I will be leaving for NZ next week. Do all of the wineries in this article have tasting rooms?
LTC Mike
May 01, 2012 at 1:21 PM
Where are the Felton Road wines???
May 01, 2012 at 5:22 PM
Dal Piaz
Have you tried page 2?
May 01, 2012 at 5:42 PM
nborough
Fantastic to see so many of the Martinborough vineyards on your list. @LTCmike - Martinborough, Murdoch James & Schubert have tasting rooms open 7 days, Margrain weeekends only, & Escarpment by appointment. See http://www.winesfrommartinborough.com for more info.
May 01, 2012 at 6:58 PM
Thanks for the information on the Martinborough wineries.
May 01, 2012 at 9:01 PM
NZ
You will find just about all of these wines and about 280 more at Pinot Noir NZ 2013. Held in Wellington, New Zealand from 28th to 31st January. If that sounds like you cup of tea, check out more here: http://www.pinotnz.co.nz/
May 01, 2012 at 11:09 PM
NZ
Thanks Gregory for such a fantastic article on our wines. Will be recommending it widely.
May 01, 2012 at 11:11 PM
You have had many fine columns, but this is the most informative. Bravo!--Syra
May 01, 2012 at 11:49 PM
I have to say as an Englishman with the world's wines at out lips that a similar trip, the third such trip, to NZ pinot noir wineries last year left me thinking that they were not as good as they are cracked up to be, they are ridiculously expensive, and thus poor value. Escarpement and the Martinborough wines - gimlett gravels -are the ones to drink if you really cannot find a better french Pinot. NZ syrah though is excellent if you can find it. Try Te Whau.
May 02, 2012 at 11:28 AM
Many would agree that France certainly sets the standard, however, for such a young wine growing country, and with Pinot Noir being a relatively new varietal for NZ, it is really quite stunning to see what they're able to produce already. Things can only improve from here.
May 02, 2012 at 5:18 PM
thanks for sneaking the Chard Farm Tiger in there. we're pretty darn happy with our 2010's. the tiger is starting to express itself a little now - but will still take 2 or 3 years to really open up. the viper 2010 is a stunner, but its being a bit shy and hiding itself right now!! its always great to see people appreciating what we do at Chard Farm!
May 19, 2012 at 4:12 AM
Include Hawkes Bay in your next trip for some real suprises
Jun 02, 2012 at 1:19 AM
Add a Comment
Submit
Edit Confirm