July 2, 2016 - Brick/ruby hue, savoury aromas, forest floor and mushrooms with a hint of fruit plum and cherry. Soft savoury palate, with minimal fruit, the acidity was therefore a little over present. Overall a quality aged NZ pinot, on its plateau and best drank over the next year or two
October 30, 2013 - Very much nicer than the 02 Slapjack Reserve of last night. Red Fruit still very much at the front. Certainly ready to drink now - probably at the back end of its real drinking life. A very nice Kiwi Pinot with no delusions of grandeur.
September 30, 2009 - A bottle brought back from the winery on our honeymoon. This pours a watery red fading to clear on the meniscus. Nose of pinot clone, VA, rhubarb, strawberry, cream. Light bodied, the attack stings of high acidic notes including orange and spritz. The finish is nice accentuating red mush berries of raspberry and spice. A good, if not typical pinot from NZ - very different from the en vouge monster extracted compotes from the West Coast. Very sure this won't really improve with age, but fruit will continue to fade. Fruit still holding pretty well now. Day two plus darker fruits of cherry emerging, with hoisin and charcoal notes - acidity has calmed down, better.
December 31, 2006 - No formal note - but pleasant and relatively light across the palate. Morello cherry, reasonable acidity, soft tannins and good length finish.
October 22, 2006 - Bit better than last time but still lacks bite and has a unrefreshing note of confectionary sweet.
July 1, 2006 - Did not hold up over time
June 26, 2006 - Classic pinot color (an almost irridescent light ruby) and nose (earthy notes, cherries, strawberries, with a hint of herbs). Medium bodied, fairly elegant flavours of cherries, rasberries and a hint of earth and spices, and a lovely silky texture. Took a peak at other notes, but his bottle wasn't a huge pinot at all. Nicely balanced and even restrained. Certainly not an old world style, but not an in your face New World wine at all. Right on the cusp of a 89-90 score for me (B+/A-).
June 1, 2006 - Too ripe and sweet for food, more impressive on its own I'm sure
May 25, 2006 - A huge pinot with great cherry and red berry fruit. Good length and should continue to age well for another couple of years.
May 20, 2006 - Medium ruby core, medium bright cherry rim.
Medium intense ripe dark cherry and strawberry on the nose with vanilla and coffee notes.
Quite full on the palate with low, soft tannins and medium acidity. This has reasonably intense morello cherry with hints of spice on the mid-palate, and vanilla on a reasonably extended, if slightly flabby finish.
Decent drink with enjoyable fruit, but lacking the depth, complexity and balance of really top class pinot.