Dunedinites sometimes have a Central Otago Pinot Noir "cellar palate" as, let’s face it, we are surrounded by the stuff. Thankfully, there is astounding quality coming out of Central; however, as someone in the industry it’s good to hit the reset button at times. Today’s Pinots span regions other than Central, offering some serious alternatives.
2020 Riverby Estate Reserve Single Vineyard Marlborough Pinot Noir
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Open nose with
raspberry, savoury
nuances, dusty oak, a
brambly/herbal touch,
perfume growing. The
pale hue deceives, as
there’s real tannic
structure on its
medium-bodied frame,
again savoury, earthy,
oak spices, tar,
developing a touch of
velvet on the close.
Feels like there’s more
in store, becoming racy
and lifted, and the finish
lengthening.
2019 Pegasus Bay Prima Donna Pinot Noir
Rating Outstanding
Immediately perfumed, shifting to
meaty/umami
characters, savoury,
charcuterie, oak
spice, berryfruits.
Ripe, fruit sweet, yet
dry adding tea leaf/
lead pencil and wild
herb nuances. Lovely
integration and
balance offering
drinkability yet clear
potential . A crunchy,
chewy feel adds to the
close giving a lip-
smacking quality. A
cool vein to this.
Lovely.
2020 Astrolabe Wrekin Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Sweetly fruited nose, toffee/caramel,
earthy, dusty
characters. Lead
pencil and shavings
lead, plumy fruit
edging to raspberry
over time, a wisp of
piquancy adding
interest. Quite
mouthfilling, the
tannins grow, while
some chalkiness
flows through to the
finish, giving a lively
crunchiness. The racy
acidity swells with the
fruit, giving this life
and zest.
2020 Pegasus Bay North Canterbury Pinot Noir
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Fascinating nose, tilled earth, barnyard,
corruption, dry hay,
mushroom/truffle,
fruit in support. Dark
and brooding, tautly
structured palate,
intent here for the
future, developing a
savoury backbone
and a little, prickly
feel. There’s
intensity and textural
richness with the
strong barnyard
characters taking
this along a different
path that challenges
and intrigues.
2019 Craggy Range Single Vineyard Te Muna Martinborough Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Wisps of funk, wild
herb, earthy nuances,
savoury qualities, the
fruit lurking. Sweet
raspberry & red fruits
lead shifting to the
earthy, savoury
characters displayed
on the nose,
developing an almost
tingly quality. Finesse
here, elegance, bright,
zesty with delightful
drive on the close. The
flavours hang in the
mouth, leaving you
salivating.
2020 Black Estate Home North Canterbury Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Richly fruited yet not over-sweet,
blueberry, mixed
berry, perhaps plum,
with savoury
nuances.
Mouthfillingly rich,
dark fruits to the fore,
savoury notes
building alongside a
tangy hint adding
freshness. With
aeration there’s
growing chewiness,
deceptively powerful
tannins framing this
for future pleasure. A
food accompaniment
will be a friend now.
