Why understate tastiness?
INFLATION is very much in the news currently, but I also ponder ‘‘score inflation’’ with ever more wine scoring compressed into a 90100point band, along with a perception by some consumers that if a wine scores less than that it must be awful. Not so of course.
I must admit that I can be a miserable scorer, so a string of very high marks in recent weeks had me assessing my own practice. I came back to the idea that if you really think something is good, then don’t sit on the fence! I hope that you enjoy today’s selection too.
2019 Te Kano Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $49.50
Rating Excellent to outstanding
Beguiling nose, spices, perfume, violets, mixed fruits, dried herbs, refined oak. Initially youthful and tightly wound, offering red fruits, ink, lead pencil, with a backdrop of earth and herbs. As it fleshes out, the fruit and tannins become bolder, the wine showing lovely promise for the future. While time will be a friend, opening one now will give ample pleasure.
www.tekanoestate.com
2017 Dunstan Road Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price Cellar Door $35 Rating Very good
Intriguing nose, hints of balsam, menthol, thyme, raspberry jam, musk. Noticeably ripely fruited palate with berry coulis, raspberry jam, fruit pastille and charry aspects, a wisp of sweet ‘n’ sour provides a nice counter to the ripe fruit. A little grippiness to the tannins with time, alongside some old leather. Hits some different buttons, and ready now.
Website under refurbishment 2019 Burn Cottage Moonlight Race Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $24.95
Rating Excellent to outstanding
Deep, concentrated nose, dusty stones, ripe fruits, raspberry, wild herbs, savoury notes in the background. Initially shows its tighter, structured, youthful side, while spicy, savoury elements meld with the fruit. Develops real vibrancy as it opens up, bright, fragrant and a super, long, dry close.
Already approachable but potential too. www.burncottage.com
2019 Black Quail Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $55
Rating Excellent to outstanding
Very attractive, florality, old roses, earth, savoury nuances, wild herbs, fruit in support. Super depth of fruit that swells to fill the mouth, yet retains fineness and elegance. Savoury aspects grow nicely, pitched against a minerally core with vibrant acidity and powdery tannins. Super balance and deceptively drinkable now, yet there’s lots of ingredient here for the future.
2020 Felton Road Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Price RRP $71 Rating Outstanding
Youthfully fresh and complex nose, stony minerality, wild herbs, savoury flecks, darker fruits, spice. Silky entry, lovely flavour intensity, powerful yet light on its feet. Raspberry, ripe cranberry, wild herbs, a savoury undercurrent with the underlying structure making its presence felt. Stylish and fabulous potential, yet already super drinking. The flavours hang in the mouth. 2016 Tatty Bogler Waitaki Valley Pinot Noir
Price RRP $45 Rating Excellent
Colour showing development. Nicely expressive nose, also showing age with beetroot, rhubarb, red fruits, savoury and herb notes, growing perfume. Velvety, nice integration, mixing aged notes with sweet fruit, freshness and zest, adding hints of tar and lead pencil as it opens. A lot to enjoy, already in a fine place to drink, yet I suspect with time ahead too.
2020 Maude Mohawk Hill Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $45 Rating Excellent
Perfume, oak nuances, licorice, warm leather, plum, growing spices. Fresh and lively in the mouth, bright cherry fruit building, hints of pencil lead and shavings. Finer bodied without lacking flavour, the tannic backbone in place. Lovely integration and length, certainly with promise for the future, yet aeration offers nice drinking off the bat.
2020 Hawkshead Central Otago Pinot Noir
Price RRP $49.50
Rating Very good to excellent
Gunflint, savoury notes, darker fruits, growing florality, a little funky nuance with aeration. Tangy and youthful palate, a coolness running through it with a wisp of oyster shell like salinity adding to the mix. Very young and zesty, a bit of the spotty faced, gangly youth to this but it creeps up on me with time. Some time in bottle will do this the world of good.
www.hawksheadwine.com