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Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007

Rockburn takes its name from the rugged, rock-strewn, burnt landscape of Central Otago. The region is renowned for its stunning scenery of rugged mountains and picturesque lakes. Nestled on the 45th parallel it shares a climate that is similar to Burgundy, the great Pinot Noir producing region of the world.

It won 2 Trophies and Gold, including Champion Red Wine at the 2008 Air New Zealand Awards…Sixteen international and local judges including Chairman of the Judges, Steve Smith MW (Craggy Range), have expressed that "a Pinot Noir such as this can only come from one place in the world, Central Otago. Very distinctive and open aromas of red cherry, plum and wild thyme notes are enticing and quite complex. The palate is likewise open juicy and forward but becomes quite serious and long with lovely fine tannins and dried herb and earth notes. Beautiful fruit extremely well crafted."

It also picked up Gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition, Gold at the NZ International Wine Show and Liquorland Top 100. It was also awarded 5 stars in NZ's Cuisine magazine and Gourment Travellers Wine mag.

Sold out in NZ. We have a small allocation RRP$65 Our price $57.99

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The elite gold or trophy was a first for winemaker Malcolm Francis ( four vintages at Felton Road) before joining Rockburn as their chief winemaker for the 2006 vintage. Rockburn Pinot Noir 2006 also won gold 2007 Bragato Wine Awards, Top 100 Blue Gold in the Sydney International, 5 stars in Nov 07 issue Cuisine magazine.

Price: $57.99

Valli Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir 2006

Grant Taylor learnt the ropes as chief winemaker at Gibbston Valley Estate for 13 yrs. Grant is widely regarded as new Zealand's pinot guru. His aim is to produce top shelf single vineyard pinot noirs highlighting the different sub regions of central otago. Gibbston Valley is generally speaking cooler than Bannockburn and produces more fragrance and elegance.

2006 was a warmer year and outstanding in Gibbston Valley. Outstanding pinot wild blackberry, dark cherry, cinnamon spice...layers of flavour and depth unravel with air. Beautiful texture richness and balance here in this fine pinot. Decant this wine. See reviews below
RRP$69 Our price $62.99

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Reviews
Good deep, bright red. Wild berry, minerals and exotic spices on the captivating nose complicated by dried herbs and flowers, no doubt due to the inclusion of some whole clusters. Sappy, spicy, sweet and concentrated, with pungent, chewy flavours of blackberry, exotic spices, orange peel and minerals. Kept quite vibrant by brisk acids and some apparent CO2 Very firmly built and long pinot. . 91 points, Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar Sept/Oct 07

A more masculine style, beautifully put together, with an alluring violet-tinged aroma and black-fruit richness. 5 stars, Cuisine Magazine, Top 10 NZ Pinots, November 2007.

The markedly superior 2006 is deeply coloured, finely scented and supple, with rich cherry and plum flavours, beautifully ripe, fresh and vibrant. It’s a classy, complex wine with excellent harmony and length. 5 stars – Michael Cooper’s 2008 Buyer’s Guide to NZ Wines.

Price: $62.99

Harewood Estate Denmark Pinot Noir 2009

Winemaker James Kellie (formerly of Howard Park) has had extraordinary success in just 5 years - trophies galore and the elusive 5 red star rating (the highest recognition possible from James Halliday, Australia's most influential wine critic awarded to top 6.5% of wineries).

Complex wine- black cherry and plum, dark chocolate, liquorice and spice. Plenty of rich and supple tannins complemented by a long and spicy finish. 100% handpicked estate grown fruit (Rare Burgundian clones isolated by Dijon University from best Pinot vineyards in Burgundy) 20 yr old vineyard, 12 mths maturation in French oak.

Hard work is definitely paying off..unquestionably the best Pinot out of WA for the price.

"Deep colour and deeply fruited; savoury smoky bacon and black plum aromas are framed by a gentle lick of cinnamon; the palate is generous, varietal and quite soft to conclude." James Halliday.
RRP: $24.00

Price: $18.99

Akarua Central Otago Cadence Pinot Noir 2006

Must try the wines from this leading Kiwi pinot noir producer in Bannockburn, Central Otago. Central Otago produces extraordinary pinot noir that is incredibly consistent .. all the rain falls in Milford on the western side of the alps so Bannockburn and Gibbston Valley in CO to the east of the alps are in a rain shadow. They are definitely giving Burgundy a run for their money!
All estate grown fruit, very burgundian in style, extraordinary concentration of fruit, depth, complexity and elegance. I tasted the 06's a few weeks back and it was only after day 2 that the wine started to unravel layers of flavour, concentration to give insight to what bottle age will do. This needs to be decanted or cellared. Top notch pinot.

RRP $ 60

Price: $52.99

Pisa Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2006

Pisa Range estate was a narrow 12 hectare block of sheep grazing land - lined with Lombardy and grand old Black Poplar trees nestled at the base of the snow-capped Pisa Range,( 10km north of Cromwell in Central Otago) when Warwick and Jenny Hawker bought it in 1995.

The vineyard now covers some thirty-three hectares of flat and terraced land at Pisa located in Central Otago. This area, which sits on the 45th parallel, is bordered by Lake Dunstan on one side and the rugged Pisa Range on the other and is proving to be a prime pinot noir growing site in the region.

Intense, black cherries, blood plums spice , good depth….Next day layers of flavour , briary, earthy and beautiful round fruit..... RRP $65 Our price $54.99

Reviews

Not (yet) among the best known of New Zealand’s wave of top Pinot Noir producers, Pisa Range is a rising star. The bright cherry flavours of Central Otago are matched by some fascinating notes of wild herbs that meld well with the toasty oak. 5/5 Robert Joseph – London Telegraph 26/6/08.

Enticing, powerful spicy, cedary aromas. The fruit is intense and varietal while the palate is very tight, displaying great finesse and balance. The silky smooth tannins carry the wine to a very long finish. This is their pinot so far – it drinks beautifully now, but really needs another 4-5 years. Outstanding. - Winewise Volume 24 Number 1, April 2008.

This was among my top wines at an extensive tasting of 55 Central Otago pinot noirs from the 2006 vintage. An intense and oaky wine with good density and an attractive layer of cherry and spice flavours. Balanced and complex. – 5 stars, 96 points, Bob Campbell – Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine Dec/Jan 2008.

Grown at Pisa Flats, north of Cromwell, in Central Otago, this is an enticingly scented wine. The 2006 vintage was handpicked and matured for a year in French oak barriques (one-third new). Classy, rich and supple, it’s a classic regional style with full, ruby colour, sweet-fruit flavours of cherries and spices seasoned with toasty oak, and the backbone to mature well. Impressively concentrated and finely textured, it’s the best wine yet under this label. – 5 stars, Michael Coopers 2008

Buyers Guide - NZ Wine
Awarded a Gold Medal at 2007 Wine Style Asia Awards (4th Edition) held in Singapore, 22-26 October, 2007

Enticing, powerful spicy, cedary aromas. The fruit is intense and varietal while the palate is very tight, displaying great finesse and balance. The silky smooth tannins carry the wine to a very long finish. This is their pinot so far – it drinks beautifully now, but really needs another 4-5 years. Outstanding. Winewise Volume 24 Number 1, April 2008.

Price: $54.99

Scotchmans Hill Swan Bay Pinot Noir 2008

Carrick Pinot Noir 2007

Carrick growers were part of the original growers who formed Mt Difficulty a few yrs back. Cairnmmuir Vineyard was planted in 1994 ( first vineyard to take advantage of the hot Cairnmuir Terraces in Bannockburn) An Additional 6 ha of Dijon clones were planted.

2007 was a great vintage and regarded as a benchmark year in Otago. Lifted aroma of violets….muscular dark cherries, hint aniseed, spice. Plenty of depth and structure. Needs a couple of yrs in cellar.

RRP $55

Reviews

Reasonably dense, fruity Pinot Noir with strong ripe black and red cherry flavours and an appealing suggestion of violet/floral. The wine is supported by firm, ripe tannins. A little closed at this stage and with potential to develop well. 91 points, 4 stars, Bob Campbell, Bob’s Wine Reviews July 2008.

The Bannockburn label has emerged as a regional classic. The 2007 vintage was matured for a year in French oak barriques (33% new). Rich and youthful in colour, it is finely scented and flowing, with concentrated cherry, plum and slight coffee flavours, savoury, complex notes and a rich, resounding finish.. Dense yet approachable, it’s a sophisticated wine, for drinking 2010+. 5 stars - Michael Cooper’s Buyer’s Guide to NZ Wines, 2009 Edition

Price: $47.99

Eastern Peake Intrinsic Pinot Noir 2006

Eastern Peake vineyard was established in 1983 on a high plateau overlooking the Creswick valley, 25km north-west of Ballarat, the vineyard sits at 430m on top of the Great Dividing Range. Weathered basalt soils and good marginal climatic conditions contribute to these complex and unique wines. This smart Pinot is made in miniscule quantities.

"Norm Latta had no intention of making wine when he planted Eastern Peake Winery that same year. His pinot went into what was then Mount Chalambar bubbly. When that label disappeared, he decided to make his grapes into serious wine. Latta and his son Owen now make a pinot that is among the finest in the land.

This is fragrant and tangy smelling with currant and raspberry. Attacks tight and cumquat tangy and then builds lovely creamy, raspberry, woodsy flavours. Fabulous stuff that will evolve well in bottle for at least five years." - Review by Tim White, Age Melbourne Magazine, June 2009.

RRP $48

Price: $41.99

Domaine Duroche Gevrey-Chambertin 2006

Third generation vigneron Giles Duroché with his son Pierre own and operate Domaine Duroché. Since taking over management of the Gevrey-Chambertin vineyards and winery from his father Philippe in 1980, Giles has continued his father?s program of site acquisition in the commune. Today the Domaine works with more than 8 hectares of vines (owned and en fermage) across 8 appellations. Their holdings include sites in three Premier Cru and three Grand Cru vineyards including the venerable Clos-de-Beze.

Very smart Gevrey-Chambertin particularly for the price but this Pinot needs some time.

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Extract from “The Wines of Burgundy” (2008) by Clive Coates MW:

GILLES DUROCHE

Phillip Duroche started off with 3 ha in 1954 on the death of his father, and slowly built up this domaine to the present size before handing over the reins to his son Gilles at the end of the 1980s.

This is a very efficient set up, with a spotlessly tidy cellar in the center of the village. There is total destemming, a few days’ prefermentation maceration, a twelve to fifteen day cuvaison, and no fining. The vines in the Champeaux are still quite young, dating from 1986, and those in the Latricieres and the Estournelles are only twenty five years old or so, though in the Clos-de-Beze they are venerable. Over the last decade, the quantity of new oak has been increased, and yields lowered. Quality is now very good, and the wines are rich and succulent."

Price: $62.99

Labyrinth Viggers Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005

Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir 2006

2006 was a superb vintage in central otago producing plenty of intensity and finesse here.

Alistair Ward and Paula Ramage planted the original vineyard in Gibbston Valley in the early 90’s and another vineyard was planted in the warmer Bannockburn sub-region more recently. Vineyard philosophy aims for a natural balance between vine and microclimate with an organic approach to maximize fruit quality. Small batch winemaking from low yielding vines- Result is superbly crafted pinot noir.

All fruit sourced from original Gibbston Valley vineyard.. Layers of flavour & aroma of dark cherries, juicy garden plums, whiff of roast lamb, spice and dried mountain herbs. Seamless palate although quite tight and youthful with plenty of tension. Made very much in the burgundian elegant style. This is Top Shelf. RRP $60
Blue Gold – 2008 Sydney International Wine Competition

94 Points - “This is a wine to fall in love with, with its brooding and seductive fruit…” Angus Hughson, World Wine – The Imported Hand Book

Price: $54.99

Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2007

95 POINTS - BEST OF THE BEST WINERY OF REGION - 5 RED STARS - James Halliday's 2011 Australian Wine Companion.

“Good crimson-purple hue ... as ever, a complex and powerful wine, with black cherry and plum up front, then spicy/savoury/forest notes accompany the fruit on the back-palate and finish. No doubting the security of the screwcap in protecting freshness. Rating 95.” James Halliday.

Long regarded as one of Australia's finest producers of Pinot Noir, this new 2007 release from Curly Flat is extraordinary ….Comprises up to 33 different parcels of pinot ( multiple clones 114,115,MV6, Mariafield & D5V12) producing superb aromatics, dark cherry flavours, spice, forest floor with complexity, structure and tension followed on by long, lip smacking finish…. Classic stuff. Stock is limited.
RRP $58 Our price $45.99

Reviews -Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2006
"….supple, velvety red fruits open the story, and persisting while complex spicy/foresty notes whisper in the background. Pleasure now or later. 13.5% alc. Drink 2016” 95 points James Halliday.

"... Curly Flat pinot noir has been on a steady rise but this is one out of the box. Jumps from the glass. Heady with perfume, strongly flavoured (for a pinot noir) and then keenly structured, and persistent, through the finish. This is a thrilling wine and inexpensive, in pinot noir terms, for the quality delivered. Quality cedary oak is laced through darkly cherried fruit flavour. Foresty elements. Earthen elements. Sappy elements. A stunning release. 95 Points " - Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front

"18/20. Drink 2010-20 Very exotic nose with immediate appeal. Already pretty complex. Lovely freshness and tension but strong mulberry flavours too. Great natural acidity. …. Second bottle: Even more vibrant nose. Real punchy racy stuff with lovely fruit and acidity." - Jancis Robinson, jancisrobinson.com.

Price: $45.99

Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir 2008

94 POINTS - BEST OF THE BEST WINERY & 5 RED STAR RATING - James Halliday's 2011 Aust Wine Companion.

“Strong clear colour; good expression of pinot varietal character from start to finish, with plum, spice and a touch of black cherry characters; very good mouthfeel and balance. Rating 94.” James Halliday.

Crafted by renowned Geelong pinot producer, which is very burgundian in style. 100% Estate grown fruit (low yielding 1.5 tonnes per acre) from vines up to 30 years old ( Clones MV6, 114 Burgundy, 115 Burgundy & D5V12). A complex aroma of cherry and plum characters with a hint of beetroot and earth. Lively varietal characters of cherry and spice make way to beetroot and cherry flavours together with well balanced spicy oak, sweet leather and a touch of stalk throughout the mid palate. Scotchmans Hill has a lovely balance of fine tannins and fresh acidity which complement the concentrated fruit flavours. Well structured with a long and flavorsome finish, displays all the character of the finest Pinot Noir. This is a baby and recommend decanting this or one for the cellar.

RRP: $40

Price: $23.99

Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2008

"BEST OF THE BEST - Pinot Noir" by James Halliday 2011 Wine Companion - 96 points - 5 RED STAR WINERY.

“Relatively light, but bright, hue; fractionally more purple than the Estate; very stylish, and in the mainstream of the Ashton Hills style, with spices and savoury notes surrounding the plum and black cherry fruit. Trophy Adelaide Hills Wine Show '09 Rating 96” James Halliday.

“This release of Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir was a trophy winner at the Adelaide Hills Wine Show. Easy to taste why. Awesome. Floored me from the first sip. Gloriously expressive, but characterized by its long, smoky, stalky, minerally length. Has precision written all over it. Lots of upfront flavour, but it then drills on and on. Perfect tannin structure.....this is a brilliant wine. 96 Points" Campbell Mattinson

The 2007 was voted “ Best New World Pinot” and 19/20 points by Decanter magazine.

According to Stephen George: “The “Reserve” wine is from our own vineyard, it’s currently made from 2 clones and was matured in 100% new French oak. It is designed to be the longest living of our pinots and is best drunk after at least 5 years. The Reserve is a youthful purple/red in colour and has a complex nose with fruit already being joined by spice, forest-floor and umami ( google it)!. The oak has added to the wine’s structure without swamping its flavours while tannin and mouth watering yet only moderate natural acidity act as a foil for the powerful, silkily textured, sweetly fruited palate. For further integration and complexity drink the wine from 2013."

The 2007 was voted “ Best New World Pinot” and 19/20 points by Decanter magazine. This newly released 2008 is a definite step up…
RRP: $78

Price: $59.99

Ashton Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2008

Trophy Cool Climate Wine Show '09.

Stephen George says: "This is from our 26 yr old vineyard and is made from a handful of our 18 pinot clones. It was matured in the French oak that was used for our previous two Reserve pinots and is designed to have a life of at least five years...yields in 08 were slightly above average ... and the wine's richness and full flavour reflect the hot vintage."

“Clear colour with the first traces of development; a fragrant bouquet of spiced berries leads into a long, intense palate, red fruits, spice and forest neatly offsetting each other. 95 points. “ James Halliday.

"I don't know how Stephen George does it, but I'm almost never disappointed by an Ashton Hills pinot noir. As a new release, or with age. A wine of impeccable balance. It's sappy and smoky, tangy and tight, with oodles of sour cherry and charcuteire-like flavours. It's buoyant with aroma and tasty through the finish. Nice strike of tannin. Good sense of power. Can't fault it. 94 points." Campbell Mattinson The Wine Front.
RRP: $52

Price: $39.99

Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir 2009

** 2008 VINTAGE HAS NOW SOLD OUT ***

2009 was heralded as a top vintage in the Adelaide Hills. It was a much cooler longer vintage without the heatwave of 08... a higher proportion of whole bunch ferment and the cooler vintage has resulted in a much more structured Pinot. While the Piccadilly Valley Pinot is made to be approachable at only a year or two, the 09 has significant cellaring potential and we recommend giving this some time in the cellar first.

“Piccadilly Valley” is Ashton Hills’ entry level or “village” wine with all grapes coming from the Adelaide Hills’ coldest....wine sub-region, the Piccadilly Valley. About half the wine comes from 16 of our clones (selections) with the remaining grapes being purchased from two neighbouring growers. The three vineyards have amongst them the oldest pinot vines in The Valley and are all managed in such a way to ensure small crops with maximum flavour and concentration.

RRP: $36

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ABOUT THE 2008 VINTAGE:....

"Grape ripeness at Ashton Hills in 2008 coincided with a 15 day record breaking heat-wave in March. Because all our varieties and clones ripened at the same time we picked everything and stockpiled it for a week or so at 4 degrees C before even thinking about crushing. The result for the 2008 Piccadilly Valley wine is a lot of flavour and a little more alcohol than usual. Due to the use of some bunch stalks in the fermenting wine there’s also a bit more tannin. Being a natural preservative this will extend the wine’s cellaring potential." Stephen George, Winemaker.

“Owner/winemaker Stephen George was one of the pioneers of pinot noir in the Adelaide Hills. It shows some colour development; as always, has an extremely expressive and complex bouquet with forest undergrowth and spicy red fruits; the palate is a precise replay of the bouquet, with great length and immaculate balance.“ 96 points & Halliday’s Top 100 Wines for 2009 – The Weekend Australian November 14-15, 2009

Price: $29.99

Charlotte Sounds Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008

Special / Sale Price - Vynfields Pinot Noir 2005 Limited

Picardy Pinot Noir 2007

Rockburn Pinot Noir 2007

Valli Gibbston Valley Pinot Noir 2006

Harewood Estate Denmark Pinot Noir 2009

Akarua Central Otago Cadence Pinot Noir 2006

Tomich Hill Lenswood Pinot Noir 2008

Special / Sale Price - Ata Rangi Crimson Pinot Noir 2006

Pisa Black Poplar Pinot Noir 2006

Muddy Water Pinot Noir 2007

Muddy Water Slowhand Pinot Noir 2006

Special / Sale Price - Scotchmans Hill Swan Bay Pinot Noir 2008

Carrick Pinot Noir 2007

Eastern Peake Intrinsic Pinot Noir 2006

Domaine Duroche Gevrey-Chambertin 2006

Labyrinth Viggers Vineyard Pinot Noir 2005

Salitage Pemberton Pinot Noir 2007

Waitiri Creek Pinot Noir 2006

Curly Flat Pinot Noir 2007

Six Foot Six Pinot Noir 2008

Special / Sale Price - Mt Macleod Pinot Noir 2006

Williams Crossing Pinot Noir 2008

Staete Landt Pinot Noir 2007

Scotchmans Hill Pinot Noir 2008

Staete Landt Pinot Noir 2008

Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2008

Ashton Hills Reserve Pinot Noir 2008

Ashton Hills Estate Pinot Noir 2008

Ashton Hills Piccadilly Valley Pinot Noir 2009

Charlotte Sounds Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008

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