Top 5 Pinot Noirs this Year
Brodie Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2008
We first tried this wine about a year ago and were pretty impressed, but it wasn't until we had a chance encounter with James Brodie about 4 months ago that we were able to start selling this wine. This would easily be the best new Pinot we tried this year - It's an almost ethereal wine, with unobtrustive tannins providing structure, finely balanced acids giving incredible length and supporting some vibrant fruit in the front of the palate. There is a great richness in the mouth, the fruit is perfectly ripe (no hints of jamminess) and a great complement of gaminess and spice through the finish. Gold at the Sydney International Wine Competition in 2010. Our wine club members enjoyed this in their packs last quarter, and one punter ordered 7 dozen he loved it so much! On sale now for $40.95.
Amisfield Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008
The 2007 vintage of this wine was an immediate favourite of ours, until the 2008 came along. It's encouraging to see a wine with a fairly 
healthy production volume, of such great quality, and at such a reasonable price. It's the abunadance of fruit without a hint of jam, mixed with some incredible layers of spice that sets this wine apart. The acids have settled right down (in fact they were already on release) - something we like to see in Central Pinot which can have way too much acid on release. A generous strucuture carries the wine through a long finish. Winner of too much bling to list them all, but 95pts from gourmet Traveller Wine and Gold at Air NZ Wine Awards were highlights. On Sale now for $32.95.
Quartz Reef Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008
Rudi Bauer is the master of Central Otago Pinot Noir. We've had the opportunity to try many of his wines this year, some of them back to 2002, and they all age with incredible grace and still show great structure and freshness after several years. This 2008 is really just now starting to open up and come in to it's own. The fruit is in the darker spectrum - plums & black cherries, supported by fine grain tannins and a silky palate from start to finish. Not overly oaked, this wine shows some restraint with great cellaring potential. 96pts Gourmet Traveller Wine. On Sale now for $40.95
Felton Road 'Block 3' Central Otago Pinot Noir 2010
You know how when you are first introduced to a baby girl or boy, you can pretty much
tell whether they are going to be attractive or not when they grow up? Well this wine is very much the 3 month old equivalent of Jennifer Hawkins. Still an infant when we tried it, it won't really hit it's straps for another 3-5 years, and will cellar for much longer again. Immediately attractive on the nose - floral, perfumed and generous. The palate shows great structure, bright fruits of red and dark cherry. The finish is never-ending and dispays a wonderful minerality throughout. Destined to be a classic from a great Central Otago vintage. SOLD OUT.
Martinborough Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008/2009
It's always hard to leave the Martinborough Vineyards Pinot Noir off any Top 10 list - They have some of the oldest vines in NZ to draw from, and a culture of excellence and skilled winemaking going back 25 years.The 2008 was probably our favourite, but Paul mason, the winemkaer thinks the '09 is a winner. A very warm vintage has given us quite a generous wine, with loads of spice on the nose and a mixture of dark and red cherry fruits on the palate. Impeccable structure leads to a long silky palate with plenty of savoury notes. Will be at it's best from 2014 and cellar to 2020. On Sale now for $65.95
Other wines that could easily have made our list and definitely worth a mention include the Ata Rangi 2009, Escarpment 'Kupe' 2009, Villa Maria 'Southern Clays' 2009 and Dog Point 2009.
Top 5 Best Buys
Nanny Goat Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009
Always one of our top-sellers, the 2008 was what we would have described as 'quite a good wine' and good value. But the 2009 has seriously stepped up - The nose is very generous with it's perfume, the fruits are in the darker spectrum, providing more concentration on the palate without being jammy. Lovely finish is given some complexity with forest floor and Christmas cake spice characters. GREAT value at $25.95, it's even better on sale at $22.95
Mt Difficulty 'Roaring Meg' Pinot Noir 2009/2010
We were pretty impressed with the 2009 and it sold like hotcakes, but again the 2010 
has stepped things up a notch. 2010 is a vintage most Central winemakers are pretty excited about, none more so than Mt Difficulty. This wine is always immediately approachable on release, whilst we wait for their Estate Pinot to open up in the bottle. The 2010 shows dark red cherry and black berry fruits along with a hint of licorice. The wine starts off with some attractive sweeter fruit, but is quickly balanced with spicy seasoned oak and lively acidity that is not too intrusive. Drink now-2013. On Sale for just $26.95 per bottle.
Spy Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2009/2010
Both vintages deserve a mention here, becuase they were both simply fantastic wines that offer unparalleled value for NZ Pinot Noir. The 2009 won a top 5 spot in Cuisine Magazine for the year, along with a million other awards and the 2010 looks set to follow, picking up a triple-trophy at the Cool Climate Wine Show held in VIC earlier this year. The 2010 shows a nose of quite sweet fruits but some great herbal notes to add interest. The palate leads with sweet fruit, but there is more complexity in the form of cocoa and aniseed towards the finish. Immediately attractive, it will continue to develop to 2013+. On Sale now for $24.95.
Main Divide Waipara Pinot Noir 2008
From the winemaking genius of Pegasus Bay comes their 'second-label' Pinot Noir. 
Currently being enjoyed by our wine club members, the 2008 shows aromas and flavours of cherries and red berry fruits with impressions of raspberries, mulberries and blackberries. There are also savoury hints of grilled mushrooms, black olives and roast game. Ripe fine grained tannins give it structure and length, but these are covered with a velvety robe, leaving impressions of dark chocolate and spice. A great introduction to Waipara Pinot if you haven't tried one before. 93 Points, Nick Stock. Drink now - 2014 On sale for $26.95.
Wild Rock 'Cupids Arrow' Pinot Noir 2009
Great Central Otago fruit - check. Awesome winemaking team of Craggy Range - check. Competitive market to ensure price kept artificially low - check. The vibrant aromas are of red berries, cranberry and floral notes with a background of savoury dried herbs and wild thyme. The palate is complex and elegant with raspberry, boysenberry and cherry fruit characters with a rich savoury undertone. Fine sandy tannins and supporting acidity draw the wine into a long, bright finish. Drink now-2013. On sale for a ridiculously low $20.95.