Happy Pinot Noir Day
To celebrate Pinot Noir Day 2020, I thought I might take a look back at some of the bottles of Pinot Noir that I’ve reviewed this year.
Enjoy reading my notes, and if you can, get a few of the wines that sound like you’d like them – try them and let me know!
Cheers! JB
27Seconds Pinot Noir 2018 North Canterbury NZ
Medium cherry coloured wine, lighter at the rim. Enticing nose of ripe cherry, berry, spice & earthy notes. On the palate this is a grippy, textured wine, full of cherry & berry fruit flavours underpinned with earth & spice, chalky tannins, integrated acidity, spicy oak, very long finish… I love this style of grunty “in your face Pinot Noir” Exceptional value too. RRP:24.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDNyuE7sWDQ/
Mills Reef Reserve Pinot Noir 2019, Marlborough, NZ.
Purple to black cherry coloured with a paler rim, medium bodied. Cherry & dark berry aromas in the nose with cherry, dark berries, plum & savoury flavours on the palate. Soft acidity and fine powdery tannins lead into a dry fruity finish. Still young but already quite elegant! RRP: $25.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB7nNazpUCs/
Drummond Farm Estate Pinot Noir 2017, Martinborough NZ.
Medium bodied, cherry red in colour with a light haze due to no filtering / fining. Fragrant nose with red berry, cherry, savoury earthy notes & a hint of spice. Ripe red cherry & berry flavours on the palate, nicely textured with well integrated tannins, acidity & oak. Quite an elegant wine and at just over 30 bucks is an absolute bargain. RRP: $31.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBSkoPZpQde/
Drummond Farm ‘Back Block’ Pinot Noir 2017. Martinborough NZ
Light cherry red in colour with a faint haze from no fining / filtering. Raspberries, earthy, herbal & spice notes in the nose. Lighter bodied wine with fresh dark berry & cherry flavours, subtle oak , fine chalky tannins, ripe acidity and a long dry ‘front of mouth’ finish – still a baby? Enjoy now or pop away for another year to two. RRP: $29.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/CBIEhX-JUNF/
Jackson Estate ‘Gum Emperor’ Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013, Marlborough NZ.
Medium bodied wine, deep magenta to cherry red in colour (no signs of aging.) The nose is spicy & aromatic with black berry fruit & savoury aromas. Wonderfully opulent palate with ripe dark plum & cherry fruit, spicy, earthy, silky tannins, subtle fine oak and a long lasting complex finish. Aging beautifully. RRP:$48.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/CACtVVBJqC5/
Jackson Estate ‘Vintage Widow’ Pinot Noir 2016, Marlborough NZ
Bright translucent cherry red in colour, paler at the rim. Fragrant, cherry, dark berries and a hint of spicy oak on the nose. Lighter style / body with more dark fruit flavours and spice, the palate packs a punch with nice grippy tannins and ripe acidity, lots of layers and character – finishes long and dry! Delish! RRP:$40.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_4WVHDpqkJ/
St Pauli Vineyard Pinot Noir 2019, Nelson Moutere NZ
Lighter red to dark cherry in colour. Fragrant nose with cherry, plum and savoury notes. Lovely rounded and soft palate with powdery tannins, fine oak influence, bright dark cherry and plum flavours, a savoury note of olive and green stalk, bright acidity and a long juicy finish. RRP:$35.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_tqBOEpMel/
Matahiwi Estate “Wild Holly” Pinot Noir 2019, Wairarapa, NZ
Dense Inky purple – indigo in colour. Powerful nose with dark plum, black berrys, chocolate and earthy, green-herb notes. Weighty textured palate with grippy tannins, dark berry fruit flavours, spice & savoury characters, bright acidity and a long bone-dry finish. It’s wild all right, Big and Bold! RRP:$46.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-3mkVkJx-P/
Matahiwi Estate ‘Holly’ South Series, Pinot Noir 2018, Wairarapa NZ. Great colour, bright, translucent cherry red. A fragrant spiced nose with dark berry, raspberry and plum notes. Ripe fruity palate with subtle oak textures, slight green-stalk tannins and some zesty acidity still present. Ripe fruit forward finish. Needs a bit longer to integrate / mature but still a lovely drop! RRP: $46.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-ypOHSJ1jy/
Three Miners ‘Warden’s Court’ Pinot Noir 2018, Central Otago NZ – Medium bodied wine, bright cherry red in colour, lighter at the rim. The nose is full of red summer berries, cherry & a hint of oak! Red berries, black currant and plum flavours on the palate, ripe acidity, and dusty tannins. Lovely long fruity / grippy finish. Ripe and scrummy! 13.2% ABV RRP: $42.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B96L_FsJT6G/
Hunter’s Wines Offshoot Pinot Noir 2019, Marlborough NZ
Another new wine release from James McDonald – Fruit from Hunters’ home-block, hand picked, partially de-stemmed, open top fermenter, 40% whole clusters, only 3 months in barrel – Bright cherry red in colour with a nose of savoury vege / beetroot, berry & cherry aromas. Fresh, young, lively & fruit-forward wine, subtle oak, soft tannins, a little greenstalk character, lovely finish. Something new and a little different. Nice! 12.5% ABV RRP:$25.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9TmjBKJWzB/
Mills Reef Reserve Pinot Noir 2017 Marlborough NZ
Deep raspberry / cherry coloured in the glass, light to medium bodied. Herbal – savoury notes in the nose with cherry and dark berry aromas. Softer tannins and oak textured palate, beautifully balanced with ripe dark berries, savoury earth and a hint of spiciness leading into a long dry finish. Elegant! 12.5% ABV RRP: $25.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B9LjJ1xpj8T/
Eaton Waihopai – Tyntesfield Pinot Noir 2018 Marlborough NZ
Cherry red in colour with a slight haze from no fining / filtering. Lifted plum, cherry and spice in the nose with a savoury whiff! Medium bodied, well textured palate with cherry and dark plum flavours, grippy tannins, juicy acidity, dry as a bone with a long lasting finish – tasty & very elegant example of SV Marlborough Pinot Noir.
13.0% ABV RRP: $40.00
https://www.instagram.com/p/B6-IXZZpey9/