PnP that's fresh and a bit guarded at this point. I think I'll hold my final bottle for another 3-5 years. VG sense of place and grape, with loads of energy, balance, and developing elegance, etc. Still improving. HOLD, there's much more to this story.
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ripe dark cherry and berries, fragrant with red floral smell, mild spices and dry herbals, m+/full body, fine grained tannins, still firm, solid acidity, very good density and complexity, long finish with creamy chocolate and mocha. enjoyable now but still young, superb
BC 96, JS 94, RG 95, CD 96,
Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 18/20, Overall 5+4/10 Total 95+/100
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Cloudy with medium/low opacity and ruby with some violet highlights thinning too the edges. The nose was hay, strawberry, cherry, spices and vanilla. The palate was chalky textured and round with medium plus acidity showing and lifting clean red spicy fruits and carrying them to a long satisfying finish. Very delicious.
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A very enticing nose - spices, cinnamon, scumbled hedgerow, strawberries and red berries. On the palate - strawberry allied to a pronounced sweetness - this reminds me of crystallised flowers. The tannins are very fine and the finish very long. Replete with a sunny wash of raspberry cola.
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First impression was underwhelming vs. tasting notes here. Left a bit for three nights later and turned into something special. Was not expecting that!
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Very similar to my previous tasting note, this really is a fabulous Pinot Noir, and one which can relate to Burgundy at least in terms of style. Bright red cherries, plums, liquorice, bacon notes? along with dried herbs, moss and forest floor. The palate is initially energetic yet turns both alluring and silky with notes of red fruit, orange peel, dried fruit cake spices, fresh earth, dusty tannins and a persistant and slightly round mid palate finishing delicate and lingering.
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A staff recommendation! I don't usually gravitate to New Zealand for Pinot Noir, but I am going to start!
Vibrant aromas of cherries, raspberries, and floral notes. The palate is juicy and concentrated. Unique red fruits with subtle hints of spice. The finish is long and creamy, something you really can't get rid of. This wine is refined and plush! The critics got this one right! It really is special. Something that deserves the attention, especially at the price.
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Alongside the Mayer and some Roulot Monthelie (dull and/or Corked)
It tastes a lot better than the 17 I already had, but still it is one of the best Kiwi Pinot around... maybe I should upscale a bit ?
Still the wine show ripe Pinot Flavors, dark cherry, a bit of plum, nice fresh stalk aromas of little herbaceous character. Dried herbs, laurel but no oxydation...
Palate is full of fruits and flavors, with again dark cherry, intense fruity back palate but to be really a grand wine lacks some zingy acidity to hold it up and longer on the palate.
Moonlight Race has more to it right now I believe... with more acidity and grippier tannins. That night Mayer was better.
Very Good Wine still... WSET outstanding for sure :)
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From the magnificent 2019 Central Otago vintage. This is superb. I could not hold back. Wanted to try a bottle now. Very intense dark fruit flavours. It's exceptional in my opinion. Smooth as silk but also with a very good back bone. This will go for years if cellared well.
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Opened for three hours, decanted for three more, and the wine only started opening up during the last glass. Bottom line, it’s way too young, seems to be shut down, and not worth drinking right now. Nose of dry oak that needs more time to integrate, baking chocolate, typical tangy red cherry-pomegranate NZ fruit. Plenty of acidity and firm tannin on the finish. Needs a few years. 2026-2030
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Chardonnay and Pinot Noir comparison - France, Australia, NZ, USA (G&E's, Melbourne): Drank alongside 2019 Littorai Savoy, in a dual flight before an 05 Morey St Denis, Les Loups, Domaine des Lambrays and 2010 Bannockburn Serre. Classic CO, with vibrant dark cherry fruit and peppy natural acidity. Delicious. Somewhat surprisingly the best Pinot Noir of the night, despite being the cheapest. (94 Excellent wine)
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Youthful ruby with purplish tinge, translucent. Dark fruits on the nose, black cherry, fruits of the forest, espresso coffee, herbes de Provence. The palate is silky and elegant, dominated by dark fruits, but with a savoury bent, no sweet confected notes. Flavours as per the nose, with nice length, medium body and complexity. Well balanced, even at 14% abv. Moreish. The bottle disappeared too easily. Consumed with dinner but would like to try this without food to analyse further. Would I buy another bottle? Yes, a few, some to drink now and to some to hold and review later!
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By the glass (via coravin ) at Oinoscent, Athens. Difficult for us to go for new world Pinot but this was a great suggestion. Dark fruited, young but welcoming, dark feel to it, restrained albeit still a new world Pinot . Quite elegant and that’s not usually a word we associate with it’s kin, and this says a lot coming from us. 91
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Wow! What a nose, I could smell this all day! Aromas of dark cherry, blackcurrant, red current, liquorice, rosemary, mint, spice, forest floor and black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied, bright and focused, with cool dark crunchy berry fruit, finely grained tannins, slightly meaty character and fresh herbs. The mid-palate was well structured and persistent leading to a long finish. Cote de Nuits style. 94-95, wow!
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3/1/2024 - Tim Heaton Likes this wine:
PnP that's fresh and a bit guarded at this point. I think I'll hold my final bottle for another 3-5 years. VG sense of place and grape, with loads of energy, balance, and developing elegance, etc. Still improving. HOLD, there's much more to this story.
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1/26/2024 - evanqian wrote: 95 Points
ripe dark cherry and berries, fragrant with red floral smell, mild spices and dry herbals, m+/full body, fine grained tannins, still firm, solid acidity, very good density and complexity, long finish with creamy chocolate and mocha. enjoyable now but still young, superb
BC 96, JS 94, RG 95, CD 96,
Ap 5/5, Ar 13/15, Palate 18/20, Overall 5+4/10
Total 95+/100
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1/15/2024 - Eliasli Likes this wine: 93 Points
90-01 day one. 93-94 day two. Decant 4h+ as of now. Cherry, smoke, bit of earth, rose, butter, raspberry. Long finish. Full and elegantly powerful.
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1/11/2024 - Tudz Drkl Likes this wine:
Cloudy with medium/low opacity and ruby with some violet highlights thinning too the edges. The nose was hay, strawberry, cherry, spices and vanilla. The palate was chalky textured and round with medium plus acidity showing and lifting clean red spicy fruits and carrying them to a long satisfying finish. Very delicious.
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1/4/2024 - RCS73 wrote: 91 Points
Decent but fairly one dimensional at this point. Probably needs another 12-18 months of bottle age.
Did open up a bit after about 2 hours but not showing its potential just yet
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12/26/2023 - DAHT Likes this wine: 92 Points
A very enticing nose - spices, cinnamon, scumbled hedgerow, strawberries and red berries. On the palate - strawberry allied to a pronounced sweetness - this reminds me of crystallised flowers. The tannins are very fine and the finish very long. Replete with a sunny wash of raspberry cola.
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12/4/2023 - stopher Likes this wine: 92 Points
First impression was underwhelming vs. tasting notes here. Left a bit for three nights later and turned into something special. Was not expecting that!
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11/19/2023 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 95 Points
Very similar to my previous tasting note, this really is a fabulous Pinot Noir, and one which can relate to Burgundy at least in terms of style. Bright red cherries, plums, liquorice, bacon notes? along with dried herbs, moss and forest floor. The palate is initially energetic yet turns both alluring and silky with notes of red fruit, orange peel, dried fruit cake spices, fresh earth, dusty tannins and a persistant and slightly round mid palate finishing delicate and lingering.
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5/30/2023 - Carson.McEvoy Likes this wine: 93 Points
A staff recommendation! I don't usually gravitate to New Zealand for Pinot Noir, but I am going to start!
Vibrant aromas of cherries, raspberries, and floral notes. The palate is juicy and concentrated. Unique red fruits with subtle hints of spice. The finish is long and creamy, something you really can't get rid of. This wine is refined and plush! The critics got this one right! It really is special. Something that deserves the attention, especially at the price.
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2/16/2023 - Stanrocks Likes this wine: 91 Points
Alongside the Mayer and some Roulot Monthelie (dull and/or Corked)
It tastes a lot better than the 17 I already had, but still it is one of the best Kiwi Pinot around... maybe I should upscale a bit ?
Still the wine show ripe Pinot Flavors, dark cherry, a bit of plum, nice fresh stalk aromas of little herbaceous character. Dried herbs, laurel but no oxydation...
Palate is full of fruits and flavors, with again dark cherry, intense fruity back palate but to be really a grand wine lacks some zingy acidity to hold it up and longer on the palate.
Moonlight Race has more to it right now I believe... with more acidity and grippier tannins. That night Mayer was better.
Very Good Wine still... WSET outstanding for sure :)
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2/7/2023 - kostaslonis wrote:
New Zealand London Annual Trade Tasting (Lindley Hall, Royal Horticultural Halls): Fragrant, full-on fruit, herbal freshness, thin oak frame
Beautiful palate, nice juicy tannins, a touch hot (14%), spicy, herbal freshness, long finish
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1/14/2023 - Pinotnoir1 Likes this wine: 97 Points
From the magnificent 2019 Central Otago vintage. This is superb. I could not hold back. Wanted to try a bottle now. Very intense dark fruit flavours. It's exceptional in my opinion.
Smooth as silk but also with a very good back bone. This will go for years if cellared well.
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1/8/2023 - Giggs wrote: 90 Points
Opened for three hours, decanted for three more, and the wine only started opening up during the last glass. Bottom line, it’s way too young, seems to be shut down, and not worth drinking right now. Nose of dry oak that needs more time to integrate, baking chocolate, typical tangy red cherry-pomegranate NZ fruit. Plenty of acidity and firm tannin on the finish. Needs a few years. 2026-2030
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11/18/2022 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Oaky and extracted but pretty delicious for it.
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9/10/2022 - G.M. wrote: 94 Points
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir comparison - France, Australia, NZ, USA (G&E's, Melbourne): Drank alongside 2019 Littorai Savoy, in a dual flight before an 05 Morey St Denis, Les Loups, Domaine des Lambrays and 2010 Bannockburn Serre. Classic CO, with vibrant dark cherry fruit and peppy natural acidity. Delicious. Somewhat surprisingly the best Pinot Noir of the night, despite being the cheapest. (94 Excellent wine)
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7/6/2022 - mayakacz Likes this wine:
Black cherry, blackberry, cardamom, espresso, thyme, licorice.
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6/30/2022 - Boudica Likes this wine: 92 Points
Youthful ruby with purplish tinge, translucent. Dark fruits on the nose, black cherry, fruits of the forest, espresso coffee, herbes de Provence. The palate is silky and elegant, dominated by dark fruits, but with a savoury bent, no sweet confected notes. Flavours as per the nose, with nice length, medium body and complexity. Well balanced, even at 14% abv. Moreish. The bottle disappeared too easily. Consumed with dinner but would like to try this without food to analyse further. Would I buy another bottle? Yes, a few, some to drink now and to some to hold and review later!
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4/12/2022 - Papies wrote: 91 Points
By the glass (via coravin ) at Oinoscent, Athens.
Difficult for us to go for new world Pinot but this was a great suggestion. Dark fruited, young but welcoming, dark feel to it, restrained albeit still a new world Pinot . Quite elegant and that’s not usually a word we associate with it’s kin, and this says a lot coming from us. 91
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4/7/2022 - Alexander Smith Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow! What a nose, I could smell this all day! Aromas of dark cherry, blackcurrant, red current, liquorice, rosemary, mint, spice, forest floor and black pepper. The palate is medium-bodied, bright and focused, with cool dark crunchy berry fruit, finely grained tannins, slightly meaty character and fresh herbs. The mid-palate was well structured and persistent leading to a long finish. Cote de Nuits style. 94-95, wow!
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