Brief notes on 2020 Christmas wines: Brief note. Under screw cap. Dark fruited. Black cherries, blackberries and dark plums. Quite a bit of attractive savoury development since my last note in 2014. Elements of dark soil, tobacco, mushroom and dried herbs. Fully ripe fruit, flirting with being overripe but some of that fruit now presenting as preserved. Decent acidity though. In a good space for drinking now but no hurry needed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Better than last bottle. A bit more expressive. Black cherries with a hint of red. Did have elegance but still a big Pinot. Nice but still could do with another 2-4 years in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Lovely kiwi Pinot - Fruit driven style with plenty of stuffing. Structure is there but it’s not overt and the wine is now drinking at its peak for the next couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Quite a big rich possibly jammy wine - a touch too much. Fruit driven however lovely texture - silky. Long with black cherry and spice. Leave another year for next. Structure ? (Not sure)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
We had the wine as the first one - and here its perfect - fresh and light - the last bottle I had 1 1/2 years ago (se my rating here) and I am staying at the same rating - the wine is high quality - but it is also an expensive wine - and to go higher I would need more from the wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
clearly high quality but also a rather expensive wine - very fresh and clean nose - perfectly balance between acidity and tannins who are both medium-. It is a very elegant wine that gives you a lot of freshness and nice integrated red fruits - I think red cherries are very clear - the pinot noir you get directly - nice long aftertaste - my rating is 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
This is a wonderfully, perfectly balanced Pinot. The nose is clean and fresh and the taste wonderfully balanced and pleasant. A very enjoyable wine where the bottle turned out to be to small for two persons.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Vivid and deep cerise red. Aromatic fireworks. A powerful, intense bouquet of spice, bright red and black cherries, cassis, and some herbs. On palate, obviously very youthful but approachable now. Brooding, with real power and intensity, but great purity. Palate coating concentration and profound mid palate depth. Broadness across the back palate, very long. Layers of flavour, complex with red and black berries and earthiness. Plush with polished, fine grained tannins. Lovely acid balance. Beautiful, seamless and subtle oak handling. The label notes 14% alcohol, but the fruit carries it well, not noticeable on palate (certainly no alcohol burn). A fully ripe but well proportioned wine. Would accompany the usual food types well. The stereotypical iron fist in the velvet glove. About as good as NZ pinot noir gets. In my view, with a couple of Mt Difficulty single vineyard pinot noirs, the best NZ 2010 (a very good year) I have tasted. Excellent now, but all of the elements in place for 8-10+ years development in the cellar. At present, 93.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Excellent. Big full fruit flavours that are nicely in balance in this surprising full wine. Pepper, clove and cherry flow beautifully as you drink the wine. . Mellow mouth feel. A long long finish beautifully ends this magnificent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
12/25/2020 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Brief notes on 2020 Christmas wines: Brief note. Under screw cap. Dark fruited. Black cherries, blackberries and dark plums. Quite a bit of attractive savoury development since my last note in 2014. Elements of dark soil, tobacco, mushroom and dried herbs. Fully ripe fruit, flirting with being overripe but some of that fruit now presenting as preserved. Decent acidity though. In a good space for drinking now but no hurry needed.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
6/5/2019 - barryjkeller@gmail.com Likes this wine:
Better than last bottle. A bit more expressive. Black cherries with a hint of red. Did have elegance but still a big Pinot. Nice but still could do with another 2-4 years in my opinion.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/11/2018 - Paco55 wrote: 93 Points
Lovely kiwi Pinot - Fruit driven style with plenty of stuffing. Structure is there but it’s not overt and the wine is now drinking at its peak for the next couple of years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/19/2017 - barryjkeller@gmail.com wrote:
Quite a big rich possibly jammy wine - a touch too much. Fruit driven however lovely texture - silky. Long with black cherry and spice. Leave another year for next. Structure ? (Not sure)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/16/2016 - Bell Gully Cellar wrote:
17/10/16 Blue chip wine, makes a very good impression and will only get better with age.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/2/2016 - ILarsen wrote: 91 Points
We had the wine as the first one - and here its perfect - fresh and light - the last bottle I had 1 1/2 years ago (se my rating here) and I am staying at the same rating - the wine is high quality - but it is also an expensive wine - and to go higher I would need more from the wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
7/31/2014 - ILarsen wrote: 91 Points
clearly high quality but also a rather expensive wine - very fresh and clean nose - perfectly balance between acidity and tannins who are both medium-. It is a very elegant wine that gives you a lot of freshness and nice integrated red fruits - I think red cherries are very clear - the pinot noir you get directly - nice long aftertaste - my rating is 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
6/4/2014 - Neras Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is a wonderfully, perfectly balanced Pinot. The nose is clean and fresh and the taste wonderfully balanced and pleasant. A very enjoyable wine where the bottle turned out to be to small for two persons.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
2/6/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 93 Points
Vivid and deep cerise red. Aromatic fireworks. A powerful, intense bouquet of spice, bright red and black cherries, cassis, and some herbs. On palate, obviously very youthful but approachable now. Brooding, with real power and intensity, but great purity. Palate coating concentration and profound mid palate depth. Broadness across the back palate, very long. Layers of flavour, complex with red and black berries and earthiness. Plush with polished, fine grained tannins. Lovely acid balance. Beautiful, seamless and subtle oak handling. The label notes 14% alcohol, but the fruit carries it well, not noticeable on palate (certainly no alcohol burn). A fully ripe but well proportioned wine. Would accompany the usual food types well. The stereotypical iron fist in the velvet glove. About as good as NZ pinot noir gets. In my view, with a couple of Mt Difficulty single vineyard pinot noirs, the best NZ 2010 (a very good year) I have tasted. Excellent now, but all of the elements in place for 8-10+ years development in the cellar. At present, 93.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/17/2013 - Locki Likes this wine: 96 Points
Excellent. Big full fruit flavours that are nicely in balance in this surprising full wine. Pepper, clove and cherry flow beautifully as you drink the wine. . Mellow mouth feel. A long long finish beautifully ends this magnificent wine.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment