New Zealand's best Pinot Noirs, a brief report by Jamie Goode

New Zealand's top Pinot Noirs
Jamie Goode's selection of the best New Zealand Pinot Noirs, a brief report

Following on from the INTRODUCTION, in which I described my criteria for selecting these wines, gave some caveats about numerical scores, and explained how these Pinots were tasted, here is my selection.

THE FULL REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE

NEW ZEALAND'S TOP PINOT NOIRS

These are wines that scored 94 points or above, out of the hundreds I tasted on my last trip. I’m listing them in score order. [In the full report, they’ll be listed by region and then producer, along with the wines that scored lower.] Any of these wines counts as a thrilling bottle.

Kusuda Pinot Noir 2006 Martinborough, New Zealand
Real precision and elegance: fine, expressive, mineral and pure. Profound with a subtle sappy, spicy, herbal edge giving definition to the fine red cherry fruit. Utterly profound with fine-grained tannins. So pure. 97/100

Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2010 Canterbury, New Zealand
Really fine and expressive with pure fruit, smooth texture and great definition. Silky black cherry fruit is backed up by brilliant structure. Quite firm, but the wine isn’t at all angular. 96/100

Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2008 Canterbury, New Zealand
Fresh, elegant and fine. Expressive nose of focused black cherry fruit. The palate is fine and open with silky tannins and good definition. Structured, with an almost chalky mineralty and nice weight and precision. Marcel Giesen says that there were lots of whole berries in this wine, and that it has added layers to itself in the bottle. 96/100

Kusuda Pinot Noir 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Smooth, pure nose is highly perfumed. Ripe, seamless and very pure cherry fruit palate with nice layers. Dense, stylish, seamless and superbly elegant. 96/100

Mountford The Gradient Pinot Noir 2009 Waipara, New Zealand
Foot-trodden, 100% whole bunch, all new oak. Really warm nose of spice, cherries and herbs, with a mineral dimension under the sweet, supple fruit on the palate. Very rich and intense with a lively personality, but there’s a supple, elegant texture under all this. So smooth. 96/100

Neudorf Home Vineyard Pinot Noir 2003 Nelson, New Zealand
A really complex wine that has evolved in interesting ways. Fresh, aromatic cherry fruit nose with some herby complexity. The palate shows fine spiciness with some warm herby notes and sweet cherry and plum pie flavours. Supple, complex and expressive with a distinct minerality. It has developed into a sweet, mellow middle age with amazing complexity. 14.5% alcohol. 96/100

Pyramid Valley Vineyards Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2010 Canterbury, New Zealand
Lovely perfume: focused fine cherries and herbs. The palate is fresh, open and cherryish with supple, rounded, elegant structure and some brightness. Real finesse and elegance here. 96/100

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Just beautiful perfume of red cherries, herbs, some spice and some subtle green notes. Supple, elegant red berry and ripe cherry fruit palate is structured with fine spicy notes and good acidity. Very youthful with lovely intensity, combining freshness and ripeness. 95/100

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2003 Martinborough, New Zealand
This was a frost year with a small crop, and it was incredibly tannic when it was young. Fine aromatics of ripe cherry fruit. The palate is broad, smooth and textured with dense berry and cherry fruit, as well as subtle herb and spice notes. Very focused with complex notes of iodine and undergrowth. 95/100

Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Beautifully focused nose: fine, expressive with lovely perfume of floral black cherry fruit. The palate is supple and ripe with sweet fruit. Fine with nice weight, but elegant despite the concentration of flavour. Beautifully put together. 95/100

Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fruity, vivid and juicy with subtle green notes on the nose. Lovely precise palate has a bit more detail than the 2010 and shows wonderful purity of fruit. Real elegance here. 95/100

Esk Valley Pinot Noir 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand
From the Ballochdale vineyard, as far as you can go up the Awatere, at 350 metres altitude. Beautifully perfumed: fine, expressive cherry fruit nose is really floral. The palate is fresh, supple and super-elegant. Fine and massively drinkable. 95/100

Felton Road Calvert Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
Beautifully perfumed nose of fine, fresh cherries and plums. Aromatic and precise. Lovely freshness on the palate with fine tannins and good acidity. A supple wine with lovely precision. 95/100

Felton Road Block 3 Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
A wine that Nigel Greening describes as having, ‘a beginning, a middle and an end.’ There’s a hint of green on the nose as well as some bergamot. The palate has nice structure and acidity giving a backbone to the plum and cherry fruit. Precise, with a hint of earthiness. 95/100

Framingham F-Series Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
Fine, perfumed and expressive with super-elegant textured fruit. Fine, lovely and pure with ripe smooth cherry fruit to the fore. 95/100

Fromm Brancott Valley Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
Real finesse on the nose: fine, expressive cherry and plum fruit. Beautiful, fine textured smooth red cherry fruit palate. Layered with real finesse and purity, as well as some minerality. Thrilling. 95/100

Gibbston Valley China Terrace Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
From Bendigo, vineyard at 300-320 metres; 8% whole cluster. Vivid, intense, sweet, spicy fruit; lively and cherryish. Very bright and focused with real fruit presence. 95/100

Lawsons The Pioneer Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
4 barrels made, which works out at 120 cases. Clone 5, 2.5 weeks post-ferment maceration, 16 months in oak. Fine, spicy and expressive with lovely cherry and plum fruit. Floral. The palate is textured and fresh with lovely open cherry fruit. Stylish and balanced with a silky texture. 95/100

Mountford The Rise Pinot Noir 2009 Waipara, New Zealand
Foottrodden, 100% whole bunch, 100% new oak. Lovely smooth, intense with pure, vivid fruit. Powerful, mineral, textured and intense. Really ripe, and in its youth like this, quite hard to assess. Great concentration with an almost saline edge. Remarkable. 95/100

Judy and Tim Finn, Neudorf

Neudorf Pinot Noir Home Vineyard 2010 Nelson, New Zealand
Fresh, pure and elegant with lovely perfume. There’s a hint of sappiness as well as spice and fine cherry and plum fruit on the nose. The palate is supple and pure with some savoury, spicy structure and good acidity. Great precision here with the spice and structure well integrated with the fruit. Needs a bit of time. 95/100

Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2007 Nelson, New Zealand
Cherry and herb nose shows good precision. Smooth and expressive with some fine spicy notes. Supple, fresh, textured cherry and plum fruit, with a hinty of green sappiness. So pure, drinkable and elegant. Very fine. 95/100

Ostler Vineyards Caroline’s Pinot Noir 2010 Waitaki, New Zealand
Wonderfully floral aromatics: exotic, perfumed black cherry fruit with a hint of meatiness. On the palate this is beautifully focused and ripe with smooth texture and open berry fruits. Fine and expressive, showing purity and finesse. 95/100

Palliser Estate The Great Marco Pinot Noir 2009 Martinborough, New Zealand
Rich, meaty, spicy and ripe showing lush, powerful fruit. Yet there are also some lovely delicate floral notes, too. Vivid and intense, yet brilliantly expressive, this is a superb Pinot in a ripe style. 95/100

Peregrine Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fresh and vivid with sweet cherry fruit on the nose: lovely perfume. The palate is lively, precise, juicy and focused with sweet fruit and some fine spiciness, underpinned by good structure. Very fine. 95/100

Pyramid Valley Vineyards Angel Flower Pinot Noir 2010 Canterbury, New Zealand
Sweetly aromatic with notes of cherries and herbs, as well as a hint of earth. The palate is textured, smooth and ripe – almost lush, even – with silky soft mouthfeel and good concentration. Very finely textured, this is a thrilling ripe expression of Pinot, showing real character. 95/100

Quartz Reef Bendigo Estate Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
One ferment is isolated each year for this wine. Sweet, ripe, intense nose leads to a smooth, lush palate with lovely precision. A rich, structured style with potential for development. Quite tannic. 95/100

Jo and Nick Mills, Rippon

Rippon Tinker’s Field Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Lovely perfume: fine, refined and expressive with cherries and plums. The palate is fine with ripe fruit, good depth and plenty of elegance. 95/100

Schubert Pinot Noir Marion’s Vineyard 2011 Martinborough, New Zealand
Superbly smooth and elegant. Fine, expressive and long with silky structure. Supple and bright, and really stylish. 95/100

Schubert Block B Pinot Noir 2011 Martinborough, New Zealand
Fine, mineral and spicy, with sweet juicy fruit. Real elegance and precision, and good acidity. 95/100

Seresin Rachel Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
This spends 11 months in small French oak, is blended in tank, and then spends a further 7 months in larger (500 litre) barrels. Sweet, perfumed black cherry fruit nose is smooth and supple. Lovely perfume. The palate shows black cherries, damsons and nice spiciness, as well as a mineral dimension. Nicely savoury, too. Rich but balanced. 95/100

Spy Valley Envoy Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
From the top of a terrace in the Waihopai, this is from Spy Valley's oldest vines, clone 10 x 5, planted in 1992. Lovely perfumed nose showing fresh black cherry fruit with some spiciness. The palate is supple, rounded and elegant with nice structure and an attractive savoury, spicy edge. Just brilliant. 95/100

Two Paddocks First Paddock Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, fine and fresh with expressive fruit. Lovely taut cherry fruit here, precise, fresh and a bit mineral. Lovely stuff. 95/100

Two Paddocks Last Chance Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, smooth and ripe. Juicy with nice weight and lovely fruit. Very stylish Pinot with elegant cherry fruit and some spiciness. 95/100

Ata Rangi Pinot Noir 2006 Martinborough, New Zealand
An average season with no peaks. Lovely pure, focused sweet cherry and berry fruits nose. Lovely length on the palate showing smooth, sweet fruit, drinking beautifully now. So accessible and enjoyable. 94/100

Bell Hill Old Weka Pass Road Pinot Noir 2010 Canterbury, New Zealand
Lovely perfume: black cherries, plums, real finesse. The palate shows well defined, elegant cherry fruit. Fresh but smooth textured. A stylish, elegant, textured wine. 94/100

Bell Hill Pinot Noir 2009 Canterbury, New Zealand
Lively, spicy and warm with lovely direct full black cherry fruit and some plummy notes. Very stylish. A slightly riper style, but still great definition and minerality. 94/100

Black Estate Pinot Noir 2010 Waipara, New Zealand
Supple, fine and cherryish with nice texture. Very smooth and ripe with nice depth. Good weight, too. 94/100

Brodie Estate Pinot Noir 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Lovely smooth, pure, silky, rich Pinot with elegant, ripe, smooth and sweet black cherry fruit. Brilliantly smooth mouthfeel. Fine and rich. 94/100

Cambridge Road Pinot Noir 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Silky smooth, quite rich and warm with lovely depth of spicy fruit. Nicely savoury with a tannic edge. A very rich style with some minerality. Dense yet not heavy. 94/100

Cobblestone Te Muna Pinot Noir 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Very nice, stylish and perfumed, with sweet open cherry fruit. Sweet and silkily textured. Vivid palate is lively, with some structure, but it is also smooth and rounded with dense sweet fruit. Real interest here. 94/100

Carrick Excelsior Pinot Noir 2009 Central Otago, New Zealand
Some oak evident, but the key theme is lovely open, elegant, subtly meaty cherry fruit. Stylish and precise with great focus. 94/100

Chard Farm The Viper Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
This is from Lowburn. Fresh, supple and really elegant with sweet cherry and plum fruit with some subtly savoury, spicy notes. Pure and elegant. 94/100

Chard Farm Mata-Au Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Lovely fresh Pinot that’s elegant and supple with nice cherry fruit and subtle herbiness. Real elegance and freshness. Lighter (and better for it), not lacking concentration though. 94/100

Churton Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Ripe, smooth and sweetly textured with nice spiciness and good structure, as well as a distinctive savouriness. Multilayered wine with real interest. 94/100

Churton Pinot Noir The Abysss 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Savoury and structured, this is a dense wine with some tannins and a lovely mineral savouriness to the cherry and berry fruits. Distinctive and savoury. 94/100

Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Lovely black cherry, plum and spice nose is aromatic and complex. The palate is supple and rounded with appealing cherry fruit. Fresh, textured and lovely with open fruit. Stylish. 94/100

Cloudy Bay Mustang Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
A 6 barrel selection from Brancott Valley. Spice, plum and cherry nose with some floral notes. Lovely supple, elegant palate is really expressive with nice richness as well as tight structure. One to watch. 94/100

Esk Valley Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Made from the highest vineyard in Marlborough, Ballochdale, at the southern end of the Awatere, as far as you can go, and at 350 m altitude. Fresh, pure, aromatic red cherry fruit. The palate is very much in the red fruit spectrum, and is supple, fine and so expressive.A brilliant lighter style. 94/100

Felton Road Block 5 Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
Lovely cherry, herb and spice here, with good structure. Quite rich but also has nice savoury freshness. Sweet supple rounded cherry and berry fruit. Lovely weight. 94/100

Framingham F-Series Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
A single vineyard wine from clay slopes. Supple, pure and really elegant with nice, open, fine cherry fruit. Textured and appealing, this is a very stylish wine. 94/100

Fromm Clayvin Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Finely aromatic and sophisticated with red cherries and plums. The palate is taut and textured; concentrated yet beautifully integrated, with some structure and minerality. Profound, fine and multi-layered. 94/100

Fromm Fromm Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Fresh, fine, sappy cherry fruit nose. This is a lighter, more elegant expression of Pinot. Great acidity, fresh cherries, a hint of raspberry and some mineral notes. Still quite tight. 94/100

Gibbston Valley School House Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
From a vineyard at 410 metres in Bendigo; 25% whole cluster. Fresh, lively and vital with sweet cherry fruit and some plummy notes. Nice intensity. Focused and quite structured with a lovely supple character. 94/100

Gibbtson Valley Le Maitre Pinot Noir 2011 Central Otago, New Zealand
This comes from the Gibbston subdistrict, and vines that are now 28 years old. It shows cherries, herbs, a bit of spice. Supple, fine, sweet but elegant with lovely smooth sweet, supple fruit, as well as subtle herbal notes. 94/100

Grasshopper Rock Earnsclough Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fifth vintage of this wine. Beautifully perfumed: lively, floral and exotic. Very pretty with some meaty hints. The palate is juicy, ripe and lively with balanced, supple cherry and plum fruit. 94/100

Hans Herzog Pinot Noir 2008 Marlborough, New Zealand
Fresh, supple and aromatic cherry nose with a savoury edge. Perfumed. Old worldy, fruity but restrained palate with a savoury edge to the cherry fruit. Nicely savoury and mineral. 94/100

Hawkshead First Vines Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
From a single vineyard in Gibbston. Fresh, vivid and cherryish with some spice, as well as nic grippy structure. Lovely red berry and cherry fruit with a hint of oak in the background. Lovely precision and weight here: this needs a bit of time. 94/100

Jackson Estate Vintage Widow Pinot Noir 2007 Marlborough, New Zealand
Elegant nose is floral and fresh with subtle green notes. Warm, supple palate is sweet and lively, with rich fruit and some elegance. 94/100

Jackson Estate Gum Emperor Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
A single-vineyard reserve bottling from the Waihopai Valley. Aromatic black cherry nose leads to a sweet, supple, fresh, lively palate that's warm, ripe and rounded. Real freshness and sweetness here with a lively finish. 94/100

Johner Reserve Pinot Noir 2010 Gladstone, Wairarapa, New Zealand
Warm, aromatic, smooth, elegant and pure on the nose showing cherry and herbs, as well as rich floral and almost malty notes. Silky, sweet, textured palate with good purity and concentration. Sweet but multi-layered; warm ,spicy and delicious. 94/100

Mount Edward Steven’s Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
This is in Gibbston. Ripe, sweet and smooth with good intensity. Some raspberry jam and cherry notes. The palate is forward, lush and ripe with nice definition. Sweet but balanced with lovely fruit purity and a mineral trace on the finish. 94/100

Mount Edward Morrison Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Lowburn subdistrict. Ripe, fresh and edgy with lovely sweet cherry and plum fruit. Fine and expressive; rich but with some structure. 94/100

Mount Edward Morrison Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008 Central Otago, New Zealand
Elegant, pure, fresh and supple, showing lively red cherry and plum fruit. Nicely savoury edge to the fruit. Finesse here. 94/100

Mountford Liaison Pinot Noir 2010 Waipara, New Zealand
Very aromatic with fresh cherry fruit. Smooth, supple and amazingly silkily textured in the mose with red cherry fruit. So ripe and smooth. 94/100

Mountford Estate Pinot Noir 2010 Waipara, New Zealand
Lovely ripe, sweet, spicy, silky cherry fruit here with some herby complexity. There’s warmth here in the mouth, as well as a bit of new oak. A warm, rich style that retains elegance. 94/100

Mountford Estate Pinot Noir 2009 Waipara, New Zealand
Lovely rich, smooth, ripe, pure Pinot. Seductive, silky, fine and multi-layered. A rich, intense style. 94/100

Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2010 Nelson, New Zealand
Mainly 10x5 and clone 5, from older vines. Lovely silky, aromatic expression of Pinot with fresh red cherries and some spicy complexity. Real purity and elegance, as well as fine texture, and with a bit of structure. 94/100

Neudorf Moutere Pinot Noir 2011 Nelson, New Zealand
14.5% alcohol. A lovely mix of red and black cherry fruits with some sappy, savoury, spicy notes and nice texture. There are hints of tar and bitter plums, as well as sweet fruit. Some warmth, too, with alcohol adding a touch of heat and sweetness, but there’s also lovely purity of fruit. There’s some non-fruit complexity and a bit of tannin, so may age really well. 94/100

Palliser Estate The Great Walter Pinot Noir 2008 Martinborough, New Zealand
A cellar selection, with 60% new oak. Rich, intense and bold, this is powerful yet still retains balance, showing spicy black cherry and plum fruit. Great concentration. A delicious Pinot in a bold style. 94/100

Palliser Estate The Great Paloma 2011 Pinot Noir Martinborough, New Zealand
Fresh, fine and expressive with lovely black cherry and spice notes. Rich but fresh with some floral notes. A bit of grip on the palate. Lovely. 94/100

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2006 Waipara, New Zealand
This has just started to drink nicely now, apparently. Fine, spicy and slightly tarry cherry and plum fruit. Lovely elegance here to the supple black cherry fruit, with smooth texture and lovely weight. 94/100

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2010 Waipara, New Zealand
Fresh, assertive black cherry nose is vivid and a bit tarry. Lovely focus on the palate with good acid and tannin. Nicely fresh. 94/100

Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir 2011 Waipara, New Zealand
Fine, fresh, vivid and interesting with an assertive cherry fruit nose. Lovely supple, elegant palate shows nice precision. Lovely sweet fruit combined with spicy structure. 94/100

Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir 2009 Waipara, New Zealand
From 2 blocks with older vines (27 years old) on their own roots. Beautiful focus here. Fine, expressive, floral nose. Elegant palate shows fine black cherry and plum fruit with smooth texture and some chocolatey, spicy notes in the background. 94/100

Peregrine Pinot Noir 2009 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, sweet and elegant. Fine, expressive red cherry and plum fruit. Very bright with lovely weight. Fine and expressive. 94/100

Peregrine Pinot Noir 2007 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fresh, vivid and sweetly fruited with rounded cherry fruit and some spice. Lovely precision. Fine and expressive. 94/100

Pisa Range Black Poplar Block Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Beautifully perfumed. Vivid black cherry fruit. Stylish, rich textured and bold with some blackberry richness. Sweet and vivid with lovely fruit intensity. 94/100

Prophet’s Rock Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
A high terrace at 400 m. This vineyard has a lens of chalk, which is actually pedogenic lime, with minerals in the rain accumulated in the soil by evaporation. Ripe and fresh with lovely supple chery fruit. Quite an elegant style: supple and alive, showing finesse and a lightness of touch. 94/100

Pyramid Valley Vineyards Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2007 Canterbury, New Zealand
Beautiful nose of sweet cherries and herbs. Broad, earthy and herby. The palate is fresh, rounded and fruity with some ripe cherries and also a warm, textured, broad quality. Real complexity here. 94/100

Pyramid Valley Vineyards Angel Flower Pinot Noir 2010 Canterbury, New Zealand
Warmly aromatic with notes of cherry and spice on the nose. Lively and precise but rich and warm. The palate is fresh, supple and elegant with softness to the black cherry fruit, as well as complex herby notes. Textured. 94/100

Quartz Reef Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Now fully certified biodynamic. Ripe dark fruits nose with spicy, vivid black fruits. The palate is rounded and fresh with slightly spicy smooth cherry and plum fruit. Lovely texture here. 94/100

Sato Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Pisa Terrace vineyard, 30% whole bunch, just a trace of SO2 added before bottling. 13.9% alcohol. Fine, fresh and expressive with lovely perfume: some herbs, spices and violets. Lovely pure fruit on the palate, which is focused, fresh and elegant. Very rich style but with such pure fruit. 94/100

Sato Pinot Noir L’Insolite 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
100% whole bunch. Wonderfully aromatic and fresh with a vivid green herb edge to the floral black cherry fruit. The palate has texture and richness, as well as lovely weight. Textured and fine; rich and fresh, with hints of chocolatey richness. Complex and intriguing. 94/100

Schubert Pinot Noir Marion’s Vineyard 2010 Martinborough, New Zealand
Warm, sweet and silky. This is a lovely elegant wine with rich, ripe cherry and berry fruits, as well as some spicy structure. 94/100

Seresin Leah Pinot Noir 2011 Marlborough, New Zealand
Lovely perfume: fresh and supple with some savoury, spicy structure. Lovely fruit here – berries and cherries – but also some non-fruit complexity. 94/100

Seresin Tautou Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
From deep gravel soils at the western end of the Wairau valley, aged in 1 year old French oak for 15 months. Slightly cloudy, but there’s real interest here with some savoury, spicy notes and an interesting textural quality. Fine grained tannins add some grip. Great balance with some spicy warmth, nice texture and real depth and finesse. 94/100

Seresin Rachel Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
9 months in French oak, 35% new. Lovely focused fresh cherry and plum fruit with subtle green herbal notes together with a lively floral character on the nose. Rounded, textured cherry and berry fruit palate with some spicy bite and good acidity. Good presence and elegance here. 94/100

Seresin Raupo Creek Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
Lovely fresh, sappy cherry fruit nose. Black cherries, berries and also some spice and subtle tar notes. The palate is juicy and vivid, and a bit meaty. Dominated by sweet cherry fruit and nice structure. There’s a lovely savoury dimension here: fresh and vivid with good acid, and 5–10 years ageing potential. 94/100

Seresin Sun and Moon Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
17 months in French oak. Fine, expressive perfumed nose of fresh cherry fruit, with lively spicy notes, as well as subtle greenness. There’s some warm spiciness and hints of cured meat. The palate is textured with fresh cherry and berry fruit, finishing with some spicy grip. Quite powerful and distinctive, with slightly lifted aromatics, and subtle balsamic notes. 94/100

Staete Landt Pinot Noir 2010 Marlborough, New Zealand
Supple, fresh, lively and and elegant with lovely structure. Finely wrought cherry fruit. Very fine and precise, with more to it than just sweet fruit. 94/100

Te Where Ra Pinot Noir 2009 Marlborough, New Zealand
Fine peppery edge to the nose, which is fresh, complex and expressive. The palate shows some herby notes, is very peppery and supple, and has an expressive character. Fine spiciness on the finish. 94/100

Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2008 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, smooth and fine. Lovely elegant cherry fruit, so fine and expressive, lovely weight. 94/100

Valli Pinot Noir Waitaki Vineyard 2010 Waitaki, New Zealand
Amazingly floral fruit: very pretty with expressive cherry notes. The palate is supple, rounded and fresh with some meatiness. Very pretty, fine cherry fruit. 94/100

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 Central Otago, New Zealand
Fresh, focused and elegant with nice weight. Fruity and expressive with cherries and plums, and quite a bit of elegance. Rounded and expressive. 94/100

Valli Gibbston Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 Central Otago, New Zealand
Supple, elegant and fine with nice cherry fruit. Supple with some spiciness and nice weight. Really expressive. 94/100

THE FULL REPORT IS AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE HERE

Wines tasted 01/13
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