La Cantina - Pinot noir

Tranquillity Bay Pinot Noir 2009

Tranquillity Bay Pinot Noir 2009 — Fri, 02 Jul 10 13:36:32 +1200

A lighter, fruity style Pinot Noir with a deep luscious cherry colour. Fine-grained velvety tannins and a long, spicy, forest floor finish. The nose is strawberries, boysenberries and blackberries with a hint of violets while the palate includes mouth-filling berry flavours with hints of savouriness, pepper, spice and truffles. Subtle oak tantalizes the nose and palate.

Hoppers Crossing Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008

Hoppers Crossing Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 — Thu, 15 Jul 10 11:55:41 +1200

You could easily pay well over $25 for a wine of this quality. Many of you think it's a great buy at $19.95. Now only $16.95 but for a limited time.

A bright cherry red wine with a pretty nose of strawberry and cherry and a touch of dried herbs. This is moderately bodied Pinot Noir, showing good definition of strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit flavours with some nice leathery complexity too. Oak has been used judiciously and is in delicious harmony with the structure and weight of the wine. The mid-palate shows a lovely creamy texture with ripe, soft tannins. Hard to beat.

Terravin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008

Terravin Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008 — Wed, 02 Jun 10 18:27:48 +1200

This rivals the best of Central Otago for the price. Aged for 11 months in French oak this is rich, velvety and powerful. Ripe, black cherry flavours with a savoury background that is drinking now but will reward cellaring for 3-5 years.

I tried a glass of this and left the rest in the bottle. Three days later it was just magic. Still going! Silky smooth and an array of flavours that just went on and on. Outstanding value.

Terravin Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir 2006

Terravin Hillside Reserve Pinot Noir 2006 — Wed, 19 May 10 18:57:11 +1200

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.

Remarkable Wines Pinot Noir 2006

Remarkable Wines Pinot Noir 2006 — Sat, 06 Feb 10 19:01:04 +1300

The Best Pinot Noir in the World

This great wine was awarded the Bouchard Finlayson Pinot Noir Trophy at this year’s International Wine and Spirit Competition held in the United Kingdom. A classic Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir with seductive aromas and complex flavours of stonefruit and dried herbs that has been matured for 15 months in French oak barrels. Be quick. This will go fast. A truly remarkable wine!

Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2008

Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2008 — Tue, 08 Jun 10 13:16:29 +1200

Gold at Air NZ Wine Awards

This is a classic Central Otago Pinot from one of the region's emerging stars. Ageing for 11 months in oak has added depth and softness. Very approachable now but one to cellar with confidence for 4-5 years.

Breaksea Sound Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008

Breaksea Sound Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 — Tue, 06 Apr 10 16:18:37 +1200

Breaksea not "Break the Bank"

This is truly worth $30+. In Metro Magazine this month, Paul Tudor MW says... "Cherrycake and spice aromatics, solid, chunky berry flavours and a ripe, round mouthfeel. This vintage has finesse and structure and is the best value Otago pinot on the market. "

This wine has amazed everyone who tries it for its quality and value. Sourced from a single vineyard with grape yields less than half most pinot noirs, which makes a lot less wine but which gives added concentration. If you are a Central Otago pinot noir fan you must try this if you haven't already. Drinking well now and over the next couple of years.