Not surprisingly, given Central Otago on our doorstep, the majority have been from Central so it is always useful to look at new vintages from labels I know well.
While many producers blend across various vineyards, this selection are all products of a single vineyard; four of these named, while two are from small producers who have just the one vineyard to work with.
The different vintages, sites, aspects and microclimates will all have an impact on the wine in bottle: part of the fun for tragic wine obsessives like me.
2022 Gibbston Valley Diamond Pisa Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Savoury/umami note
evident, pencil lead &
shavings, red fruits,
fragrance swelling, a touch
of oak seasoning.
Tilled earth and forest floor
mingle with the fruit, quite
firm, chewy tannins
initially adding a grainy
aspect to the texture.
With air a touch of funk
on the nose, raspberry
builds, the wine grows,
finish lengthens, with
zesty acidity playing its
part.
All comes together.
2022 Reefman Earnscleugh Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Lead pencil, a gravelly/
dusty minerally nuance,
black tea, fruit and
growing perfume support
the whole, wild thyme
later. Juiciness, almost
tangy, a lightnesss of
being but deceptive
structure underpins
this. Coolness, berry
fruits with a minty
influence, flows to a
long, fruit-filled close
with mouth
puckering grippiness.
Air brings savoury
notes, the wine
coming into its own.
No website yet
2022 Gibbston Valley Red Shed Bendigo Pinot Noir
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Sweet fruits and
dried fruits lead,
perfume, a stony
nuance.
An interesting wine
that feels like it has
all the elements but
not yet quite fully
integrated
The fruit swells
nicely with aeration,
there’s a tangy
interplay going on
between the acidity
and the sweet fruit.
A little betwixt and
between today.
2021 Black Quail Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Fascinating nose of
mushroom/forest floor,
rosemary, savoury &
spice, dark fruits &
berries. A wisp of funk,
fungi, smoky, savoury,
bacon fat, dark fruits
overlaid on quite a taut
frame that’s "standing
at attention" for now.
Power here yet light
on its feet, driven by
complexity rather
than fruit.
Post reveal, a very
different expression
to past vintages. I like
it, but it could polarise.
2021 Dicey Black Rabbit Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Richness and depth to
the nose, dark fruits,
savoury elements, a
backdrop of spice and
herb. Ripe fruits, spices,
again power and depth
here. Voluptuous,
powerful style yet
with fine tannins that
are so in tune with
the fruit. Generous,
initially with a little
glow on the close,
developing a stony
quality with time.
Picks up a chocolate
note with air.
A big boy indeed.
2021 Dicey The Inlet Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
A deeper register to the
nose, bonfire embers &
smoke, darker, brooding,
a wilder edge, a bit of
intrigue.
The palate follows that
dry & brooding path,
there’s a bittersweet
element to the close
with bright acidity,
tautly wound. This
starts to blossom
with air, opening up,
fleshing out and
coming into its own
suggesting that it
needs air and/or time
to fully show its best.
