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Otago Daily Times

Never any hardship to taste collection of Pinot Noir

If you thought that I have written about Central Pinot only recently, you would be absolutely correct. I seem to have been having a lot of Pinot Noir arriving recently and flights of both "entry-level" wines along with wines from other parts of the country still await my attention, while further wines that I have already tasted are waiting for their moment in they sun. Not that it's any suffering to taste a collection of Pinot Noir: I never tire of exploring new vintages of producers I know which is the case today, while unearthing producers or wines that are new to me is equally exciting. Long may that excitement continue for you all. 2022 Coal Pit Tiwha Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $73 Price Rating Very Good to Excellent Sweetly fruited nose, smoke, dusty gravel, red fruits, plum, wisps of herb, a boldly fruited style. Richly flavoured palate based on raspberry and liquorice, integrated and ready to enjoy, it's all about the generosity of expression. With air, there's liqueur fruits amplifying the rich, sweetly fruited core, a style guaranteed to win the hearts of many. 2023 Mt Difficulty Ghost Town Bendigo Pinot Noir RRP $60 Price Rating Excellent Impressions of minerality, slate, clay, earth, humus, blackberry, brambly herb. A drier palate, fruit neatly in support, chewy grip and backbone, lovely energy and tension to this with great carry. The fruit flits between red and black currants, boysenberry too, with time in the glass meat stock and earthy qualities. The acidity more evident now, emphasising freshness; still lovely carry. 2024 McArthur Ridge Southern Tor Alexandra Pinot Noir RRP $39.99 Price Rating Excellent to Outstanding Feels more youthful, darker berries, lead pencil, followed by wet stone and savoury nuances, immediate appeal. Freshly squished berries, juiciness and a little chalky grip on the close, and while relatively young this is already open for business. Good fruit intensity and carry with oak spices on the close, A little youthful edginess now, reminding us of its potential. 2020 Domaine Rewa Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $55 Price Rating Excellent Dusty, savoury, as it takes on air florality, perfume and schisty minerality come into view, less a fruit statement, more about the complexity. Deceptively structured, good chewy grip here. Cranberry and red berries, bright acidity and tangy freshness, lead pencil and minerality frame the close. Still some tautness to this that I'm sure food will happily uncoil, the freshness goes on and on. 2021 Te Kano Life Series Central Otago Pinot Noir RRP $48 Price Rating Very Good to Excellent Fragrant nose. toffee oak perhaps, perfume, stony influences, fruit in the wings with a suggestion of dryness? The fruit jumps into gear on the palate, more in the dried fruit spectrum, more obviously sweetly ripe now. Heart on its sleeve stuff, open for business yet there's good grip underpinning it. With time, the structure more evident, lending nice chewiness to the close. 2022 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Pinot Noir RRP $45 Price Rating Excellent Some nice things going on, savoury/charcuterie influences, wild herbs, florals, darker fruits, refinement rather than exuberance. Real crunchiness to the texture, bright and vibrant yet an underlying tautness that speaks to its youthful character. Red fruits, spices, herbs, once revealed perhaps a more structured expression than some earlier vintages, promising reward in the cellar.