Good pinot noir can be stunningly delicious, and it can also have different flavours dependingon where it's been grown, which makes it such an intriguing wine for enthusiasts.
However, it's never cheap.
BEST VALUE
Four and a half stars (out of five)
Good value
new star from Central, this is elegant and harmonious, yetwith underlying muscle, silky texture and complexity. There's dark, brooding cherry fruit, hints ofspice, mineral and earthiness, and a lovely lingering, supple finish.
The second vintage froma biodynamic vineyard in Burn Cottage Rd near Cromwell, this will develop for several yearsin the bottle.
Three and a half stars
Average value
An attractive, well-flavoured wine with ripe fruit, hints of cherries, plums and wild herbs withdark chocolate, mineral and spice undertones, a silky texture and a juicy, savoury finish.
Three stars
Average value
With red fruits, toasty oak and a suggestion of chocolate, this is a simple but pleasant wine, flavoursome, if a bit extractive, with a lively finish.
Three and a half stars
Below average value
An attractive wine, fragrant with hints of cherry, spice, mineral and savoury notes, wellintegrated and mellowed with underlying power, silky tannins and a lively, long finish.
Three and a half stars
Average value
From an Alexandra vineyard, this is fragrant with red fruits, dried figs andherbs, fresh button mushrooms with savoury undertones, and a long, spicy, oaky finish.
Four stars
Average value
complex wine with soft red fruit, savoury undertones, hints of dark chocolate and spice,warm and mouthfilling with a lively edge and fine-grained tannins.
Endless fascinating variations on a theme
Some winemakers produce several different pinot noirs. These may be blends from severalvineyards at different quality levels or they may each be from a different vineyard. To the uninitiated this may seem excessive, but to wine enthusiasts, especially pinot noir lovers, the flavour differences between wines from vineyards even a few kilometres apart is endlessly fascinating.
Larry McKenna of Escarpment in Martinborough is one who likes to let the differences between his vineyards speak for themselves.
There's the regular Escarpment pinot noir, reviewed above, and four single vineyard wines in the Insight series, including the premium Kupe ($85) from theclose-planted home vineyard on the river terracein Te Muna Rd a few kilometres from Martinborough.
Although wine sent for review is tasted blind to eliminate preconceptions, all wine tastingand evaluation is subjective. These are personal recommendations.
