Strawberries and sulfur on the nose. Medium weight body with a fair amount of red fruits, a little tart and thin on the finish. Probably past it's drinking window, so move 'em out ASAP.
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Over a one hour decant, cedar and strawberry on the nose, really fruit forward red fruits on the palate, smooth medium length finish. A very pleasing, well balanced wine, would be significantly higher if not for a permeating sulfur hint despite the decant. Drinking very well now, as the fruit is holding up very well (maybe due to the SO2?)(and the screw cap?)
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Deep ruby. Somewhat closed, ripe dark cherry nose, with a hint of raisen. High acid, high fruit - sweet and sour red and dark cherry fruit with a hint of spiciness and oak. Some fine silky tannin with acid carrying the finish. Intense middle palate and good length. Just a touch of EtOH heat, but not so much to be distracting. Not overly complex, but enjoyable and well made in its style. Drink or hold for a couple. (90 Good wine)
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Garnet colour, no bricking, crystal clear with tart cherries, earth and cinnamon on nose. Medium mouthfeel, soft ripe tannins and a good acid balance, this opened up considerably with an hour in the glass. Slightly hot on the palate, but not enough to stop this wine from being a lovely drinker over the next 2-3 years. Well balanced and most enjoyable right now.
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Needs some air to open up. Initially a bit tight on the nose and palate, with the former only showing an earthy funk.
Fast fwd 20 minutes on the glass. A delicate fruit and floral combo on the nose. Medium light in overall body, but an unusual depth of fruit for a pinot of this weight. Still shows some tannins at the finish. Nice overall impression, and a decent QPR at $30.
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This is why i now love screw caps. The wine still tastes young and fresh without the cork funk. Much better than i would have expected from a NZ 6+ yr Pinot Noir. Still somewhat tannic, this would pair well with pork or turkey.
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Color has bricked, fruits have withdrawn to let in a bit of barnyard nose, earthy and modestly tannic flavor. Still some strawberry and cherry in evidence but a very different experience than the still-fruity '07 consumed the previous night. An enjoyable and subtle finish...very impressed.
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Deep but translucent ruby color with red bricking at edges showing in glass for this very mature Pinot. The nose is filled with ripened cherries, with a slight pruniness on first pour - within an hour, the nose took on more secondary aromas of barnyard hay and bacon fat. The palate develops very well as much as the nose - acids subsiding to reward with generous red fruit, roundness, and finish. Delectable!
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Let this wine open up a little. Bright and acidic out of the bottle. Expressions of fresh red cherries, strawberry and red sweet apple blossom. Nice balance on the palate with fruit, acid and tannins. Finish has notes of spice and bitter chocolate. Beautiful color with elements of brick red characteristic of the age.
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Cherry red - no transition to brown or terracotta yet. Red fruit on the nose, strawberry, pomegranate and sour cherry, typical NZ PN nose. Silky mouthfeel, initially medium acidity, low tannins, same red fruit comes back in the palate, good balance right now, but not particularly complex. Tartness and acidity build in the medium-long finish.
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PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. As with prior reviews, dark ruby color, with cherries and strawberries on the nose, with tart cherries pronounced on the palate. Tannins have softened a bit, but still doesn't seem very integrated, as some serious tartness and even a slight alcohol burn are present on the finish. Still decent, but nothing special. 87pts. Aloha!
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Burgundy in style with a more refined profile, though not as complex as a good Burgundy. Nose of tea, cola, and cherry, but subtle in all ways. Good finish and well balanced.
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A pleasant surprise. Light fruit...cherry and strawberry and well balanced. A nice drinking wine. tasted to date.Better than much of the NZ Pinot Noir I have tasted to date.
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PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Notes after another hour in glass. Ruby red color. Strawberries and cherries on the nose. On the palate, tart cherries with some strawberry as well. Tannins were very mild. Tartness on the back end stuck out, which resulted in the lower score from my prior bottle. 87+pts. Aloha!
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Some bottle variation here; 1st bottle was a bit flabby, not enough acidity, and second bottle had better structure but muted fruit. I am only giving them 86 as I have had better bottles in the past.
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Ruby color with a bright nose of red cherry, cranberry and asian spices. Palate was incredibly silky with sour cherry, tart cranberry and a woodsy spice that lingers on the mouthwatering finish. Good medium weight with beautiful acidity that makes me wish I'd had some food to go with it.
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I held off writing a review of this wine, but after my 4th bottle I must say there is some bottle variation going on. Some have an alcoholic nose leading to a massive fruit bomb. Others have a muted nose with not much going on. Tonight I am drinking the later, but both are plesant. I got a case of this stuff at 17 bux a pop. Fair price for quality Pinot, but there are a lot more interesteing 08' Williamette Valley Pinots in the low 20's that I prefer due to their spicy, dirty style. Their 04' was phenominal. The 05' was exceptional. The 2006 is good, but not memorable. If you find it under 20 bones, I recommend. Decanted for 40 minutes and served with pan seared veal chops.
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Pop and pour through Nuance Wine Finer. Garnet red color. Cherries and a hint of strawberries on the nose. More cherries on the palate. Soft mouth feel with some tannins present. Slightly tart finish. Enjoyable PN that we got 50% off.
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Good colour. Lots of cherry and spice on the nose, decent representation on Central Otago pinot noir, with the noticeable oak detracting a little from the wine.
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Having worked the 2006 harvest in Central Otago I always enjoy drinking these wines though it probably makes me less objective in evaluating them. From what I observed, yields were down substantially in 2006 and ripening was uneven as a result early frosts and rain, which is normal when making wine in the world's southernmost wine growing region. The Amisfield 2006 Pinot Noir has a powerful nose displaying ripe fruit nicely integrated with the oak, which if I recall correctly is about 50% new. I disagree with those that think this wine is more Burgundian than Californian. This reminds me a lot of a California Pinot because of the ripe fruit and somewhat lacking acidity. This wine smells and tastes great but is missing the mouth feel component to give it a lasting finish. Still, we got it at Costco for $20 and I think it's a great buy.
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deep ruby red, nose is quite short but with hints of vegatal, floral and leather, medium-bodied, smooth and silkly rounded tannin, a complex palate, finish is long, can be cellared for a little bit longer for its' peak
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glossy crimson, scent of riped blue berry and cherry, taste of dark chocolate, blue berry. fine soft tanin. decent drop, just need the right food to go with it.
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Drank over Christmas Day lunch of home-cooked roast beef in Queenstown. Semi-transparent blood red colour. Lovely warm welcoming nose of mocha coffee with a touch of caramel and warm ripe black cherries. Palate is crisply acidic and quite tannic but nicely balanced by a great warmth of rich black cherry fruit. Still needs a bit of time for this to come together and is a bit hot on the back end but is very good indeed. Definitely has 5 years' ageing potential, if not longer. I had previously felt that Amisfield was two thirds marketing and only one third winemaking but the new winemaker has certainly raised the bar.
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I was so pleased with this wine. Very easy to drink and like, though perhaps not super complex. Definitely more Burgundy than California. Tannic bite on the finish suggests the balance may yet improve with time.
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*** Mid- ruby colour. Nose is raspberries, cheries, more red fruits. Medium body on mouth. Balanced and elegant but perhaps lacking real complexity and depth of flavours. A very burgundian styled of new world pinot noir. Enjoyable.
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Nose: Dark cherries, powdered strawberries, gravel, hint of... clove/banana action. Also some oak and heat deeper in the nose. Strong but pleasant bouquet. Palate: Sour cherries, strawberries on the attack. Green/vegetal notes on the mid-palate with some heat. Zesty, refreshing acidity and tannins throughout. Medium to long finish. Much better than the last time I had this (9 months ago). Definitely new world and reminds me a lot of the Luca pinot, which I enjoy tremendously, though the Amisfield is a lot more unrestrained. Not a bad thing.
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Nose has some grass on it, a bit of barnyard, and some citrus (lemon and a touch of lime and grapefruit). On the palate, very light and bright. Lots of red cherries and raspberries, rose petal, a little barnyard. Medium tannins, acidic, light body. A touch of cola on the texture. Spicy tannic finish. Very refreshing. Drinking ok now, but this isn't ready for primetime yet. If I had another bottle of this, I'd let it sit for 5-10 years to develop some secondary flavors (although it's a screwcap, so I'm not sure how that'd work).
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A bit too young still. Certainly inferior to the 2005, as this is less complex and more thin. Nice smokey aromas yet it does not hide the alcohol well. Even after decanting it was never quite together. Good value. This wine still has a chance to improve a bit if it comes together in the next year or two.
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Classic NZ pinot. Aromas of cherries and spicy plums. Not the most powerful wine but a beautiful cherry dominated pinot flavour. Should improve for a few years but lovely to drink now.
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Une belle expression du pinot néo-zélandais, avec de la fraicheur, un coté épicé et un fruit avenant. Un vin savoureux et expressif, sans aucune lourdeur. 89 pts
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NZ Pinot does it again! Starts with a slightly sweet nose and has a great mouth feel. More focused on dark fruits and slightly extracted (by pinot standards). Highly recommended, and a good QPR...AMM
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Have to say, the last two vintages haven't been nearly as impressive to me. I suppose when I first started having Amisfield (the 03), it just seemed so much more vibrant and fresh with wonderful fruit. This tasted fine and had decent fruit, but really lacked any sort of oomph that would set it apart and cause us to get it again.
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SMELL: Very peppery with dark fruit on the nose. TASTE: Very light bodied and smooth, but not a lot of fruit on the very light finish. Does not last long at all. Somewhat disappointing for how nice the wine smelled.
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A tad light. Not much for a bouquet. A zippy side to it with lots of Meyer lemon and pink grapefruit. Tangerine element too. Fresh crushed raspberries. Would pair well with salmon or duck. The crisp acidity suggest that this wine needs food.
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At this point this wine is showing nothing but fruit, but still remains quite appealing for its bing cherry, cola, cough syrup and damp soil notes. On the palate this offers some fine texture from some ultra-fine tannins, but also shows quite a bit of heat too.
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Light ruby/cherry, about 85% saturated. Big, open nose of spicy fruit: plum, strawberry, cherry and a nice Pinion pine/dill note (American oak?). Great, smacking acidity and demure tannin balance. Ready to drink with good richness and body. Not Burgundian, but somewhere outside of New World style, too. Have always preferred Martinborough over Otago but this wine really hits a nice mark and is very enjoyable - perfect with lamb. (5+12+17+7) = 91
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Not bad for $24. A cross between a Burgundy and a Cal pinot. There is a minerally, smokey component that dominates this wine, and then a dark fruit background follows. Better with food than by itself. Medium bodied, dark red in color, nose somewhat muted.
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Tight nose. On the palate - raspberry, black black cherry cola, nice spice lift, medium bodied, lush mouthfeel, grippy tannins and cacao notes on the long finish. I suggest holding onto this wine for 1-2 more years before opening.
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Bright purple, primary nose with smoke, meat and ripe red fruit, spice, chalk and hints of tar on the palate with very drying tannins, finish is dry and a bit green
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Fairly acidic and large, chalky, smooth, medium body, good fruit and spicy. A nice pinot. Might be better in 6 months or a year when it has settled down a bit. Decided to try this after listening to 3 Wine Guys. Not one of the wines they tasted but intrigued me about NZ pinot noirs as had not tried one before.
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87-89 pts for current drinking. Nose is relatively rich but in a focused sort of way. Medium dark cherry, tarragon (a good call made be a previous reviewer) and some floral, chalk notes. The palate is not quite as together yet, with a touch of green, and a fair amount of acidity and fine tannins on the finish. For me, it all seems fairly balanced with the fruit, just too young/tight. I would try again in a year, when I think this might start to morph into a pinot that deftly straddles New and Old Worlds with a forward, yet elegant (restrained) approach. A nice QPR at $30. I'll be curious to compare it later to the more expensive '06 MacPhail Sonoma Coast. Update: while I think this wine has a lot of potential, the Macphail is much more approachable for my palate today, particularly as a standalone glass. The Amisfield did not improve in any significant way on Day 2, but did loosen up considerably on Day 3 to yield an 89pt score.
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30 min. decant from twist-top crack to pour; very light color, almost magenta on the twirl; there a smoky (~ steaming bacon grease) bouquet on this wine; also obvious sweet cherry with background micro-strawberries popping on and off the scene; there's also the toasted marshmallow carmalization effect I get on most pinots, except those I tend not to like much; a touch of pepper and oak. Medium bodied and slight on the attack, this coats the palate nicely if you let it. Peppery on entry with middle of the road cherry flavors that lead through to the smoky finish, which hints some greeniness beside the nicely integrated tannins. Improved significantly after another hour in the decanter, showing added smokiness and complexities on the palate. Good acidity. Might score this better if the fruit were more pure.
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Very nice pinot. Very young and needs time, became better with air. Initial nose of tart cherries, red fruit, spice. Nice flavors on a medium bodied palate, long finish, slightly tannic however, was better with salmon.
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One of the best values I've found in Pinot. It's seriously aromatic, with a floral note peeking out from behind a gob of bing cherry and raspberry fruit flavors. Abundant acidity on the refreshing palate is followed by a solid finish. This is a superclean, silky, and technically sound wine.
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Opaque and purple tinged in the glass. Jammy blueberries on the nose. In the glass, earthy and fruit forward. Layers of tangy dried cherries. Well crafted.
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Very upfront fruits on the nose. Nice cherry pie, strawberry compote nose with spice box on the back end. On the palate, attacking red berries, cherries, and sweet tarts. Nice firm tannins holding it together with a nice overall mouth feel. Could be bigger on the mid-palate, and the finish could be a bit longer.
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very young based on the tightness and flavor profile compared to the 05, improved after a night in the fridge, clean burgundian fruit profile.........I will buy a little more......
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2/12/2017 - bbig004 wrote:
Nope, finished. Nothing is there anymore. Fruit, structure, acidity, savoury notes. No a slight on the wine, wasn't meant to go 11 years.
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10/10/2014 - Zoomin Z wrote: 86 Points
Strawberries and sulfur on the nose. Medium weight body with a fair amount of red fruits, a little tart and thin on the finish. Probably past it's drinking window, so move 'em out ASAP.
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12/29/2013 - Zoomin Z Likes this wine: 89 Points
Over a one hour decant, cedar and strawberry on the nose, really fruit forward red fruits on the palate, smooth medium length finish. A very pleasing, well balanced wine, would be significantly higher if not for a permeating sulfur hint despite the decant. Drinking very well now, as the fruit is holding up very well (maybe due to the SO2?)(and the screw cap?)
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4/20/2013 - G.M. wrote: 90 Points
Deep ruby. Somewhat closed, ripe dark cherry nose, with a hint of raisen. High acid, high fruit - sweet and sour red and dark cherry fruit with a hint of spiciness and oak. Some fine silky tannin with acid carrying the finish. Intense middle palate and good length. Just a touch of EtOH heat, but not so much to be distracting. Not overly complex, but enjoyable and well made in its style. Drink or hold for a couple. (90 Good wine)
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3/31/2013 - DemonC2H5OH Likes this wine: 90 Points
Garnet colour, no bricking, crystal clear with tart cherries, earth and cinnamon on nose. Medium mouthfeel, soft ripe tannins and a good acid balance, this opened up considerably with an hour in the glass. Slightly hot on the palate, but not enough to stop this wine from being a lovely drinker over the next 2-3 years. Well balanced and most enjoyable right now.
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1/25/2013 - D3badger wrote: 90 Points
Light with good fruit flavors. Smooth.
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1/21/2013 - vanpe003 wrote: 90 Points
Needs some air to open up. Initially a bit tight on the nose and palate, with the former only showing an earthy funk.
Fast fwd 20 minutes on the glass. A delicate fruit and floral combo on the nose. Medium light in overall body, but an unusual depth of fruit for a pinot of this weight. Still shows some tannins at the finish. Nice overall impression, and a decent QPR at $30.
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10/22/2012 - millerarner wrote: 89 Points
Decent
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9/10/2012 - khmark7 wrote: 88 Points
This is why i now love screw caps. The wine still tastes young and fresh without the cork funk. Much better than i would have expected from a NZ 6+ yr Pinot Noir. Still somewhat tannic, this would pair well with pork or turkey.
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6/10/2012 - vroskar wrote:
Delicious taste, great on it's own or with food.
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5/26/2012 - hongjiu wrote: 92 Points
Color has bricked, fruits have withdrawn to let in a bit of barnyard nose, earthy and modestly tannic flavor. Still some strawberry and cherry in evidence but a very different experience than the still-fruity '07 consumed the previous night. An enjoyable and subtle finish...very impressed.
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4/1/2012 - rmcnees wrote: 88 Points
Medium bodied, bright forward spicy zesty cherry, berry fruit, dusty rose petal, spicy leather on the long finish.
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1/30/2012 - mattyboy_ Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deep but translucent ruby color with red bricking at edges showing in glass for this very mature Pinot. The nose is filled with ripened cherries, with a slight pruniness on first pour - within an hour, the nose took on more secondary aromas of barnyard hay and bacon fat. The palate develops very well as much as the nose - acids subsiding to reward with generous red fruit, roundness, and finish. Delectable!
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1/30/2012 - RobSpectator Likes this wine: 92 Points
Let this wine open up a little. Bright and acidic out of the bottle. Expressions of fresh red cherries, strawberry and red sweet apple blossom. Nice balance on the palate with fruit, acid and tannins. Finish has notes of spice and bitter chocolate. Beautiful color with elements of brick red characteristic of the age.
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12/15/2011 - kvdb wrote: 89 Points
Cherry red - no transition to brown or terracotta yet. Red fruit on the nose, strawberry, pomegranate and sour cherry, typical NZ PN nose. Silky mouthfeel, initially medium acidity, low tannins, same red fruit comes back in the palate, good balance right now, but not particularly complex. Tartness and acidity build in the medium-long finish.
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11/11/2011 - kenthargis wrote: 88 Points
Better than last bottle. Still has cherry, decent finish.
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10/25/2011 - ob2s wrote: 86 Points
Better than most mass produced Pinot Noir, but also over $20. Glad to have had once.
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10/7/2011 - ggtirevite wrote:
Drank on vacation in the northwest
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6/26/2011 - bg3034 wrote:
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. As with prior reviews, dark ruby color, with cherries and strawberries on the nose, with tart cherries pronounced on the palate. Tannins have softened a bit, but still doesn't seem very integrated, as some serious tartness and even a slight alcohol burn are present on the finish. Still decent, but nothing special. 87pts. Aloha!
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3/30/2011 - jfarley3 wrote: 88 Points
Burgundy in style with a more refined profile, though not as complex as a good Burgundy. Nose of tea, cola, and cherry, but subtle in all ways. Good finish and well balanced.
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3/18/2011 - wconnolly wrote: 86 Points
A pleasant surprise. Light fruit...cherry and strawberry and well balanced. A nice drinking wine. tasted to date.Better than much of the NZ Pinot Noir I have tasted to date.
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2/20/2011 - csussman wrote: 88 Points
Perfect night at Olives!
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2/13/2011 - bg3034 wrote: 87 Points
PnP through Nuance Wine Finer. Notes after another hour in glass. Ruby red color. Strawberries and cherries on the nose. On the palate, tart cherries with some strawberry as well. Tannins were very mild. Tartness on the back end stuck out, which resulted in the lower score from my prior bottle. 87+pts. Aloha!
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1/17/2011 - MarcInDSM wrote: 92 Points
Really great wine
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1/16/2011 - truthseekder1 wrote: 89 Points
full bodied with a good balance between cherry light fruit and earth.
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12/18/2010 - airbull76 wrote: 86 Points
Some bottle variation here; 1st bottle was a bit flabby, not enough acidity, and second bottle had better structure but muted fruit. I am only giving them 86 as I have had better bottles in the past.
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11/24/2010 - troutmonster wrote:
Ruby color with a bright nose of red cherry, cranberry and asian spices. Palate was incredibly silky with sour cherry, tart cranberry and a woodsy spice that lingers on the mouthwatering finish. Good medium weight with beautiful acidity that makes me wish I'd had some food to go with it.
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11/12/2010 - tward wrote: 89 Points
Relly nice, big bright nose right away, broad and balanced. Cherry and spice. The nose did fade after a few hours.
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10/4/2010 - EMichels wrote: 87 Points
No nose; Tart; Stemmy; Improves greatly in the glass
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9/1/2010 - brian przyzycki wrote: 89 Points
I held off writing a review of this wine, but after my 4th bottle I must say there is some bottle variation going on. Some have an alcoholic nose leading to a massive fruit bomb. Others have a muted nose with not much going on. Tonight I am drinking the later, but both are plesant. I got a case of this stuff at 17 bux a pop. Fair price for quality Pinot, but there are a lot more interesteing 08' Williamette Valley Pinots in the low 20's that I prefer due to their spicy, dirty style. Their 04' was phenominal. The 05' was exceptional. The 2006 is good, but not memorable. If you find it under 20 bones, I recommend. Decanted for 40 minutes and served with pan seared veal chops.
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8/15/2010 - bg3034 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Pop and pour through Nuance Wine Finer. Garnet red color. Cherries and a hint of strawberries on the nose. More cherries on the palate. Soft mouth feel with some tannins present. Slightly tart finish. Enjoyable PN that we got 50% off.
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7/18/2010 - rmcnees wrote: 89 Points
Miedium bodied, bright forward spicy zesty cherry, berry fruit, dusty rose petal, spicy leather on the long finish.
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6/3/2010 - Pinotphile123 wrote: 87 Points
A nice nose, fruit driven style Pinot, a little thin on the palette. Not much life left after 2010
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5/23/2010 - krvw wrote: 90 Points
Superb. Velvety fruit and mild acidity. A bargain.
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5/13/2010 - JJKinch wrote: 88 Points
Nice nose of chery, spice. Taste of cherry, somewhat strong vegetal notes which mellow with time in the glass. Needs food.
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4/21/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 88 Points
nose: very good and forward nose of strawberries, chocolate, tart cherries, and bits of creamed berries. Good tones, but lacking a bit of depth
taste: plush and smooth medium feel with tones of red fruits, chocolate, berries and some bits of cherry as well
overall: a very good pinot, but its lacking a bit to be more. Nice for the $18ish being charged for it, but its not really the most memorable pinot
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1/25/2010 - z17813 wrote: 87 Points
Good colour. Lots of cherry and spice on the nose, decent representation on Central Otago pinot noir, with the noticeable oak detracting a little from the wine.
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1/17/2010 - mvcrews wrote:
Having worked the 2006 harvest in Central Otago I always enjoy drinking these wines though it probably makes me less objective in evaluating them. From what I observed, yields were down substantially in 2006 and ripening was uneven as a result early frosts and rain, which is normal when making wine in the world's southernmost wine growing region. The Amisfield 2006 Pinot Noir has a powerful nose displaying ripe fruit nicely integrated with the oak, which if I recall correctly is about 50% new. I disagree with those that think this wine is more Burgundian than Californian. This reminds me a lot of a California Pinot because of the ripe fruit and somewhat lacking acidity. This wine smells and tastes great but is missing the mouth feel component to give it a lasting finish. Still, we got it at Costco for $20 and I think it's a great buy.
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1/10/2010 - burgburgburg wrote: 88 Points
deep ruby red, nose is quite short but with hints of vegatal, floral and leather, medium-bodied, smooth and silkly rounded tannin, a complex palate, finish is long, can be cellared for a little bit longer for its' peak
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1/10/2010 - millwhat wrote:
Bags full of red fruit and cherries, mouth-wateringly juicy. Good typicity for Central Otago and although 14% not too hot - well balanced. Super.
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12/30/2009 - gordoyflaca wrote: 88 Points
cherries and strawberries. Didn't like as much as previous vintages, but improved in the glass. Maybe shouldn't have popped (screwed?) and poured.
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12/26/2009 - kwattro wrote: 82 Points
glossy crimson, scent of riped blue berry and cherry, taste of dark chocolate, blue berry. fine soft tanin. decent drop, just need the right food to go with it.
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12/25/2009 - Goldstone wrote: 90 Points
Drank over Christmas Day lunch of home-cooked roast beef in Queenstown. Semi-transparent blood red colour. Lovely warm welcoming nose of mocha coffee with a touch of caramel and warm ripe black cherries. Palate is crisply acidic and quite tannic but nicely balanced by a great warmth of rich black cherry fruit. Still needs a bit of time for this to come together and is a bit hot on the back end but is very good indeed. Definitely has 5 years' ageing potential, if not longer. I had previously felt that Amisfield was two thirds marketing and only one third winemaking but the new winemaker has certainly raised the bar.
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12/24/2009 - Bastienne wrote:
was great with our Christmas Turkey. :-)
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12/18/2009 - chmd wrote: 91 Points
I was so pleased with this wine. Very easy to drink and like, though perhaps not super complex. Definitely more Burgundy than California. Tannic bite on the finish suggests the balance may yet improve with time.
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11/9/2009 - Haut Brion wrote:
*** Mid- ruby colour. Nose is raspberries, cheries, more red fruits. Medium body on mouth. Balanced and elegant but perhaps lacking real complexity and depth of flavours. A very burgundian styled of new world pinot noir. Enjoyable.
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10/23/2009 - gunpwdr wrote: 92 Points
Nose: Dark cherries, powdered strawberries, gravel, hint of... clove/banana action. Also some oak and heat deeper in the nose. Strong but pleasant bouquet. Palate: Sour cherries, strawberries on the attack. Green/vegetal notes on the mid-palate with some heat. Zesty, refreshing acidity and tannins throughout. Medium to long finish. Much better than the last time I had this (9 months ago). Definitely new world and reminds me a lot of the Luca pinot, which I enjoy tremendously, though the Amisfield is a lot more unrestrained. Not a bad thing.
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10/13/2009 - harmonic generator wrote: 93 Points
Jos birthday
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10/13/2009 - harmonic generator wrote: 91 Points
Jo tatts birthday nuku Fiji
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9/30/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 90 Points
Nose has some grass on it, a bit of barnyard, and some citrus (lemon and a touch of lime and grapefruit). On the palate, very light and bright. Lots of red cherries and raspberries, rose petal, a little barnyard. Medium tannins, acidic, light body. A touch of cola on the texture. Spicy tannic finish. Very refreshing. Drinking ok now, but this isn't ready for primetime yet. If I had another bottle of this, I'd let it sit for 5-10 years to develop some secondary flavors (although it's a screwcap, so I'm not sure how that'd work).
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9/24/2009 - djdaqm wrote: 89 Points
A bit too young still. Certainly inferior to the 2005, as this is less complex and more thin. Nice smokey aromas yet it does not hide the alcohol well. Even after decanting it was never quite together. Good value. This wine still has a chance to improve a bit if it comes together in the next year or two.
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9/13/2009 - harmonic generator wrote: 90 Points
Tasted immediately following an excellent aged pommard and although quite
different it drank beautifully
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8/30/2009 - kevin h wrote: 91 Points
Classic NZ pinot. Aromas of cherries and spicy plums. Not the most powerful wine but a beautiful cherry dominated pinot flavour. Should improve for a few years but lovely to drink now.
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7/30/2009 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
SWE: Grt--very good balanced pinot
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7/24/2009 - gordoyflaca wrote: 92 Points
light, delicious, refreshing, raspberry, light chocolate, great acidity, pure and silky, but fruity, not earthy
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7/18/2009 - jahlove wrote: 91 Points
Zesty wild raspberry. Wonderful acid, with a streak of minerality. Very nice.
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6/24/2009 - d'Artagnan wrote: 89 Points
Une belle expression du pinot néo-zélandais, avec de la fraicheur, un coté épicé et un fruit avenant. Un vin savoureux et expressif, sans aucune lourdeur. 89 pts
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5/26/2009 - AMM3RD wrote: 90 Points
NZ Pinot does it again! Starts with a slightly sweet nose and has a great mouth feel. More focused on dark fruits and slightly extracted (by pinot standards). Highly recommended, and a good QPR...AMM
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5/14/2009 - joshwoodward wrote: 91 Points
Stimmel's Market: Blind Tasting (Bowling Green, OH): Red cherry nose. Light body, medium tannin, acidic. Red cherries. Earhty, spicy, very Burgundian. Simple but delicious!
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5/12/2009 - kenthargis wrote: 85 Points
Have to say, the last two vintages haven't been nearly as impressive to me. I suppose when I first started having Amisfield (the 03), it just seemed so much more vibrant and fresh with wonderful fruit. This tasted fine and had decent fruit, but really lacked any sort of oomph that would set it apart and cause us to get it again.
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4/19/2009 - bmarshall wrote: 87 Points
Solid Pinot, but the acidity was a bit harsh. Nice nose of strawberry, black cherryr, minerals and menthol. Meidum bodied on the palate. OK finish.
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4/16/2009 - aharv wrote: 89 Points
A fantastic wine for the price. Medium ruby with a lot of fruit on the nose. Rich and smooth
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4/7/2009 - bjecjohnson wrote: 83 Points
SMELL: Very peppery with dark fruit on the nose.
TASTE: Very light bodied and smooth, but not a lot of fruit on the very light finish. Does not last long at all. Somewhat disappointing for how nice the wine smelled.
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3/17/2009 - t_moderne wrote: 87 Points
A tad light. Not much for a bouquet. A zippy side to it with lots of Meyer lemon and pink grapefruit. Tangerine element too. Fresh crushed raspberries. Would pair well with salmon or duck. The crisp acidity suggest that this wine needs food.
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2/2/2009 - wino_tim wrote: 89 Points
At this point this wine is showing nothing but fruit, but still remains quite appealing for its bing cherry, cola, cough syrup and damp soil notes. On the palate this offers some fine texture from some ultra-fine tannins, but also shows quite a bit of heat too.
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1/9/2009 - Tight Lines wrote: 89 Points
Nice wine - well structured, cherry flavors, tannins were light - very good value for the price.
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12/16/2008 - fingers wrote: 91 Points
Light ruby/cherry, about 85% saturated. Big, open nose of spicy fruit: plum, strawberry, cherry and a nice Pinion pine/dill note (American oak?). Great, smacking acidity and demure tannin balance. Ready to drink with good richness and body. Not Burgundian, but somewhere outside of New World style, too. Have always preferred Martinborough over Otago but this wine really hits a nice mark and is very enjoyable - perfect with lamb. (5+12+17+7) = 91
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11/25/2008 - wine4ever wrote: 87 Points
Not bad for $24. A cross between a Burgundy and a Cal pinot. There is a minerally, smokey component that dominates this wine, and then a dark fruit background follows. Better with food than by itself. Medium bodied, dark red in color, nose somewhat muted.
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11/8/2008 - vancouvermatt wrote: 91 Points
Tight nose. On the palate - raspberry, black black cherry cola, nice spice lift, medium bodied, lush mouthfeel, grippy tannins and cacao notes on the long finish. I suggest holding onto this wine for 1-2 more years before opening.
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11/5/2008 - marcb7 wrote: 90 Points
Nose of cherry, cinnamon/cedar. Medium bodied with fine tannins. Medium finish, went well with food. Nice QPR.
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10/18/2008 - duchamp wrote: 86 Points
Bright purple, primary nose with smoke, meat and ripe red fruit, spice, chalk and hints of tar on the palate with very drying tannins, finish is dry and a bit green
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10/15/2008 - spartacus111 wrote: 90 Points
Fairly acidic and large, chalky, smooth, medium body, good fruit and spicy. A nice pinot. Might be better in 6 months or a year when it has settled down a bit. Decided to try this after listening to 3 Wine Guys. Not one of the wines they tasted but intrigued me about NZ pinot noirs as had not tried one before.
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10/13/2008 - vanpe003 wrote: 89 Points
87-89 pts for current drinking. Nose is relatively rich but in a focused sort of way. Medium dark cherry, tarragon (a good call made be a previous reviewer) and some floral, chalk notes. The palate is not quite as together yet, with a touch of green, and a fair amount of acidity and fine tannins on the finish. For me, it all seems fairly balanced with the fruit, just too young/tight. I would try again in a year, when I think this might start to morph into a pinot that deftly straddles New and Old Worlds with a forward, yet elegant (restrained) approach. A nice QPR at $30. I'll be curious to compare it later to the more expensive '06 MacPhail Sonoma Coast. Update: while I think this wine has a lot of potential, the Macphail is much more approachable for my palate today, particularly as a standalone glass. The Amisfield did not improve in any significant way on Day 2, but did loosen up considerably on Day 3 to yield an 89pt score.
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9/1/2008 - billyb wrote: 90 Points
very good pinot. Between cristom and pisoni in mouth weight. cherry cola and and a little brown sugar ham on the nose. good second day.
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7/15/2008 - jimmythesaint wrote: 89 Points
A little heat that faded over time. Subtle bacon with ripe cherry on nose. Decent finish with fruit and spice.
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6/28/2008 - z_willus_d wrote: 89 Points
30 min. decant from twist-top crack to pour; very light color, almost magenta on the twirl; there a smoky (~ steaming bacon grease) bouquet on this wine; also obvious sweet cherry with background micro-strawberries popping on and off the scene; there's also the toasted marshmallow carmalization effect I get on most pinots, except those I tend not to like much; a touch of pepper and oak. Medium bodied and slight on the attack, this coats the palate nicely if you let it. Peppery on entry with middle of the road cherry flavors that lead through to the smoky finish, which hints some greeniness beside the nicely integrated tannins. Improved significantly after another hour in the decanter, showing added smokiness and complexities on the palate. Good acidity. Might score this better if the fruit were more pure.
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6/4/2008 - bundydavis wrote: 89 Points
good pinot. solid. Nothing special though.
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6/3/2008 - Sir Lloyd wrote: 91 Points
Better than the '05. Smooth
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4/16/2008 - Danny Joe wrote: 88 Points
Nice color. Good Pinot nose, not too fruit forward. Good solid PN.
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3/19/2008 - marcb7 wrote: 91 Points
Very nice pinot. Very young and needs time, became better with air. Initial nose of tart cherries, red fruit, spice. Nice flavors on a medium bodied palate, long finish, slightly tannic however, was better with salmon.
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3/5/2008 - Stephan O wrote: 91 Points
One of the best values I've found in Pinot. It's seriously aromatic, with a floral note peeking out from behind a gob of bing cherry and raspberry fruit flavors. Abundant acidity on the refreshing palate is followed by a solid finish. This is a superclean, silky, and technically sound wine.
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2/13/2008 - 16% wrote: 92 Points
Opaque and purple tinged in the glass. Jammy blueberries on the nose. In the glass, earthy and fruit forward. Layers of tangy dried cherries. Well crafted.
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2/2/2008 - wino_tim wrote: 90 Points
Beautiful cold-climate Pinot. Dark black cherry driven with enough earth, acid, fine tannin and pure concentration to really please.
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1/29/2008 - vyntyme wrote: 89 Points
Very upfront fruits on the nose. Nice cherry pie, strawberry compote nose with spice box on the back end. On the palate, attacking red berries, cherries, and sweet tarts. Nice firm tannins holding it together with a nice overall mouth feel. Could be bigger on the mid-palate, and the finish could be a bit longer.
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12/30/2007 - JLL wrote: 89 Points
very young based on the tightness and flavor profile compared to the 05, improved after a night in the fridge, clean burgundian fruit profile.........I will buy a little more......
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6/14/2006 - rao38 wrote:
Very good. Buy more.
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