November 29, 2022 - Medium garnet. Nose of mushrooms, cloves, smoke (in a good way), tea, and a bit of cranberry. Light bodied, integrated, and fruit forward. Pomegranate, cranberries, bing cherries, and a bit of raspberry supported by mild clove and black tea on the palate. Resolved tannins. Short to moderate finish of black tea, toast, mild black pepper, and graphite.
This is drinking nicely.
September 8, 2021 - I was impressed how it held the delicious fruit forward raspberry and cherry after 9 years in the bottle. Before I opened it I thought it may have been passed it’s prime. But instead, it had a nice concentration of ripe berries with integrated tannins and long finish. It was a nice balance without being overly oaked like some Pinot Noirs
I would definitely give this a 92 rating.
April 21, 2019 - Clear with low to medium intensity with the ruby colour in the glass with a slight brown edge showing its age. For a 2012 it had a definite sparkle in the colour. I last tasted this in 2016, and the wine still presented with good intensity to the nose with red cherry and even sweeter blueberry perfumes. The taste in the mouth was full with medium intensity and showed very good balance. There was plenty of red and sweet fruits on tasting. This wine has improved with age and wish I had another.
July 8, 2018 - Southern Hemisphere Wines (Jason's House): This was not well received at a Southern Hemisphere tasting. The nose is that of a very cherry light pinot noir. The palate is incredibly thin.
August 31, 2017 - La robe est rubis translucide avec une légère évolution en paroi. Le nez émane un parfum de cerises, canneberges et autres fruits rouges, d'épices douces (cannelle, muscade, girofle) avec une touche animale et de fumée. La bouche est fraiche, fruité et détient une belle acidité. Assez délicat mais aux tanins bien enrobés, il prend de l'ampleur avec l'oxygénation. Jolie rétro anisé, belle mâche et finale s'orientant vers les fruits noirs. Imprègne la bouche. Très bon!
March 25, 2017 - Voici l'exemple d'un excellent Pinot Noir du nouveau monde!
Un beau fruit rouge vif, sur un fond d'épices douces, avec une touche de fumée et de terre, le tout s'entremêlant parfaitement. Une bouche démontrant un parfait équilibre entre fraicheur et concentration, avec une belle acidité, qui s'avère moins pointu qu'en bourgogne et plus facile d'approche. Jolie matière et longueur plus que respectable! Bon rapport Q/P!
August 17, 2016 - Bright garnet, good berry fruit nose with raspberry, tomato and fresh vegetal aromas also present. Prominent berry fruit on tasting with underlying raspberry and strawberry dominant flavours. Luscious yet zesty and lively. A slight persistent finish with a lovely smooth and round mouth feel. A lovely balanced wine.
January 10, 2016 - [OldCromwellMarket] Happy expressive red/blue fruit and espresso nose. Good concentration, bright clarity, juicy and savoury, lifted with dark herbs. Easy and clean. Enjoyably hedonistic with our indescribable (and long awaited) Fergburgers, sipped surreptitiously out of a brown paperbag in a Queenstown lakefront park on a brisk summer afternoon! (Day two: also paired beautifully with Armando’s classic pizzas!)
July 1, 2015 - Nose - red fruit, violet and florals, all spice. Palate - good weight and roundness, red fruit dominant, chomp of acid and tannin at the end upsets the flow.
May 7, 2015 - Discover New Zealand in a Glass (Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada): This pours a moderate translucent ruby. The nose is earthy, driven on brown spice, leather (just a touch of Brett!), red pomegranate, root beer and cherry. The palate has medium tannin, medium acid and a slightly hot finish. Not bad albeit a bit wild and rustic.