1997 Dry River Pinot Noir

Community Tasting Notes (2) Avg Score: 92 points

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  10/12/2020 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points

  Drinks at GYL's (Singapore): Very nice. Served blind, I had some trouble deciphering what it was though. The nose had an almost dried fruited character to its plums and black cherry inflected aromas, and then ferrous notes of iron filings, and a gentle blush of spice and florals. With time, a sweet and sour note drifted out as well, almost with a shade of balsamic in there - all combining to make me think aged Brunello or Rioja. The palate was a different story though. Rich, powerful, yet focused, with an elegant balance that brought me back to Pinot. But surely - this was too burly to be a Burgundy. It was dark fruited - full of black cherry and plum pie, yet nicely structured with bright acidity and softened tannins showing up in a nicely firmer finish. Delicious stuff, and quite a delight to drink now. Like many blinded wines, it made sense that it was a Dry River when unveiled.

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  4/17/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:

  Top quality NZ and US Pinot Noirs and Burgundies, with an old Loire to finish (Tinakori Bistro, Wellington): Again deep, relatively primary colour. Wow, this is different on bouquet (is it really pinot noir?). Interesting aromas of tapenade or black olive, bacon fat and margarine. On palate some age present. Some tasters had this as their preferred wine of the flight. Others, like me, found it a bit jammy and overripe. Perhaps fading a little on palate, with pruney, margarine-type flavours. But if you get past this there is a dark core of dense berry fruit. An interesting wine lacking pinot noir typicity, tasters familiar with the house had it as Dry River. Overall I thought this wine a little past its best, lacking a bit of structure due to its age. However, 1997 was a major surprise. (Peter said he would have thought this wine was about four years old). 1997 was apparently a lighter, lesser vintage in Martinborough, so for this wine to survive in this form 17 years is some achievement!

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