Terravin Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir 2006

You'll be surprised to hear, especially after actually tasting this Pinot Noir, that it is from Marlborough. I have been a long-time supporter of owner and winemaker Mike Eaton from Terravin and have always said this man's wines will be some of the most sought after from New Zealand. You hear wineries say their focus is on quality, to the point it's a bit of a cliché, but Mike must be the only winemaker in New Zealand not to produce a wine every vintage. Why? Followers of Terravin are now used to having only the best, highest quality wines available from New Zealand and are getting used to the fact that the next vintage will be better than the last - if that's possible. The whole Terravin range is fantastic, with the Reserve Hillside Pinot being an absolute stand-out.

Bob Campbell 97/100 Gourmet Traveller. "The merits of selecting the best fruit from a hillside vineyard are obvious in this intense, complex wine. The layers of dark fruit, spice and oak flavours and silken texture in combination are particularly seductive".

Robert Parker 93/100. "Ripe, sweet lifted nose of plum, wild strawberry and violets. The palate is full-bodied with pure ripe plum and raspberry fruit, very well balanced and elegant Supple and rounded towards the finish that lingers in the mouth. A little gem". This is great drinking now but will cellar to 2013 - 2015. Amazing buying.
Buy 'Passion and Patience - A Wine Story' on DVD to see how a hand-crafted wine like this is is made.