REVIEW: Fine pinots can be found in many guises

Fine pinot noir has many personas that depend on where it comes from and who makes it.

In this tasting of a dozen Marlborough and Martinborough pinots, two stood out as superb but with markedly different expressions of fruit, and style.

Dog Point Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006 (about $40, ****) was silkily smooth with wonderful fruit expression whereas Martinborough Vineyard Pinot Noir 2006 (about $65, ****) had darker, more savoury flavours and firmer structure.

Both are fine wines that will develop for a couple of years.

I continued to enjoy some of these three or four days after the bottles were opened, but others revealed unripe fruit or over-worked oakiness.

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Julicher 99 Rows Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 (about $30) oozes mouthfilling spicy oak, chocolate and cherry plums, with layers of savouriness, a bright, crisp finish and lingering juicy fruit on the aftertaste.

4 stars (out of 5)

 

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Saint Clair Marlborough Pinot Noir 2007 (about $24) is a light pinot with more charm than the Saint Clair Vicar's Choice Pinot Noir 2007 (about $21 **).

It's a simple wine with pleasant fruit and a crisp finish.

3 stars (out of 5).

 

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Churton Marlborough Pinot Noir 2006 (about $37) Complex aromas - fading roses, feijoa and spice - introduce this stylish, slightly edgy wine.

There's sweet fruit, firm tannins and a lingering aftertaste.

It showed its best a day or so after opening, so may be worth cellaring.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5).

 

 

Ara Resolute Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005 (about $37) is from Ara vineyard.

With an extra year's age than the simple Ara Composite Pinot Noir 2006 (about $27 ** V-) the Resolute is stylish and textural with rich fruit and oak, nutty, savoury hints, fine grained tannins and a lingering finish.

3 1/2 stars (out of 5).

 

 

Margrain Home Block Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 (about $52) oozes sweet cherry, plum and dark berry overtones, backed by lots of spicy oak with hints of licorice on the after taste.

Attractive, if a tad lollyish.

3 1/2 stars (out fo 5).

 

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Craggy Range Te Muna Road Martinborough Pinot Noir 2006 (about $50) is a powerful, showy wine, all ripe fruit, oodles of spicy, chocolatey oak, savoury undertones and long finish. Probably best within a year.

4 stars (out of 5).