I’ve been in the midst of a veritable deluge of pinot noirs recently, which is actually quite a nice place to be. Not surprisingly, given Central Otago on our doorstep, the majority have been from Central so it is always useful to look at new vintages from labels I know well. While many producers blend across various vineyards, this selection are all products of a single vineyard; four of these named, while two are from small producers who have just the one vineyard to work with. The different vintages, sites, aspects and microclimates will all have an impact on the wine in bottle: part of the fun for tragic wine obsessives like me. 2022 Gibbston Valley Diamond Pisa Pinot Noir Price RRP $75 Rating Excellent Savoury/umami note evident, pencil lead & shavings, red fruits, fragrance swelling, a touch of oak seasoning. Tilled earth and forest floor mingle with the fruit, quite firm, chewy tannins initially adding a grainy aspect to the texture. With air a touch of funk on the nose, raspberry builds, the wine grows, finish lengthens, with zesty acidity playing its part. All comes together. www.gibbstonvalley.com 2022 Reefman Earnscleugh Pinot Noir Price RRP $40 Rating Excellent Lead pencil, a gravelly/ dusty minerally nuance, black tea, fruit and growing perfume support the whole, wild thyme later. Juiciness, almost tangy, a lightnesss of being but deceptive structure underpins this. Coolness, berry fruits with a minty influence, flows to a long, fruit-filled close with mouth puckering grippiness. Air brings savoury notes, the wine coming into its own. No website yet 2022 Gibbston Valley Red Shed Bendigo Pinot Noir Price RRP $75 Rating Very Good to Excellent Sweet fruits and dried fruits lead, perfume, a stony nuance. An interesting wine that feels like it has all the elements but not yet quite fully integrated The fruit swells nicely with aeration, there’s a tangy interplay going on between the acidity and the sweet fruit. A little betwixt and between today. www.gibbstonvalley.com 2021 Black Quail Bannockburn Pinot Noir Price RRP $55 Rating Excellent to Outstanding Fascinating nose of mushroom/forest floor, rosemary, savoury & spice, dark fruits & berries. A wisp of funk, fungi, smoky, savoury, bacon fat, dark fruits overlaid on quite a taut frame that’s "standing at attention" for now. Power here yet light on its feet, driven by complexity rather than fruit. Post reveal, a very different expression to past vintages. I like it, but it could polarise. www.blackquail.co.nz 2021 Dicey Black Rabbit Bannockburn Pinot Noir Price RRP $80 Rating Excellent Richness and depth to the nose, dark fruits, savoury elements, a backdrop of spice and herb. Ripe fruits, spices, again power and depth here. Voluptuous, powerful style yet with fine tannins that are so in tune with the fruit. Generous, initially with a little glow on the close, developing a stony quality with time. Picks up a chocolate note with air. A big boy indeed. www.dicey.nz 2021 Dicey The Inlet Bannockburn Pinot Noir Price RRP $80 Rating Excellent A deeper register to the nose, bonfire embers & smoke, darker, brooding, a wilder edge, a bit of intrigue. The palate follows that dry & brooding path, there’s a bittersweet element to the close with bright acidity, tautly wound. This starts to blossom with air, opening up, fleshing out and coming into its own suggesting that it needs air and/or time to fully show its best. www.dicey.nz
