Wine Reviews

"This is deeply scented and engaging on the nose showing dark berry, smoked game, truffle, thyme and floral aromas, followed by a superbly concentrated palate that's plush and persistent. It's generous yet elegant and harmonious with multi-layered mouthfeel, finishing impressively long and expansive. From their Bannockburn Vineyard. At its best: now to 2030. Certified organic."

“Deep red colour with a good purple tint; the bouquet powerful with lots of stemmy whole-bunch character (they use up to 50% for the single vineyard wines). The palate is very deep and fleshy, strongly constructed, plush-textured and powerful. A very striking pinot noir. “

“Very complex, complete and convincing Bannockburn pinot noir that delivers a fascinating array of pure red cherries, sappy and spicy complexity and a beautifully arranged palate that has long, fleshy and silky fruit presence.
Exceptional pinot.” Nick Stock

"This red balances elegance and power effortlessly, opening with lavender, white truffle and sandalwood aromatics that lead to juicy black cherry and blueberry notes. The flavors gain momentum on the finish, where clove, blood orange, black tea and bittersweet chocolate accents linger on a velvety frame. Drink now through 2033." - M.W.

“This fresh, elegant Otago Pinot from actor Sam Neill and his talented team invokes a bowl of potpourri (think: dried rose petals, orange rind, cranberries, cherries and peppercorn). There’s a slight meaty, smoky vibe, too. The palate is elegant, knitted with fine-grained savory, sappy tannins on the light-to-medium weight palate and a crunchy acidity that makes it an easy drop for both cold and warm weather drinking.”

"Fabulous bouquet with a sense of time and place, pinosity and release aromas and flavours of velvet red cherry and dried raspberry, dried fruits and dried herbs. There’s an exotic pretty side to the bouquet as well then a whisper of plum and plenty of natural fruit spice. Complexity builds on the palate when the oak and tannins layer in, beautiful tannins, abundant and quite fine, not quite needle-point, but a lovely mouthfeel is delivered. Salivating and quite delicious with a long finish with soil attributes just beginning to show through laying in more complexity and depth. Best drinking from late 2025 through 2030+."

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"The 2019 Pinot Noir The Last Chance Earnscleugh Vineyard is seductive and succulent, enticing you with its soft, mouthfilling fruit. Displaying a transparent ruby hue – this is thin-skinned Pinot Noir, after all – it follows it up with layers of fragrance, from dried herbs to red cherry and cranberry. It has a structured frame of fine, mouthcoating tannins and fine acidity that blossoms like a babbling brook on the fine, savory finish, reminiscent of graphite, clove and a slightly feral gamy meat."

"Bright, vibrant pinot noir with cherry, raspberry, violet, rose petal and spicy oak. It is a fragrant wine, with underlying power and obvious cellaring potential. A very good example of Alexandra pinot noir."

Listed as 'Wine of the Week NZ' in the 25th April edition of the RealReview.com

Cellar 2022-2035

"This parcel from Earnscleugh is always elegant and fragrant and has performed well in 2020. There are light red florals of roses, some violets, wild red cherries, raspberries and a fine, spicy layer, as well as sappy elements. The palate has finely layered tannins that anchor in a central red-cherry core of flavor nicely. Fresh, elegant and drinkable, the flavors accumulate in impressive form, really moreish. Fresh acidity, too. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

“Give this a moment of swirling in decanter or glass until it unravels. When it does, it’s an ever-changing specimen. The first thing you notice is a toasted-almond character— a smoky, nutty vibe that grounds the vibrant strawberry and cherry fruit. Then you notice the dried flowers and spice aromas: violets, roses, ground pepper, even thyme and mint. The palate is lightweight, ethereal, but, again, tethered by fine, talc- like tannins before it has time to fly away. Like this producer’s other wines, Fusilier—the passion project of actor Sam Neill—is entirely complete and ready to drink now, but could also cellar for another five to seven years.” 

"Complex, sophisticated, very seductive and captivating with an immediate sense of place. I know this vineyard and the wines that come from here - great memories on the first nose of this wine. Seductive and perfumed, soft and floral with fruits that remind me of aged cherry and maraschino, plum and baking spices, along with soft spice moments from barrel weaving together nicely. A ‘wow’ wine on the palate, a beautiful silky-smooth texture and contrast from needle point fine tannins, a lovely acid line and slowly developing. I love this wine, a real treat. Best drinking from 2025 through 2035."

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"The 2019 Pinot Noir The Fusilier Bannockburn Vineyard is powerful, compact and structured. It retains a restrained mid-weight shape, but power is packed tightly within its frame, as if a ballet dancer has just performed a kung-fu kick. There's a firm line of acidity, and while the tannins are resolved, they most certainly contribute thrust. The wine's drive and its distinctive woody herbal notes, reminiscent of rosemary and pine, must surely come from the high percentage of whole bunches in the fermentation (a whopping 88% whole clusters). Beneath the array of herbs, you'll find gentle red berry fruit and the merest lick of festive spices from 11 months of maturation in oak (25% new). A characterful wine speaking of both its place and how it was made. Its innate structure means it can be cellared for a decade."

"Elegant, organic pinot noir with cherry, mixed spice, red berry, floral, violet and nutty oak flavours. A fragrant, appealing wine with a promising future."

Cellar 2022–2032

"Attractive baking spices and ripe red cherries, as well as red plums, black tea, bergamot and a sappy, leafy edge. Tobacco and fresh herbs, too. The palate has a very polished feel with plush, deep-set blueberry and dark-cherry flavors, some cocoa nibs and a long, fresh finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

"Flinty reduction and gentle smoke appear briefly before that fulsome Central Otago fruit takes
over: think ripe red cherry edged with hints of ivy. The palate has the same juiciness but also a
crunchy, graceful but firm tannin structure along with shimmering nuances of white pepper
spice. This is made to last the distance, so buy some, cellar it and wait two or three years."

- Anne Krebiehl MW

The NZ Organic Library Stock Wine Awards (Vintage wine awards) were launched in 2018 as a proof of concept, to both discover without doubt how certain wines are ageing, and to then promote the  cellaring potential of these wines to consumers.  

2022 Library Stock Wine Awards 2016 & 2017 vintages

Produced from the Bannockburn, Earnscleugh and Gibbston sub-regions, this has a gently tarry, reductive edge to the nose with a sappy array of red and black-cherry aromas, as well as nicely placed baking spices and wild herbs. Fine and agile palate. This is elegant with plenty of fresh flavor. Decanting recommended. Drink now.

Beautifully proportioned and seductively engaging, the wine shows lifted aromas of red/black cherry, olive, floral and warm spice characters with subtle toasted nut complexity. The palate exhibits succulent fruit intensity together with mouthfilling texture, wonderfully complemented by savoury nuances and polished tannins, finishing persistent and silky. Splendidly styled and promises to evolve magnificently. At its best: 2019 to 2027.

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"This wine was originally going to be called 'Lazy', because 'it is made by doing as little as possible'. The striking 2022 vintage (5*), estate-grown in the Fusilier Vineyard at Bannockburn, was handled with 'no added preservatives.' It has deep, purple-flushed colour. Mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with a strong surge of vibrant plum and cherry flavours, it has gentle spicy notes, supple tannins and a very silky texture. Already delicious, it's certified organic."

"Organic wine from Two Paddocks' Bannockburn vineyard. A "natural" wine made without any addition of preservatives, and unfined. Dense, rich, elegant pinot noir with cassis, dark cherry, black Doris plum, spice (thyme) and subtle wood smoke flavours. Delicious wine with cellaring potential"

- Bob Campbell MW

Cellar 2023–2032

"This is gorgeously styled and expressed on the nose showing dark berry, cured meat, thyme and warm spice aromas, leading to a concentrated palate delivering terrific weight and richness. Wonderfully textured and seamlessly flowing to a persistent velvety finish. From their Fusilier Vineyard in Bannockburn. Made without added preservatives and is unfined. At its best: now to 2025. Dec 2022." Sam Kim

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"From a one-hectare block of gravelly schist based soils on a warm site in Alexandra. An off-dry riesling with gentle lime, white flowers, tree fruit, apricot and nectarine flavours."

Cellar 2022–2029

"This is brilliantly expressed with nectarine, Gala apple, lime cordial and white floral aromas on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate offering terrific focus and structure. The wine exhibits perfect tension and balance, leading to an engaging steely finish. Style: Dry. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2035. "

"Already delicious, the 2019 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Red Bank Vineyard, at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra. Bright, light lemon/green, it is an invitingly scented, medium to full-bodied wine, with strong, peachy, citrusy flavours, ripe and lively, a sliver of sweetness, good acid spine and plenty of personality. Very finely balancd, it's certified organic."

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"This is the inaugural release of the 777 wine from the Fusilier vinayard, made entirely from the 777 clone of Pinot Noir. Dean Shaw, the winemaker, was clearly impressed with this parcel of fruit and I can see why with aromas and flavours of a more masculine expression meaning more drive and power in the bouquet, but not without reflecting the vineyard yet clearly expressing the clone. There’s a fine savoury quality and a light floral pretty quality. Mineral and earth with spice qualities and sweetness of oak and as the wine opens up, more fruit concentration and ultimately length on the palate. Tannins show well with a coarse silk quality, acidtiy is bold and this simply needs more time accentuating a dried herb quality. Best drinking from 2025 through 2035."

"Medium to full red colour with a goodly tint of purple. The bouquet is spicy and smoked-charcuterie-like, whole-bunchy balsamic herb notes too, the palate dry and savoury, with balanced tannins adding support and cleansing the long finish. This is a very complex, savoury, quite Burgundian style of pinot, which totally satisfies the senses." Huon Hooke

"The first production of just 77 cases of pinot noir clone 777 probably makes this wine quite collectible. If you still need a motive to buy this wine—it tastes pretty good. Pure and floral with a seasoning of spice and a backbone of fine, peppery tannins. I'd love to re-taste it in a decade or two. "

Cellar 2022–2035

"A very punchy, modern edition of this single parcel on Bannockburn that needs some time in the glass to open up. There’s blueberry, violet, red and dark cherry, sappy herbal notes and a spicy-oak thread, too. The palate has a very plush, intense and powerful core of rich, ripe red cherries, underscored by surging acidity that drives fresh and long. Impressive intensity and lovely tannin texture. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"People who produce pinot noir are probably the most passionate and obsessive people in the entire wine industry. The proprietor of Two Paddocks, Sam Neil, is probably one of them." Huon Hooke 

 To watch the virtual review click below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmvgqiCPXJE

“Four years into the making of this wine—from proprietor and actor Sam Neill’s vineyard in Bannockburn, right next door to the renown Felton Road—and the results are stellar. Indeed, Felton’s Block 5 Pinot, in particular, seems cut from a similar cloth, but this bears the unmistakable mark of Two Paddocks. It’s highly perfumed and downright sexy, a tightrope walk of evocative flavor (think fresh red berries, mushrooms and dried flowers) and ultrafine, ethereal tannins. It’s so approachable and complete, in fact, that it’d be tempting to think it’s simpler than it is. But wound up in one harmonious package there’s a lot of layers to this little beauty." 

“Stylish and impressive, mixing a core of creamy maraschino cherry and framboise, supple and elegant, but not shy on details. Shows off oolong tea, white pepper, sweet paprika and a touch of toffee on the long finish.”

Drinking Window: 2022-2030

This is a serious, richly aromatic wine that is still youthful and needs to shed its oak-like nutty characters. 

It offers a kiss of sweet cherry fruit on entry and while it fills the mouth, it is not heavy. 

Hailing from the Bannockburn area, it displays the expected richness and abundant tannic frame that provides the belt, drawing in the wine's waist.

The finish offers the drive that a high percentage of whole-cluster fermentation (a whopping 65%) imbues, as well as fennel and thyme herbs.

Released June 2020:  Fresh aromas of red cherries and red-plum pastry here. This has very attractive, alluring style. On the palate, it has a very smoothly honed feel with rich red cherries, delivered in smooth and succulent mode. Long and silky finish, bathed in supple, ripe red-cherry flavors. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

"Bright and youthful in the glass. Fragrant and lifted aromas of red cherry, blueberry, spice, nutmeg, cedar and sap. Lively and crunchy on the palate, plenty of red fruits, spice, underbrush, earth and pointed acidity. Tannins are firm, structured and layered and provide real length and mouthfeel. Quite light, bright and seamless." Aaron Brasher

"This warm, early vintage should, in theory, suit a cooler sub region such as Gibbston. Light in colour but not lacking power and with appealing purity. Red cherry, fresh herbs and a smattering of spice, with an interesting touch of heat on the finish. Should age well."

Cellar 2022–2032

“The vines at actor Sam Neill’s original, organically farmed vineyard in Gibbston Valley are now over 25 years old, and the resulting wines are better than ever. The color of raspberry juice, this vintage is, to put it bluntly, sexy as hell. The perfume is evocative, a fruit bowl of cranberry and other red berries with florals, tree sap and spice. Then, after all that prettiness, the tannins hit you, unexpectedly muscular yet filigreed. They juxtapose the delicate crunch of fresh fruit. It doesn’t quite carry the complexity of the Fusilier, but it’s the height of elegance and deliciousness nonetheless." 

Drinking Window: 2021-2030

There's a transparency to Gibbston fruit and a floaty-light impression that you don't get in other sub-regions of Central Otago, and here it's in full effect.  Yet the texture is silken and there's plenty of density and excellent ripeness. 

Despite the earliest harvest on record and a warm season, Gibbston's marginal climate ensures the acidity rip-roars through the wine like a water race.  The tannins are comforting in their seamless, mouthcoating texture.

A joy to drink.

“There’s a sweetly smoky edge to this sappy and wildly fresh pinot that has attractive wild herbs, as well as a swirling array of rose flowers, blueberries, cherries and spices. The palate has exceptional polish and deeply layered fruit tannin, glazed with spicy oak nuances and holding long, fresh and silky. From organically grown grapes.”

Magnificently elegant and stylish, this stunning beauty shows dark cherry, plum, dried herb, olive and toasted almond characters on the nose with nuances of mushroom and floral. The palate delivers splendid weight and expansive mouthfeel, wonderfully enhanced by seductive spicy notes and polished tannins. Superbly refined and engaging with potential to develop graciously. From their Gibbston Vineyard. At its best: now to 2030. Certified organic. $95.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Jan 2020.

The NZ organic wine awards are New Zealand's only wine show dedicated to organic and biodynamic wines. The awards were founded in 2014 and continue to grow each year.

 
“This is on a prime trajectory, following on from the last two, excellent vintages. This ripe 2018 has such composure and polish. Spicy red and dark cherries and crushed red flowers, spices and attractively sappy notes here, leading to a seamless palate that offers layers of pastry-fine tannin and succulent, rich fruit. Very vibrant red cherries hold so long and fresh. From organically grown grapes.”

Smoke, herb and cigar box aromas are heady and appealing as they mingle with firm cranberry and strawberry flavours at the core.  Shows good structure, with firm tannins and an appealing thread of acidity weaving in and out. Drink now through to 2033.

TWO PADDOCKS The First Paddock Pinot Noir 2017 – 94 points
“From one of the original vineyards on the property (planted 1993), as the name suggests, this bottling needs some swirling in the glass or time in a decanter. But like a locked box, once the lid is open, treasures await. And they’re all highly reflective of place. Rhubarb and cherry notes swirl with baking spice, dried flowers and an earthy, mushroom note, morphing over time into a fruitier, more vanilla toned beauty. Silky texture, crystalline acidity and juicy fruit are wrapped in a swaddle of spicy, structured tannins. There’s oak influence, too, but it should melt seamlessly into the wine with a few more years in bottle.”

Super lively nose with a signature layer of wild flowers and herbs, ahead of fresh, spicy red-cherry and raspberry aromas. The palate delivers a velvety array of fine red cherries, set in a smooth, seamless and long style that marries concentration and elegance. This is great pinot. Drink or hold.

The NZ Organic Library Stock Wine Awards (Vintage wine awards) were launched in 2018 as a proof of concept, to both discover without doubt how certain wines are ageing, and to then promote the  cellaring potential of these wines to consumers.  

2022 Library Stock Wine Awards 2016 & 2017 vintages

TWO PADDOCKS The Fusilier 2017 – 93 points (Cellar Selection)
“This vintage of proprietor Sam Neill’s premium organically farmed Pinot is, for the moment, young and reductive, a sturdier wine that we’ve seen, but one that should reward time in the cellar. Rather than the broody, oniony aromas associated with reduction, this version emphasizes the wine’s vegetal and herbal characters: green bell pepper in a sea of freshly plucked, earthy herbs, brambly berries and wildflowers. Streaks of minerals appear as the wine opens. Taut, spicy, chalky tannins grip the tongue, but a river of juicy fruit washes it away, ready for the next sip.”

Restrained, taut pinot with cherry, violet, mineral, stems, spice and nutty oak flavours. Firmly structured wine with bright acidity and a backbone of fine tannins. A high-energy wine that promises to age well.

This is deeply scented and engaging on the nose showing dark berry, smoked game, truffle, thyme and floral aromas, followed by a superbly concentrated palate that's plush and persistent. It's generous yet elegant and harmonious with multi-layered mouthfeel, finishing impressively long and expansive. From their Bannockburn Vineyard. At its best: now to 2030. Certified organic. $85.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Jan 2020.

Actor Sam Neill needs no introduction but his film-star status only adds to the acclaim of his Two Paddocks wines, which are skilfully crafted by Dean Shaw.

The Fusilier comes from Neill's Bannockburn vineyard, with juicy red and black fruits at its heart and a taut framework of lithe, well-focused tannins.

Perfect with lamb cutlets and redcurrant jelly.

Deep red colour with a good purple tint; the bouquet powerful with lots of stemmy whole-bunch character (they use up to 50% for the single vineyard wines). The palate is very deep and fleshy, strongly constructed, plush-textured and powerful. A very striking pinot noir.

Very complex, complete and convincing Bannockburn pinot that delivers a fascinating array of pure red cherries, sappy and spicy complexity and a beautifully arranged palate that has long, fleshy and silky fruit presence. Exceptional pinot. Drink now.

Walking a tightrope of grace and power, this wine from Actor Sam Neill speaks of drying flowers, red currants, leather, olives and wild herbs. The palate has focus and tension, fine, powdery tannins, lifted acidity and a herbal tonic finish. It’s a delicious drop now but could see 10 years in the cellar. Drink through 2028. Editors’ Choice. 

Beautifully pristine pinot, this sweet-spot pinot location has performed well in 2016, delivering a pinot that has an immaculately fresh core of red and black cherries with a sleek, smoothly rendered tannin frame that flows effortlessly and long. Truly superb pinot. Drink or hold.

The maturity of the vines, the pedigree of the site and the determination of the producer all conspire here to deliver impressive quality. There's layers of fragrance, flavour and steady building, plus vibrant tannins. Hearty red cherry fruits abound, the texture is luxurious and the finish explodes with flavour. 

Even ruby-red colour, a little lighter edged.  The nose is elegant with a tight core of ripe dark-red berry fruit, the aromatics unfold in volume and unfold some nutty oak.  The palate is rich and sweet with ripe red berry fruits, quite up-front and accessible, and plush with sweet dark herbs anda little earth.  This is a ripe expression with plenty of fine tannin extraction and soft acidity.  It speaks of Bannockburn. 

The 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Bannockburn, hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barriques (28 per cent new). Bright ruby, it is an attractively scented, elegant rather than powerful style, very savoury and complex, with fresh acidity and ripe cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, showing excellent vigour and harmony.

The Wine Advocate (235) Feb '18, Joe Czerwinski

My favorite of the 2016s from Two Paddocks comes from the warmest of its vineyards, was vinified as 70% whole clusters and saw the largest proportion of new oak (33%). That probably says more about my palate than Dean Shaw's winemaking or the various vineyards Two Paddocks owns, but it is worth noting. The 2016 The Fusilier Pinot Noir is floral and stemmy up front, but it's balanced by layers of mixed fruit that offer richness and texture without excess weight, finishing on silken notes of incredible delicacy and length.

Velvety tannins set the stage for up-front, bright and tangy flavors of strawberry and cranberry. Details of talc, dried thyme and sage and black pepper emerge, lingering on the finish, with an air of elegance. Drink now through 2030.

To be released 1 May 2018. Very appealing and aromatic pinot noir with plum, berry, spice, anise, thyme and nutty oak flavours. A silken, creamy texture adds extra appeal and gains support from peppery tannins, which suggest good cellaring potential.

In “27 Celebrity Wines Ranked Worst to Best: Drew Barrymore’s Pinot to Fergie’s Syrah,” Thom Geier shares the latest reviews of celeb-owned wines. Among them is Sam Neill’s TWO PADDOCKS The Fusilier 2015, which was given a 92-point rating by Wine Enthusiast.

The second 2015 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Bannockburn, at the western end of Felton Road. Hand-picked, it was fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barriques (33 per cent new). Deep ruby, with a hint of development, it is savoury and complex, with good weight, fresh acidity and concentrated, ripe, cherryish, plummy, nutty flavours that linger well. Sweet-fruited and supple, it's already delicious, but well worth cellaring to 2019+.

This has performed very well in 2015 with red cherries, boysenberries and blueberries amid a swathe of sappy forest and bracken notes. Subtle toasty oak here too. The palate is full and fleshy, packed with rich red and dark cherry and cocoa powder flavors. Tannins clasp the finish neatly with nicely judged structure and grip.

 As reviewed in Wine Spectator Insider, Hot Wines 15/2/17

Opens with beautiful aromas of lavender, clary sage and violet.  Refined and detailed, with velvety tannins adding some appealing traction to the core of raspberry and black cherry.  Everything comes together with tremendous harmony on the long, generous finish.  Drink now through 2030.

As tasted for Wine Spectator article "Upwardly Mobile"  31 Aug 2017, Maryann Worobiec

The best New Zealand Pinots are world-class, and three examples (including Two Paddocks The Fusilier Pinot Noir 2015) earned classic scores (95-100 Points).  

Great Winter Wines from around New Zealand
Proprietor Sam Neill’s red is deep ruby, savoury and smooth, with good weight (13.5% alc/vol) fresh acidity, and concentrated, ripe, cherryish, nutty, complex flavours that linger well. It’s already delicious.

Ruby-red colour with some depth, lighter edged.  This has a softly full and voluminous nose of ripe, dark-red berry fruits with a solidly packed core with harmoniously entwined aromas of dark thyme herbs, red florals, whole bunch stalk nuances and savoury, earthy plum notes.  The aromatics grow in presence with aeration.  Medium-full bodied, the palate has rich, broad and mouthfilling flavours of dark-red berry fruits with dark plum and spice notes, along with savoury dark herb, whole bunch stalk and earthy elements.  The fruit is supported by balanced, fine-grained tannin extraction providing elegant structure and grip, with the acidity softly ripe and integrated.  The wine flows smoothly to a fulsome, even finish of red berry and plum fruit with notes of spice and earth.  This is a rich, mouthfilling, smooth-flowing Pinot Noir with ripe red berry fruit with plum, herb and earthy detail, on a finely extracted palate.  Match with casseroles and game meat dishes over the next 6-7+ years.  Clones 115, 10/5, 677, 777, 6, 5, 113 and 114, hand-picked and sorted, indigenous yeast fermented with one-third whole bunches to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in one-third new French oak barriques.

Bright, fresh pinot noir with delicate cherry, thyme, violet, plum and spicy oak flavours. Youthful and needing time to integrate and develop both oak and fruit, although the wine is certainly very approachable now.

This is symphonic and seductive on the nose displaying dark cherry, game, truffle, thyme and violet characters, followed by a concentrated palate that is multi-layered and persistent with pristine fruit flavours and fabulous savoury notes. The wine is sensually expressed and refined, brilliantly structured by fine, chalky tannins, providing a wonderfully firm mouthfeel and an extremely long finish. At its best: 2018 to 2027.

Pale ruby-purple in color, the 2015 The Fusilier Pinot Noir has an earthy nose with notes of underbrush, loam, fungi and moss over a core of cranberries and red currants. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with complex earthy/meaty flavors supported by a solid backbone, finishing long and chewy.  Drink 2016-2021

Wild strawberry and raspberry fruit backed by restrained, savoury oak and delicately chewy tanins.  Bramble fruit and autumn leaves give a complex and vibrant structure; just what one wants from a Pinot Noir.  Drink 2017-2021

The Top 50 New Zealand Wines of 2016 - A slightly reticent nose shows laid back red-cherry fruits, crushed roses and rosehip. Some sappy elements too, and there's a focus on red cherry fruits here that belies the wine's Bannockburn location. The newest vineyard in the Two Paddocks collection. The palate has impressive acidity, which holds upbeat red-cherry and boysenberry flavors long and expansive. Glossy polished tannins wrap neatly and frame impressive length and focus. Drink now to 2025+.  Nick Stock, Contributing Editor

The debut 2014 vintage was estate-grown at Bannockburn, at the western end of Felton Road. Hand-picked, it was fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (33 per cent new). Showing excellent density and complexity, it is mouthfilling and fleshy, with concentrated, ripe, plummy, spicy flavours, very gentle tannins, slightly fungal, earthy notes adding complexity, and obvious potential; open 2019+

The first vintage from Sam Neill's fourth and avowedly final vineyard acquisition, a mature six hectares of Pinot on Felton Road in Bannockburn named in honour of his soldier father (Harrow, Sandhurst and all that).  Smooth, polished fruit with a hint of coffee (though no excess oak). Already accessible but no hurry to drink this. Good freshness.

On the nose – an immediate signature of mineral, soil, soft dried herb and ripe ripe fruit, wild black cherry, dark red apple skin, some cashew nutty oak and toasty spice.  On the palate – a great reflection of what the nose suggests – with sweet red berry fruits, fine tannins with dried herb and schist soil ideas, lots of youthful energy from medium+ acidity.  Great length.

There is much to admire in this wine. The aromatics are low and fascinating - floral, soil after rain, turmeric, suggestions of oak spice. A central core of red and dark fruit notes, with a dash of plum compote, arrives swathed in sexy tannins. Sweet and savoury notes play off against each other. There is a gentle, substantial quality to the texture and wine grows and grows in the glass. Two Paddocks’ finest effort yet - a triumph.

Classic pinot noir,  fractionally above midway in depth.  Bouquet is dramatically varietal,  beautiful sweet florals including darkest purple buddleia through deep dusky roses to boronia,  on red grading to black cherry fruit.  There is an exciting lift on the bouquet,  taking the wine straight to Cote de Nuits.  Palate is almost  succulent,  wonderful concentration,  clearly aromatic in the most positive Cote de Nuits way,  the whole wine in its youthful and still fleshy way reminding of vineyards such as Clos-Saint-Jacques,  Gevrey-Chambertin.  This is benchmark wine in the great 2014 vintage in Central Otago,  a wine against which others may be measured.  Length of flavour is lovely:  I look forward to a dry extract on this wine,  it should be over 30 g/L.  Cellar 5 – 15 years,  maybe longer. 

New releases - New Zealand

The tannins are both firm and fine-grained, giving plenty of structure and adding a plush note to the bramble, wild strawberry and raspberry flavors. Ginger and sandalwood accents show on the lingering finish. Drink now through 2026.

A bouquet of established vines, soil and sense of place; aromas of light red fruits gently spiced with smoky oak tones and a steely moment that comes from established vines and instinctive wine making. On the palate: ripe, red fruit favouring dark cherry and plum pit; a savoury tone adds complexity with a softer wild herb moment; attractive mineral underscore; ripe medium+ acidity; enough new oak and a lengthy finish.

Full, very dark, deep, black-hued ruby-red colour with light purple on the rim. This has a gently full and voluminous nose with complex layers of savoury dark-red berry fruits melded with dried herbs, earth and whole bunch stalk-like elements, and piquant, funky, minerally nuances, The aromatics are lively with a fresh, herbal underlay, and build in density with aeration. Medium-full bodied, the flavours of savoury red berry fruits, earth, dried thyme herbs and whole bunch stalk notes are complex and mouthfilling. The fruit is rich and enlivened by underlying acidity, and supported by fine-grained, powdery tannin extraction and structure. Alcoholic generosity and power drives the wine to a soft, open, savoury, red-fruited finish. This is a full-flavoured, savoury red-fruited Pinot Noir with whole bunch complexities, fine-grained structure and considerable power. Match with casseroles and game meat dishes over the next 6+ years. Fruit from the 5.6 ha "The Fusilier" vineyard on Felton Road, vines planted in 2000, hand-picked and indigenous yeast fermented with one-third whole bunches to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in one-third new French oak barriques. 300 dozen made.

From their newly acquired vineyard at the end of Felton Road in the Bannockburn district, this is an exquisitely composed pinot showing aromas of dark berry, game, truffle and cedar on the nose. The palate is equally stunning with superb fruit concentration and weight, enhanced by velvety texture and supple tannins. Youthful yet immediately appealing, this is destined to develop magnificently. A great addition to already a formidable range of pinots at Two Paddocks. At its best: now to 2024.

Cherry red. Intense, ripe, sweet cherry fruit. Rich, ripe and sweet-fruited on the palate too, with additional sweetness from the oak spice. Firm, chewy and compact. More power than many in this line of Central Otago Pinots and needs time.

Strawberry, rhubarb, blood orange and cherry flavors are fresh and juicy, with details of tobacco, sandalwood and toasted cumin showing plenty of harmony. The tannins are rustic and firm, providing traction on the finish.

TWO PADDOCKS The Last Chance 2017 – 94 points (Editors’ Choice)
“Actor Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks label is on a steep upward trajectory: Vine age, impeccable farming and a dream team inside and out of the winery are paying off. This premium Pinot is an intensely spicy, perfumed drop. It’s hard not to fall under its spell. Like Christmas distilled, it’s a heady hodgepodge of red currants and preserved cherries marinated in bitter herbs and spices—licorice root, cloves, cinnamon bark and vanilla pod—derived from the fruit and stalks, not from oak. Chalky tannins curl around the tongue, the juicy, prickly fruit trickles through the cracks. Powerfully structured yet utterly drinkable, this would perch happily beside charcuterie or a mushroom truffle risotto.”

The Last Chance vineyard was planted in Earnscleugh near Alexandra in 1998. Elegant, vibrant and moderately concentrated wine with cherry, plum, thyme, spice, anise, subtle floral, saline and mineral flavours.

Immensely complex and engaging, this stunning pinot shows dark berry, warm spice, earthy mushroom, dried herb and toasted nut aromas on the nose, followed by a concentrated palate that displays outstanding depth and refinement. It’s silky, polished and impressively persistent. At its best: 2021 to 2029. $85.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Dec 2019.

Aromas of boysenberries, blueberries and red cherries make for an immediately attractive pinot with some gently earthy notes and fresh violets. The palate has a supremely elegant, polished feel with a plush and elegant texture. Pinot at its seductive best. Drink or hold.

A remote parcel from Earnscleugh, this is looking great in 2016 with abundant ripe cherries, presented in a sturdy yet elegant frame of fine, long tannins. This hits a new level of silkiness and swagger in 2016. Drink or hold.

This is more about fine-etched acidity, the fruits are into a lighter pink berry zone and have certainly delivered a compelling wine in 2016. Zesty and aromatic with chalky wet stone notes, it has detailed tannin and vibrant tangy fruit flavours bolstered by bright acidity. 

Actor Sam Neill is behind this highly regarded Otago label. While is sits firmly in premium territory – and could easily age for the next 10 years – this Pinot is undeniably approachable now. The nose offers heady aromas of red and black berries, beets, vanilla, hot chocolate, Middle Eastern spices and stalky cinnamon. The palate is elegant and tightly wound, with an earthy core and a savory finish.

Estate-grown at Alexandra, in 'possibly the world's most southerly vineyard', the 2016 vintage (5*) was hand-picked, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barriques (25 per cent new). Full of personality, it is bright ruby, with a spicy, slightly earthy bouquet. Mouthfilling, generous and savoury, it has strong plum, herb and nut flavours, good tannin backbone, an earthy streak, and excellent complexity and harmony. Best drinking 2020+.

The Wine Advocate (235) Feb '18, Joe Czerwinski

Arguably the world's southernmost vineyard, Two Paddocks' 2016 The Last Chance Pinot Noir is a bit firm and taut. Herbal-stemmy notes (it's 50% whole cluster this vintage) accent cherry aromas, while the flavors turn darker on the palate, heading toward charred oak, blackberry and plum. Give this one a bit of time to pull itself together and drink it from 2020.

Complex and intense, with clove, dried orange peel and vanilla bean accents adding a warm, smooth vibe to the core of dried cherry, wild strawberry and raspberry fruit. Spicy tobacco, cigar box and dried earth aromas linger on the finish, which goes on and on. Drink now through 2030.

Estate-grown at Alexandra, in 'possibly the world's most southerly vineyard', the 2015 vintage (5*) was hand-harvested, fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured in French oak barriques (one-third new). Invitingly perfumed, it is bright ruby, with mouthfilling body and an array of fresh, strong cherry, plum and spice flavours, seasoned with nutty oak. Still youthful, it's a vibrantly fruity, finely balanced, complex and ageworthy red, likely to be at its best 2019+.

As tasted for Wine Spectator article "Upwardly Mobile"  31 Aug 2017

One of three single-vineyard Pinot Noirs that Sam Neill produced in 2015 (they're not made every year). All three are excellent, but this was the one we give our highest score to, by a tiny margin, at this early stage. It has beautiful fruit – ripe, crushed red berries including cranberry – dusted with spice and aromatic herbs, and a penetrating, complex palate with a subtle mineral thrust. It arrives this month but can be ordered now.

Even ruby-red colour with slight purple hues, paler on the edge.  The nose is very refined with intensely fragrant dark-red and black cherry aromas lifted by dark-red and violet florals, complexed by subtle notes of dark herbs and whole bunch stalk nuances.  This has focus and purity with elegance.  Medium-full bodied, the palate has harmoniously interwoven flavours of dark-red and black cherry fruit lifted by red and violet florals, forming a smooth and integrated heart with dark herb and black mineral detail.  The palate is lively, vibrant and rich with fresh acidity and fruit drive providing depth and linearity.  The wine carries to an elegant, finely concentrated finish of dark-red and black fruits and herbal and mineral suggestions.  This is a finely concentrated Pinot Noir with dark-red and black fruits, fragrant florals, and herb and mineral complexities on a smooth, integrated and linear palate.  Serve with lamb, beef and venison over the next 6-8 years.  Clones 115 and 5, hand-picked and sorted, indigenous yeast fermented with one-third whole bunches to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in one-third new French oak barriques.

Attractive pinot noir that’s been made with a light touch to produce a wine with appealing purity and subtlety. Red cherry, rose petal, wet stone mineral and spicy oak flavours. Silky texture with fine peppery tannins on the finish. A wine with a strong sense of place.

Fragrant and inviting, the gorgeous bouquet shows dark cherry, blueberry, mixed spice, cedar and game characters on the nose. The palate is beautifully weighted and silky, and offers awesome fruit purity together with savoury undertones, brilliantly framed by fine tannins. The wine is generous and flavoursome, while remaining elegant and structured, and promises to evolve magnificently. A quietly spoken beauty with a steely backbone and persistence. At its best: 2018 to 2025.

Pale ruby in color with a touch of purple, the 2015 The Last Chance Pinot Noir displays notes of wild strawberries, Bing cherries and red roses with hints of chocolate and cinnamon stick. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with perfumed red berry flavors supported by grainy tannins and a lively backbone, finishing with mineral notes. Drink 2016-2021

Brimming with all the exuberance of exotic spice, pipe smoke and a basket of freshly-picked sage, this is a pinot noir that rejoices in all the theatrics of whole bunch fermentation, yet does so without compromising the silky fine structure of Central Otago pinot noir. Its core of black cherry and blackberry fruit upholds its integrity, finishing long, fleshy and full, yet well focused, promising strong potential.

Top 50 New Zealand Wines 2016 - I really like the florals here. This has a vibrant and exuberant nose that offers up plenty of orange zest and bright red cherry fruits. The palate has a graphite edge and compressed red-cherry and raspberry flavors as well as some cassis to boot. Succulent finish follows groomed tannins. This has power and elegance. Drink 2018-2026+. Nick Stock, Contributing Editor

From a vineyard 'perched above the Earnscleugh Valley' at Alexandra, the 2013 vintage was released in 2016. Hand-harvested, it was fermented with indigenous yeasts and matured for 11 months in French oak barriques (one-third new). Floral, mouthfilling and supple, it is an elegant, youthful wine, very savoury, with an array of vibrant ripe cherry, dried-herb and nut flavours, finely integrated oak, and excellent complexity, harmony and length. Delicious now, it should be at its best 2018+

On the nose - quite soft and fragrant with sweet oak spices mixed with darker berry fruits and crushed roses fill the bouquet; dark cherry and red apple skin; complex and intriguing.  On the palate- tense, dry, textures of chalky tannins and youthful vibrant acidity mixed with dark cherry and berry fruit flavours; darker baking spice moments plus clove and toasty oak. Youthful, complex, lengthy finish.

Sweet floral aromatics with a savoury twist. In the mouth it is medium weight, ifted and driven by bright acidity. Red cherry and spice (clove, allspice) notes ring out. This is a wine that bristles with juicy energy, resolving in a long, fine savour finish.

Medium pinot noir ruby, some age showing, right in the middle for depth of colour. Bouquet is a little out to one side, maturing red fruits, fragrant but not exactly floral, with a spicy cinnamon and related quality suggesting light brett. Palate has the good concentration all these Two Paddocks wines now show, browning red cherry grading to black cherry, but again spicy, and very dry indeed. An unusual pinot noir style, enormously food friendly, like a pinot noir version of an older-style chateauneuf-du-pape (in flavour, not weight). Shorter term cellar might be wiser, on the drying factor, 3 – 8 years.

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Concentrated, with firm and juicy black cherry and blackberry flavors that are generous and velvety, showing a range of star anise and black tea details. A fresh loamy earth note lingers on the lone, powerful finish. Drink now through 2026.

"A serious pinot noir in a supple, elegant style with dark cherry, plum, mocha, fresh herbs and a suggestion of spice. Sweet fruit is balanced by gentle tannins to give a delicately drying and lengthy finish. Good now, even better in a few years."

Cellar 2016–2022

Dark ruby-red colour with slight purple hues, lighter on the edge. This has an elegantly concentrated and tightly bound nose with finely proportioned, intense aromas of black cherry fruit intermixed with liquorice, violet florals and black mineral elements, revealing subtle whole bunch stalk complexities, spice elements and oak hints. Medium-full bodied, the palate features bright and vibrant fruit flavours of black cherries, liquorice, spices and minerals which intensify, forming a concentrated core. The mouthfeel has acid vitality and tension, and significant fine-grained tannin structure, flowing with powerful linearity. Black florals, oak toast and reductive mineral detail unfolds and caries to a concentrated, long-lingering finish. This is a concentrated, elegant and finely structured, vibrant black-fruited Pinot Noir with mineral and liquorice complexities. Serve with lamb, beef and venison, and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8 years. Clones 115 and 5 from the 3 ha "The Last Chance" vineyard in Earnscleugh, vines planted in 1998, hand-picked and indigenous yeast fermented with one-third whole bunches to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in one-third new French oak barriques. 150 dozen made.

One of the most unlikely places to grow grapes on earth is Two Paddock's Earnscleugh vineyard. A tiny terraced single plot, among the most southerly vineyards in the world, has an old watercourse named The Last Chance hand-dug by goldminers in the 1860s. From an outstanding vintage, this glorious wine shows haunting aromas of dark berry, truffle, clove, game and cedar with nuances of thyme and nutmeg. It is concentrated and focused on the palate, and displays a flowing mouthfeel and delectable fruit flavours together with a seductive savoury undertone. At its best: now to 2023.

This shows plenty of the trademark fragrances and perfumes with hints of wild thyme and a poached cherry and raspberry fruit core; it’s really in tune with the established style of this southerly vineyard. The palate has crunchy fruit flavors set amidst sturdy tannins and looks full of promise.

2012 Two Paddocks the Last Chance pinot noir (US$70) 
Sam Neill founded his ambitious winery in 1993. This is one of his top single-vineyard pinots: smooth, spicy, and stylish.

This won an International Wine Challenge trophy, from a vineyard at about 350 ft in Alexandra just next to the Red Bank home farm. Strong aroma of dried grasses with warm, attractively spicy fruit on the palate. 'Perhaps the world’s most southerly vineyard', according to the Two Paddocks website.

From a vineyard 'perched above the Earnscleugh Valley', the generous 2012 vintage (5*) was released in 2015. Deeply coloured, it's already delicious, but shows great potential. Fragrant, with lovely weight, mouthfeel and harmony, it is rich but not heavy, with vibrant, cherryish, plummy, slightly nutty flavours, concentrated, savoury and supple. Best drinking 2016+.

There is complexity, pinosity, charm and elegance in the bouquet with roses, light red fruits some integration and moderate+ sweet oak suggestion. On the palate – dry and very reflective of the nose with roses, red apple skin, light red fruits and a distinctive earthy savoury quality; medium+ fine tannins, oak and acidity; balanced and well made.

Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2012 Last Chance Pinot Noir has gorgeous kirsch, red currant jelly, game and violets notes on the nose with nuances of thyme and truffles. Very elegant and fresh in the mouth with a great intensity of red fruit characters and satiny tannins, it concludes with great persistence and a minerally lift.

The Best Of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Good medium red. Wild, soil-inflected aromas of red berries, pepper, underbrush, minerals and smoked meat; distinctly Old World in style--in fact, this reminded me a bit of northern Rhone syrah! Sweet, ripe and smooth, with a slight positive funkiness adding appeal to the broad but lively red fruit, brown spice and rose petal flavors. Lovely inner-mouth energy here, and good peppery, herbal lift. Boasts better depth than most 2012 pinots from New Zealand. Less salty and more fruit-driven than the basic 2012 release, finishing with more breadth and finesse, not to mention length. Very sexy wine, and a big success for this--or any--vintage.

Intense Pinot Noir with typical Earnscleugh tautness and minerality. Fine, pure and subtly powerful wine that shimmers with energy. It promises to age superbly.

With 20% whole bunch fruit used and 20% new french oak used this wine has a serious aromatic and palate engagement; ​dark red berry fruits layered between youthful fine tannins and vibrant acid line this wine is delicious

From Sam Neill's vineyard high above the Earnscleugh Valley, this classy wine is likely to be long-lived. Mouth-filling and fleshy, it has a foundation of firm ripe tannins and excellent concentration of cherry, plum and spice flavours.

Medium ruby-purple in color, the 2010 Last Chance Pinot Noir is scented of mulberries, black raspberries and Provencal herbs with touches of underbrush and tar. Medium to full-bodied, it is generously fruited in the mouth with a solid structure of medium level grainy tannins and balanced acidity, finishing long. Drink it now to 2017+.

Dense, powerful Pinot Noir with an almost chewy texture and impressive flavour depth. Dark cherry, violets, Oriental spices, baked earth and mineral characters. The wine opened up as it sat in the glass - definitely worth decanting for at least 30 minutes. Tantalisingly complex and brooding wine with great cellaring potential.

Clone 115 and 5 fruit from the "The Last Chance" vineyard, Earnscleugh, given a cold soak and indigenous yeast fermented with one-third whole bunches to 14.0% alc., the wine aged 11 months in one-third new French oak barriques. Full, deep, dark ruby-red with purple hues. The nose is vey finely presented with tight and concentrated aromas of black cherry fruit revealing layers of lifted violetty florals, spicy, charry oak and black plums. Medium-full bodied, concentrated black fruits and aromatic floral and spice flavours ate complexed by char and whole bunch dried herb nuances, forming an intense and elegantly proportioned palate. The flavours are supported by very fine-grained, tannins and lacy acidity, providing vibrancy, poise and tension. The flavours follow a very fine line to a very long and sustained finish with refined textures and sweet black cherry fruit. This is an elegant, black-fruited Pinot Noir with refined structure, energy and finesse. Match with roasted beef or lamb, or serve with harder cheeses over the next 6-9 years. 150 dozen made.

[screwcap; some whole bunch, cold soak and extended cuvaison to 4 weeks with wild yeast; 11 months in French oak 30% new]

Cherry red, a little deeper than the First Paddock. Bouquet is more red fruits, less floral than the sister wine. Palate is firm red cherry, with a suggestion of hardness like under-ripe red plums, a little more concentrated than the First Paddock, not as concentrated the ’04 Carrick, needing to mellow in bottle a couple of years. Like the First Paddock, this too is remarkably akin to a minor Beaune or thereabouts wine, in a cooler year. Cellar 3 – 8 years.

Named after an old miner's water-race on the property, Sam Neill's two hectare vineyard near Alexandra has yielded a supple wine, full coloured, with fresh, intense cherry, plum and spice flavours and savoury, complex notes. It's a stylish, elegant wine, developing well.

Two Paddocks is the enterprise of actor Sam Neill in New Zealand’s Central Otago region. The ‘03 may be his best pinot noir. It has fragrant plum, spice and undergrowth aromas, with some savoury meaty strength. The palate has a satin feel with moderate intensity of flavour and a long, soft, savoury finish.

Ageing? Drink over two years, plus

Food ideas: Grilled herbed chicken; veal scalopine

Exerpt from an article entitled Premier Crew: The Rise of Celebrity Wine-makers
By Richard Ehrlich

This is in a different league from the other wines. New Zealand's Central Otago district makes world-class Pinot Noir, and this is one of them. A pure expression of the grape's qualities, silky-smooth on the palate with a multitude of enticing berry flavours in addition to the sweet cherries that are a hallmark of this grape. Abundant, lip-smacking acidity keeps the flavours fresh, and ageing in French oak adds a smoky lustre. Drop-dead gorgeous, the best in this bunch by far.

[screwcap; 7 days cold-soak, wild yeast, 20% whole-bunch fermentation, 25 days cuvaison, c. 10 months in French oak 25%]

Good pinot noir ruby. Bouquet is total pinot, the florals of boronia and dusky roses, black cherries, deep, quieter than the Carrick, yet beautifully varietal. Palate shows a wine where fruit quality is uppermost, not dominated by oak, beautiful crunchy cherry fruit, long flavours recapturing the florals on bouquet, all really burgundian. Not quite the palate weight of the Carrick, though. Cellar 5 – 10 years.

Intensely fruity pinot noir with dense black cherry, floral, farmyard and ripe plum flavours, plus a seasoning of dried herbs. Rich and silken wine with a long finish and a firm tannic backbone that hints at cellaring potential

From actor Sam Neill's two vineyards near Alexandra [he has a third in Gibbston], this intensely fruity Pinot Noir has dense black cherry, floral, farmyard and ripe plum flavours, plus a seasoning of dried herbs. Rich and silken, with a long finish and a firm tannic backbone that hints at cellering potential.

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Well-known actor Sam Neill now owns three vineyards in Central Otago. Neill's Pinot Noir sells instantly upon release thanks as much to his stature as a actor as the quality of his wines. This dense, velvety red has seductively sweet berry and dried spice flavours. Sealed with a screwcap to give at least six years¹ cellaring potential.

An impressively dense wine with a velvet texture. Two Paddocks is the reasonably priced wine of actor Sam Neill. Previous vintages have sold within day of release on the strength of the Neill fame. The latest release deserves to sell rapidly on the basis of high quality at a fair price.
[ Both Two Paddocks' 2002 The Last Chance Pinot Noir and our 2002 First Paddock Pinot Noir were among Bob Campbell's Top Picks.]

Is fragrant with lovely, generous up-front fruit, with a hint of licorice, spice and cherry plum, and a crisp finish.

TWO PADDOCKS First Paddock Pinot Noir 2016 – 93 points (Editors’ Choice)
“This is, hence the name, from proprietor and actor Sam Neill’s first vineyard, planted in 1993. Don’t let the slight barnyard funk put you off (after all, Burgundy excels at this aroma). It dissipates in glass, leaving in its wake something quite beautiful: fresh red cherries, whole bunch stalkiness, an array of florals and spice and a meaty undertone. It’s silky, textured and plump-fruited, with a hearty grip of herbal savory tannins. As per usual with these wines, elegance, complexity and age-worthiness are the name of the game.”

Very attractive nose here with properly ripe red cherries, blueberries, earthy root vegetables and a whirl of sappy, wild herbs. The impressively long and powerful palate has a strong, central core of tannins that carries fresh, energetic cherry flavors. Drink or hold.

A very impressive wine that shows multifaceted complexity in aroma, flavour and tannin structure. Red and dark cherry fruits, herbal threads and a distinct earthy, smooth underlay of tannin.

The highly impressive 2016 vintage (5*) was estate-grown at Gibbston, hand-harvested from vines planted in 1993, and matured in French oak barrels (30 per cent new). Deeply coloured, it is an enticingly fragrant, full-bodied wine, with an array of cherry, plum, spice and herb flavours, finely balanced tannins and a savoury, supple finish. An elegant, concentrated and lively red, it should be long-lived; best drinking 2020+.

The Wine Advocate (235) Feb '18, Joe Czerwinski

Sam Neill's First Paddock is starting to show some significant vine age, as it was planted to Clone 5 in 1993. There are 200 cases of the 2016 The First Paddock Pinot Noir, a medium-bodied, velvety-textured expression of a cool site in a warm vintage. Floral notes abound, along with dark fruit and savory, earthy notes. Despite its rich texture, there's some serious backbone to this wine, and it should age well for up to a decade.

Leaps out of the glass, with sophisticated aromas of white pepper, toasted cumin, dried lavender and white truffle. The pure maraschino cherry, pomegranate and cranberry flavors are fresh and vibrant, and the whole package is balanced and complex, reverberating on the finish, with just enough tannic traction to impart an appealing muscular core. Drink now through 2030.

The 2015 vintage (4.5*), estate-grown at Gibbston, was harvested from vines planted in 1993 and matured for 14 months in French oak barrels (30 per cent new). Ruby-hued, with a fragrant bouquet of herbs and spices, it is medium-bodied, with strong, vibrant cherry, spice, dried-herb and nut flavours, showing good complexity. A very youthful, 'feminine' style, with fresh acidity and obvious potential, it's best cellared to 2019+.

Plenty of structural emphasis here. This has an array of baking spices and wild herbs with wild cherry and red currant fruit aromas. The palate is firm and forthright with punchy acid drive as well as a web of bold tannins and vibrant red cherry fruit flavors. Finishes fresh and assertive.

As tasted for Wine Spectator article "Upwardly Mobile"  31 Aug 2017

So tuck into the glorious, rich, sappy, leather and tobacco-leaf spiced 2015 First Paddock Pinot Noir.

Full, moderately deep ruby-red colour with purple tints, lighter on the rim.  The nose is concentrated with deep, intense and well-packed aromas of dark-red cherry fruit harmoniously melded with an amalgam of fresh, dark and dried herbs, and savoury whole cluster stalk elements, unfolding piquant red floral perfumes.  This has power and aromatic depth.  Medium-bodied, the palate has sweet, vibrant and juicy flavours of dark-red cherry fruit integrated with savoury dark herbs and whole bunch stalk notes.  The fruit flavours form a well-concentrated core and is supported by balanced, fine-grained powdery tannin extraction, and enlivened by refreshing, lacy acidity.  The wine flows with vitality and linearity, leading to a lingering finish of red fruits and savoury herbs.  This is a densely packed, but elegant Pinot Noir with red cherry and savoury herb flavours on a vibrant, fine-grained palate.  Match with wild duck and pork dishes over the next 6-7+ years.  Clone 5 fruit from the first 25 rows, hand-picked and sorted, indigenous yeast fermented with 50% whole bunches to 12.5% alc., the wine aged 14 months in 30% new French oak. 

Light in colour but not in flavour. Elegant wine showing lovely purity and ethereal texture. Delicate cherry and raspberry flavours with spicy oak and a suggestion of fresh herbs. Charming wine with underlying power. Very impressive.

The bouquet is immensely seductive showing red berry, game, dried herb, almond and floral aromas, leading to an impressively focused and finely textured palate that is elegant yet powerful at the same time. The wine is wonderfully framed by loads of polished tannins, and the palate is linear throughout then expands to a glorious finish. The wine expresses the Gibbston district perfectly with its savoury, floral perfume, together with refined mouthfeel.  At its best: 2018 to 2025

Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2015 First Paddock Pinot Noir has a compelling nose of red cherries, cranberries and red currants, plus underlying garrigue, earth, game and dried herb notes. Light to medium-bodied and displaying commendable finesse, the palate has a great intensity of complex, earthy/savory flavors with a solid structure and excellent length. Bravo!  Drink 2016-2024

The 2013 vintage was estate-grown at Gibbston and matured in French oak barrels. Ruby-hued, with moderately youthful colour, it has an invitingly fragrant bouquet of herbs and spices. A true expression of the Gibbston Valley sub-region, it has an array of plum, spice and herb flavours, seasoned with nutty oak, fine-grained tannins and good complexity. Drink now or cellar

From Sam Neill's original little 4.6 ha plot in Gibbston. Planted in 1993 and their highest site, at 800 ft. Savoury with dried herbs on the nose. Sinewy texture - not as easy and fruity and friendly as some of the Two Paddocks wines. Marked acidity with a dry finish. No hurry to drink this.

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Dry, savoury and Burgundian-style pinot with red cherry, violet, fresh herb and spicy oak flavours. There is a hint of tobacco and new leather adding complexity. A wine with cellaring potential.

This shows some of the greener, more vegetal stemmy and sappy edges that the Gibbston Valley can deliver, and there’s a neat spicy layer too. The palate’s juicy, bright, even and supple and shows a lot of promise once it settles in and fills out.

Bright, fresh and youthful red fruits bouquet alongside florals and a gentle spice with savoury complexity. On the palate – dry, fruity, savoury and earthy with a distinctive minerality all sewn together with oak of medium+ flavour and influence. Medium+ fine(ish) tannins and acidity; balanced and well made.

Light pinot noir ruby, some age showing, well below midway. Bouquet is complex and very burgundian, floral clearly, red fruits centred on red cherry, and an exciting piquant lift to the wine again taking it to Cote de Nuits rather than the Cote de Beaune, but also hinting at trace brett. Flavours in mouth are richer than the colour suggests, some mellowing into secondary characters, the fruit and cedary oak harmonising, light in style yet concentrated too. It tastes closest in style to the Rippon, a little plumper, and shows similar analogies, just slightly more oaky to the finish. Cellar 3 – 8 years.

A 'feminine' style, impressing with its fragrance and charm, the 2011 vintage (4.5*) is delicious now. Silky and savoury, with deep ruby colour, it is vibrantly fruity, with ripe cherry, spice and dried-herb flavours, finely poised, harmonious and lingering.

The Best Of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

(from a 1993 planting; fermented with 50% whole clusters and aged in 30% new French oak): Medium red. Complex, slightly reduced, soil-driven aromas of raspberry, truffley underbrush, smoke, pepper and game. Round, ripe and fine-grained, showing a seamless texture to the flavors of red fruits, underbrush and smoky minerals. This gained in nuance and texture with extended time in the recorked bottle without losing its verve.

by MaryAnn Worobiec, in an article entitled: 9 Savory New Zealand Pinot Noirs. New reviews of elegant and refined Kiwi reds.

Fragrant and robust up front, with chicory and mahogany aromatics, complemented by a touch of crushed rock. Offers a powerful mix of dried lavender, orange zest, tangy cherry and raspberry flavors that are fresh and focused, delivering a smooth texture and wonderful persistence on the finish. Drink now through 2026. 50 cases imported.

Deep red colour with a purple tint. The bouquet shows black cherry and dried herbs, a touch of spice, some meaty, smokey charred-barrel character, which seems ephemeral, and increasingly vegetal aromas and flavours. There’s a lot of charcuterie in this, and the wine has hidden layers of complexity on palate, deep and long and not overreaching itself. It’s not a try-hard, but has depth, length and seamless concentration. A lovely, lovely pinot!

The 2010 (4.5*) was estate-grown at Gibbston and matured in French oak barrels (one-third new). Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited, savoury and supple, with strong cherry, dried-herb and spice flavours, finely integrated oak, and excellent complexity. 

I could have shown off and said my wine of the year was the 1955 Domaine de Chevalier I had at a dinner with the estate's owners, but how many people would be able to get hold of that? 

Instead, I'm opting for a wine that surprised me at New Zealand's 2013 Pinot Noir Celebration: Two Paddock's 2010 First Paddock, owned by actor Sam Neill. It's not a wine that's made every year because it's produced from fruit in the Gibbston Valley, Central Otago's coolest subregion. Often, it's hard to ripen the pinot fully here, but when it's good, it's very, very good. This wine is a triumph – pure and fragrant, tight and elegant. Like your best knickers for a special occasion, it is both silky and delicate. The damson and especially black cherry aromas are quintessentially Central Otago. And it’s only 13 percent, which means you can potentially drink two glasses or more.

Medium ruby-purple-colored, the 2010 First Paddock Pinot Noir reveals a simply gorgeous nose of violets, rose hips and wild thyme over a core of pomegranate and kirsch. Elegantly fruited on the medium bodied palate, this is a superb example of the very fine structure, balance and incredible intensity that this very special Gibbston vineyard can give, albeit only in a great vintages such as 2010. The finish is very long and harmonious. Drink this one now to 2018+.

Aromatic wine with appealing savoury, dried herb, red cherry, floral and subtle spice characters. Fine-boned and quite powerful Pinot Noir with purity and intensity. Sweet fruit is balanced by chalky tannins to give a drying finish. Quite a complex and distinctive wine that gives a nod in the direction of Burgundy.

Notably dark crimson. Super juicy fruit. Lots of ripe redcurrant fruit and pretty polished with a hint of cough medicine/aromatic herbs on the edge. Bright though not super concentrated fruit. Drink 2010 – 2015

The 2007 First Paddock Pinot Noir is limited to just 49 cases and 150 magnums with only the latter to be commercially released! It has a slightly pinched plumy nose with touches of violets. The palate is medium-bodied with quite chewy tannins: black plum, ripe cherries and a touch of iodine. Smooth on the finish, though it lacks a little complexity and definition. Not bad, but I prefer the regular Pinot Noir. I tasted Sam Neill’s wines both blind and at a well-organized public Central Otago tasting.

Moderately dense yet elegant Pinot Noir with appealing floral, cherry and spicy oak flavours. Supple wine with impressive length and moderate complexity. Bone dry with a good structure of fine, ripe tannins.

Grown in Sam Neill’s original Central Otago vineyard, planted at Gibbston in 1993, the 2007 vintage was matured for 11 months in French Oak barriques (30% new). Rich and youthful in colour, it is sweet fruited, savoury and concentrated, with delicious deep plum and spice flavours, showing excellent complexity. It’s already delicious, but has the structure to mature well.

by Serena Sutcliffe MW, Head of Sotheby’s International Wine Department

Great wine to satisfy the most ardent of Pinot fusspots (count me in), this rarely produced wine is special and has a few splendid drinking years ahead.
 

...Has good intensity on the nose, lacking a little clarity at the moment but that will come with more bottle age. The palate is medium bodied with good weight, a definite Burgundian sensibility with an attractive, meaty finish. Atypical for Central Otago style but full of personality and natural, rather bucolic charm.

...Has good intensity on the nose, lacking a little clarity at the moment but that will come with more bottle age. The palate is medium bodied with good weight, a definite Burgundian sensibility with an attractive, meaty finish. Atypical for Central Otago style but full of personality and natural, rather bucolic charm.

Concentrated and ripe, with outstanding depth to blackberry and black cherry flavours. Spice, slate and iron balance the fruit, with cedary oak, dried herbs and cut tannins extending through the finish. Drink now through 2011. Tasted twice, with consistent notes.

A big wine, with good length and superb concentration of flavours. Dense black cherry notes atop firm, toasty oak with a hint of mocha.

On the red wine front, there is a very beautiful Otago Pinot Noir to try, or invest in. It is not the biggest or weightiest pinot around, but in terms of its florals, its finesse and its length of flavor, one has to go straight to Burgundy and the Cote de Nuits at that, to find comparable quality. In particular, one can taste the floral qualities right through the cherry palate. The wine is 2006 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir ‘First Paddock’, their top offering in a pretty good vintage down there. It will cellar for 10 years.

Two Paddocks has made three stylish pinots this year – the stylish, charming Two Paddocks First Paddock 2006 (4 Stars); the oaky textural Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir (31/2 Stars), but for drinking now, the Picnic has the charm of youth with lots of fruit nicely balanced with a hint of spice, and a good finish.

Dense, youthful wine. Forward, sweet fruited and vibrant. Youthful and very minerally. Shows lovely balance with tannins that are well proportioned and soft. Should develop complexity.

[screwcap; cold soak and extended cuvaison to 4 weeks with wild yeast; 11 months in French oak 37% new]

Pinot noir ruby, one of the lightest. Bouquet is beautifully floral suggesting roses, on light fragrant red fruits such as strawberry and red cherry, for all the world like a Beaune village wine. Flavours are similar but a little stalky and acid, carefully oaked, all clearly in style for a cooler year. There is not the ripeness and richness of the delightful 2003 though.
Cellar 3 – 8 years.

[screwcap; cold-soak, fermentation and cuvaison totalled 28 days, 10 months in French oak 30%]

Big pinot noir ruby, markedly deeper than the Last Chance wine. Benefits from decanting, to reveal a deeper and heavier wine all round than its companion. Bigger is not necessarily better however, and there are suggestions of sur-maturité and dark plumminess, rather than cherries and florals. Palate is rich and velvety, and for those to whom weight on palate is more important than beauty of bouquet, this wine will rate higher than the Last Chance. Cellar 5 – 15 years.

Deeply coloured pinot noir with an almost jammy intensity and a strong tannic backbone that promotes longevity at a cost to early drinkability (tasted in late 2003). Leaner and firmer than the more opulent The Last Chance.

"Organic rosé made from 100% pinot noir with a gentle, silken texture and intense ripe cherry, floral, and watermelon flavours. Rosé on steroids, with a deeply-tinted colour and full flavour. "

Cellar 2022–2024

"Delightfully expressed and instantly appealing with sweet raspberry, watermelon, nectarine and red apple aromas, it’s juicy and elegantly flavoursome in the mouth offering fine texture and vibrant acidity. Lingering and deliciously appealing. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2024."

"A blend of organic wines from Two Paddocks own vineyards in Bannockburn, Earnscleugh and Gibbston. A bright, accessible pinot noir with cherry, cedar, new leather, rose petal, spice and nutty oak flavours." 

Cellar 2022–2030

"Gorgeously fruited and splendidly styled, showing sweet plum, thyme, roasted nut and warm mushroom aromas, the wine exhibits awesome concentration and richness, while remaining elegant and refined. Plush and persistent with fine grainy tannins, finishing superbly long and satisfying. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2032. "

 "Still unfolding, the 2019 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Earnscleugh (47 per cent), Bannockburn (37 per cent) and Gibbston (16 per cent). Ruby hued, it is vibrantly fruity, with strong cherry, plum and spice flavours, slightly nutty, savoury notes adding complexity, fresh acidity and supple tannins. Best drinking 2023+. Certified organic, the very youthful 2020 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Earnscleugh (35 per cent), Gibbston (34 per cent) and Bannockburn (31 per cent). Full, bright ruby, it is a medium-bodied, elegant red, vibrantly fruity, with fresh, energetic cherry, plum and spice flavours, showing good concentration, supple tannins and obvious potential; best drinking 2024+."

"Deeply-tinted rosé with in quite a full-flavoured style with cherry, raspberry and red rose flavours supported by tangy acidity and a suggestion of peppery tannins. Serve well chilled."

Cellar 2022–2023

"Beautifully ripe and inviting, the bouquet shows sweet cherry, rockmelon, lemon zest and oatmeal characters, followed by a generously weighted palate displaying ripe fruit intensity with vibrant acidity, making it lingering and pleasingly dry. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2023. "

"Fresh and ripe raspberry and red-cherry aromas with a gently sappy, herbal edge. The palate has strawberry and wild-raspberry flavors and a tangy, lively finish. Drink now. Screw cap."

"The 2020 vintage (4*) is still very fresh and buoyant. Pink/pale red, it has very good depth of cherryish, berryish flavours, lively acidity and a basically dry finish. Both vintages are certified organic."

"A single site wine from Bannockburn made with zero additions—not even a smidgen of SO2 at bottling. Is it my imagination or is this wine softer and purer than the regular pinot noir from 2020? It does have a very slight stab of bitterness on the finish but has good varietal character and, more importantly, is good to drink."

"It’s youthfully charming and perfumed on the nose showing dark cherry, strawberry, violet, clove and olive characters, leading to a delightfully expressed palate that’s filled with succulent fruit flavours backed by an elegant spicy undertone. Smooth and lingering with a gorgeous mellow finish. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2024"

"Already delicious, the fragrant, youthful 2020 vintage (5*) was estate-grown in the Fusilier Vineyard at Bannockburn and handled with 'no added preservatives.' Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and supple, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours, deep and finely poised. Certified organic."

"Seductively complex and savoury, it’s beautifully lifted on the nose showing dark berry, cured meat, dried herb, leather and forest floor characters, combined with expansive mouthfeel and fine dusty tannins. Sophisticated and engaging with a persistent spicy finish. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2030. "

"Modern and toasty with some reductive edges to the ripe red cherries and blackberries. Big, spicy energy. Herbal notes, too. The palate has a fresh and tangy feel with a sappy, ripe and stony red-cherry and plum-stone texture. Intense. So fresh and juicy. Crisp tannins to close. Drink or hold. Screw cap."

"Still unfolding, the 2019 vintage (4.5*) was estate-grown at Earnscleugh (47 per cent), Bannockburn (37 per cent) and Gibbston (16 per cent). Ruby hued, it is vibrantly fruity, with strong cherry, plum and spice flavours, slightly nutty, savoury notes adding complexity, fresh acidity and supple tannins. Best drinking 2023+. "

This is a 50-case run of natural pinot that shows the sheer attractiveness and fleshy drinkability of ripe, red-cherry and peach-flavored fruit. Great to see this being made and so delicious, too. Drink now. Screw cap.

Estate grown near Alexandra, this is a weighty, fleshy full-bodied riesling.  Ripely scented, it is powerful with concentrated citrusy, peachy flavours, a sliver of sweetness and lively acidity.  Certified organic.  

Exhibiting awesome fruit purity and vibrancy, the wine shows Granny Smith apple, lime sorbet and white floral characters. The palate displays outstanding concentration and linear mouthfeel, brilliantly supported by refined mouthfeel and bright acidity. Very long and flowing with layers of fine texture and delightful flavours. Style: Off-dry. At its best: now to 2030. Certified organic. $33.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Jan 2020.

This has very attractive, fresh and vibrant aromas of apples and lime juice that lead to a palate that has a very smooth, fleshy, apple and lime core. Great balance. Pastry-like notes to close. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.

Drinking Window: 2021 - 2028

A deeply relaxing wine with seamless texture and melted-butter-like tannins.  You could do a 20 minute meditation session or have a glass of this; the result will be the same.

The palate is layered, with violets and thyme offering the top line, damson fruit in the midpalate and oak-derived cedar and spice lending a savory, baritone note.  There's gentle tension providing enough line.  

A blend from vineyards from three sub-regions of Central Otago.  It's very complete and can be approached now.  A real triumph in a year that threw a spanner in the works with a season that ran a full month earlier than the norm.

Two Paddocks 2018 Pinot Noir: (Central Otago, 25% whole cluster, SRP $56, 13%)

A mentholated top note is present on the high-toned and admirably pure essence of red pinot fruit with hints of clove, violet and sandalwood. The restrained and vibrant middle weight flavors possess a supple, indeed even caressing mid-palate before concluding in a dusty and youthfully austere finish. This very pretty effort will need a few years to further flesh out as it’s quite tightly wound today. 90/2024+

Two Paddocks Estate Pinot Noir 2018  – 94 points (Editors’ Choice)
“This is a beautifully approachable yet complex wine from this boutique, biodynamically farmed estate, owned by actor Sam Neill with a talented winemaking and viticulture team spearheaded by Dean Shaw and Mike Wing, respectively. The nose conjures images of cherry pie cooling on a windowsill, a rosebush blooming from the sun-warmed soil beneath. Savory, sappy tannins wind around silky, high-toned fruit in the mouth. A tightrope walk of balance of power and elegance with crunchy acidity to break the fall.”

Gorgeously fruited and inviting, the bouquet shows dark cherry, plum, fragrant spice and vanillin oak characters, leading to a beautifully rounded palate that’s succulent and fleshy. It’s wonderfully harmonious and textured with a lengthy silky finish. At its best: now to 2026. $55.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Dec 2019.

An impressively complex nose here with a very fresh and juicy, red-cherry and berry nose that offers such alluring style. The palate has a succulent and juicy feel with a plush, toasted-spice and ripe, red-cherry core. Made from organically grown grapes. Firmish finish. Try from 2021. Screw cap.

My first introduction to salmon roe was at Giraffe in Potts Point with Darren Taylor behind the stoves.  His gravlax is legendary, but the generous drop of salmon roe lifted the dish to a higher plane.  The wine match is lost in the mists of time but Taylor now caters under the Harvest banner and reprised the dish at a recent Two Paddocks Function.  The delicious pinot noir-based Rosé was a fabulous match, the wine's sumptuous red-fruited flavours, savoury profile and crisp acidity swiftly mopping up the potency of the salmon and its roe.

This has a very attractive and fresh, red-berry core with a neat and nicely cut, dry-ish finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap

Two Paddocks’s midrange Pinot still plays very much in the premium league. Bright red berry, vanilla pod, black olive, drying herbs and bran muffin notes are underpinned by tightly wound tannins and a mineral streak amidst a silky texture. The contrast between the bright, crunchy fruit and the austerity of the tannins is intriguing, making this wine drinkable now, but suggesting that its best is yet to come. Drink now–2026. 

Even the packaging of this wine sets it apart from the rest: it looks like quality wine, neither too generic nor too over-the-top. And indeed, this is a real-deal, very solid Pinot Noir. It’s made by Sam Neill on his home New Zealand turf, farmed organically, harvested by hand from estate-grown fruit and made with restraint. These are all very good decisions, and the wine is all the better for them. It’s beautiful in the glass, a clear, bright ruby red, and the aromatics hit all the right notes for a high-quality New Zealand pinot: fresh red and black fruits with some warm spice and woodsy herbal tones underneath. It’s very elegant in the mouth, fresh and not too broad but very friendly and drinkable. Absolutely on the level. I’m impressed.

Phenomenal pinot with a swanky mix of lighter red cherries and nicely played oak spice, crushed roses and wild herbs. The palate has a sturdy spine of tannin with cheek-filling, fleshy red cherry fruits. Deeply entwined tannin in a mode that conjures up the DNA of the best pinots from the region. 

The latest vintages are the best yet. Grown at the company's sites at Bannockburn (68 per cent), Alexandra (26 per cent) and Gibbston (6 per cent), and matured in French oak casks (20 per cent), the 2016 vintage (5*) is deep ruby, fresh, youthful and savoury, with vibrant, plummy, spicy, nutty, slightly earthy flavours, showing excellent complexity, and a well-structured, long finish. Likely to be long-lived, it's well worth cellaring to 2020+.

The Wine Advocate (235) Feb '18, Joe Czerwinski

A blend of three sites (Bannockburn, Earnscleugh and Gibbston), the 2016 Pinot Noir reflects those disparate characters. Some herbal notes contrast with ripe notes of dark plum, providing an enervating tension. It's medium to full-bodied, with a smooth texture and tart, silky finish.

John Saker: always more to learn about Central Otago pinot

JOHN SAKER

Last updated 05:00, February 17 2018

Supplied

The 2016 vintages of Roaring Meg and Two Paddocks pinot noir are fine examples of what Central Otago has to offer.

I marvel at the knack of the Central Otago wine community to refresh, rearrange and surprise. 

The region put on the 13th edition of its intermittent three-day Pinot Celebration events last month. I've been to a few of them and there's never the slightest suggestion that the gig is getting stale.

Certainly, wine's annual, natural cycle of renewal helps with this. There's always a freshly minted vintage to consider. But in the case of the Central Otago winemakers, the diversity is intensified by a strong collective desire to question past practices and try new things.

The way they express this ethos so honestly is refreshing. "Don't let any new world winemaker tell you he or she hasn't made mistakes," said Ted Lemon, the California-based consultant to Burn Cottage Vineyard. "We all make mistakes because there's still so much we don't know." And this from Prophet's Rock winemaker Paul Pujol: "I learned from the vineyard. I realise now I shouldn't have done the things I did several years ago" (in making pinot noir).

As a result of this, what you may have thought was a typical Central Otago pinot a few years ago might be a hard style to find today.

The Celebration gave me the chance to reacquaint myself with Central's class of 2016, a vintage that has its share of highlights at this early stage. Besides the two I feature later in this column, here are the recent releases to that impressed: Aurum Estate Organic Pinot Noir 2016, Burn Cottage Pinot Noir 2016, Domain Road Defiance Pinot Noir 2016, Gibbston Valley Glenlee Pinot Noir 2016, Mondillo Pinot Noir 2016, Prophet's Rock Cuvée Aux Antipodes 2016 and Quartz Reef Single Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016.

The event also threw a spotlight on Oregon, the third member of modern pinot noir's golden triangle (think of it as a pyramid with Burgundy at the top and New Zealand and Oregon holding down the base). We don't get to see much Oregon pinot in New Zealand. There were some exciting wines among from the Oregonians we tasted at the event – taut, quite savoury and intricate.

Another surprise came in the form of a pair of older wines. 2011 was never rated as much of a vintage in Central, but the Aurum Mathilde Pinot Noir 2011 and the Prophet's Rock Pinot Noir 2011 were both extraordinarily good. That's pinot… it likes to keep us guessing.

Try these

Roaring Meg Central Otago Pinot Noir 2016 $30
What winemaker Matt Dicey achieves with this smartly priced, widely distributed wine is amazing. It offers a joyous gush of succulent dark fruit laced with pretty florals and toasty oak, and doesn't seem to know when to stop. Approachable and delicious.

Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2016 $50
The intriguing evolution of this wine (and winemaker Dean Shaw) continues with this red fruit-dominant juicy rendition. It has haunting scents, together with great real energy and length. 

 - Your Weekend

Fresh and juicy, featuring cherry and raspberry flavors that are bright and fragrant, with details of toasted rye, dried lavender and sarsaparilla, set on a dense, tight body. Shows plenty of concentration and spicy details that linger. This may become more expressive with short-term cellaring. Drink now through 2030.

A blend of the Bannockburn, Earnscleugh and Gibbston vineyards. This leads with ripe sweet cherry-berry fruit aromas ahead of a spicy and meaty background. Plenty of youthful appeal. The palate is succulent and packed with vibrant flesh, attractive red cherry fruit and plenty of lithe, juicy tannins. Drink now.

Delicious now, the 2015 vintage (5*) was grown at Bannockburn (62 per cent), Alexandra (30 per cent) and Gibbston (8 per cent), and matured in French oak casks (25 per cent new). Ruby hued, it is a fragrant, very graceful red with cherry, plum and spice flavours, hints of herbs and nuts, excellent complexity and a savoury, lingering finish. A very 'complete' wine, it's already delicious.

This has a deep and darker fruited feel to it with dark cherries, blueberries and plenty of toasted spices. The palate has impressive weight and presence. Tannins are cast in thicker lines and there's a strident acid profile that really drives things along. An impressive wine that could use a little time to bed in. Try from 2020.

As tasted for Wine Spectator article "Upwardly Mobile"  31 Aug 2017

A change of blend in recent years with the addition of Sam Neill's new The Fusilier vineyard in Bannockburn.  Always elegantly structured, the wine is even richer and more sumptuous in 2015!

A step down from actor Sam Neill's First (First Paddock Single Vineyard)  but well-structured, with plenty of truffle, game and clove-scented fruit.

The latest release of Two Paddocks' flagship wine is a barrel selection from the Neill family's four Central Otago vineyards and is a glorious Pinot, with cherry and red berry fruit flecked with numeg, a succulent texture and graceful persistence.

Complex and intruiging, with fresh raspberry, cherry and tangerine flavors.  Sleek and polished, showing plenty of traction from the tannins.  Sophisticated and aromatic.  Drink now through 2030.

Produced from all four of the Neill family's Central Otago vineyards.  Lifted red fruit, violet and spicy blackcurrant aromatics leading to a suave, textural palate showing density, complexity and persistence.

Pale ruby colored with a hint of purple, the 2015 Pinot Noir has an evocative nose of cranberries and red currants with nuances of garrigue, wild thyme, underbrush and mossy bark. The palate is elegantly constructed with a light body and soft, fine-grained tannins supporting the lively fruit and finishing long.

Fragrant, soft earthy spices, some wild flowers and wild red fruits, familiar red cherry, red apple and tea notes, seasoned barrel spice and quite complex overall. On the palate – youthful with plenty of acidity cushioned by ripe red berry fruit, floral moments and moderate toasty wood spices; fine silky tannins, ticks all the boxes for Otago fine wine, lengthy, complex and memorable.

Most celebrities make pretty ordinary wines. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill, owner of this New Zealand winery in Central Otago, is a major exception. His flagship wine, a blend of four organic vineyards, is full and savoury, with intense fruit flavours.

Ambitious Winemakers, Climate Change Makes For Good, Cheap Pinot

 Bloomberg:  August 21, 2017

Great pinot noirs, as a friend once put it, have a near-sexual allure. The first taste can turn you into a bottle stalker, which is why the world’s pinot lust has pushed prices of the most coveted to three- and four-digits. Today, though, it’s easier than ever to find seductive examples with those rose-petal aromas, silky textures, and layered flavors at more affordable prices.  

In Burgundy, still the grape’s ur-territory, global warming has (mostly) ensured riper grapes every year. That, along with better vineyard practices and young ambitious winemakers has upped the quality of non-snob generic Bourgogne Rouge and little-known village appellations like Santenay. 

The biggest change in pinot during the past decade, though, is the rise of New Zealand, Oregon, and California, as winemakers finally zeroed in on the vine’s sweet spots. Pinot is tricky to grow, and subtle shifts in temperature and soil make the difference. In California, pinot is now the state’s third most planted grape: 44,000 acres-worth, nearly double the amount ten years ago. The hottest success stories are in coolest areas, like the Sonoma Coast, Mendocino, the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Barbara. Even their regional blends now have a balance and elegance California pinots rarely showed in the past.

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has grown warmer, too, giving its wines more ripe lushness. The state is booming with deep-pocketed vineyard investors that include a raft of top Burgundy producers. And half a dozen districts in New Zealand now regularly turn out intense pinots with exotic red fruit and herb flavors. 

 Expect more bargains in the future. For now, here are my top 15 pinots under $50.

$40 to $50

2014 Kelley Fox Momtazi Vineyard Pinot Noir This boutique Oregon producer sources grapes from top vineyards for her pinots. This one has the kind of power and mineral elegance you find in one from Burgundy’s Nuits St. Georges.

2014 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir   Most celebrities make pretty ordinary wines. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill, owner of this New Zealand winery in Central Otago, is a major exception. His flagship wine, a blend of four organic vineyards, is full and savory, with intense fruit flavors. 

2014 Domaine de la Cote Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir You’ll see this pinot, a partnership of sommelier Raj Parr and famed winemaker Sashi Moorman, on a lot of Manhattan wine lists. It’s light and graceful, reflecting the winery’s house style and its cool microclimate in the Santa Rita Hills. 

2014 Flowers Winery Pinot Noir Steep, twisting roads lead to this winery 1,500 feet above sea level on the Sonoma coast. Cool winds off the Pacific preserve the bright acidity while the warm 2014 growing season gave this wine a taste of rich, dark cherries and a lush texture.  

2014 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Well-known Burgundy negociant Maison Joseph Drouhin was the first French producer to buy vineyard land in Oregon, and 2017 is the winery’s 30th anniversary. Its basic pinot, from a fine, exuberant vintage, is a heady mix of ripe fruit and savory cherry notes. 

$30 to $40

2014 Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County Intense flower and spice aromas, and fresh, crunchy fruit are the hallmarks of the pinots from young, talented Justin Willett. His entry-level blend is a good introduction to the brilliant style of his much more expensive single vineyard pinots.

2015 Sarah’s Vineyard Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir Pinot noir is this winery’s claim to fame, and this one, with lush dark fruit, comes from its appellation series, which highlights top districts for growing the grape. Santa Lucia Highlands is close to cold Monterey Bay. 

2014 Burn Cottage Cashburn  Sonoma winemaker Ted Lemon, of Littorai fame, directs the vineyards and winemaking at this biodynamic estate in New Zealand’s Central Otago. The juicy, sensual, light-bodied Cashburn is the winery’s second, cheaper label.  

2014 Carpe Diem Pinot Noir Anderson Valley  Not far from the Mendocino coast, fog-shrouded Anderson Valley has gained a reputation for bright, exciting pinots. The cool climate is the reason for this wine’s vivid black cherry flavors and intense rose petal and spice aromas. 

2014 Maison L’Envoye Two Messengers  This U.S. negociant project, which debuted in 2011, now has footprints in Burgundy, Oregon, and Tasmania. This smooth, mineral-accented, spicy pinot comes from several vineyards in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. 

$20 to $30

2015 Domaine Alain Hudelot-Noellat Bourgogne Rouge  Rock-star winemaker Charles Van Canneyt makes one of the best examples of generic red Burgundy around, especially in this top vintage. Its bright, pure, ripe cherries flavor and sensual texture remind me of a Chambolle Musigny.

2015 Domaine Marc Colin Santenay Rouge Les Champs Claude Vieilles Vignes  Few producers make vibrant, silky-textured reds like this one. The grapes come from 100-year-old vines right next to a premier cru vineyard. 

2015 Bodega Chacra Barda Pinot Noir  Yes, Argentina is still malbec country, but Tuscan winemaker Piero Incisa della Rocchetta (whose grandfather founded Italy’s great Sassicaia), discovered abandoned pinot vines in cool Rio Negro, Patagonia. He now makes several stellar pinots, including his pure, graceful, entry-level Barda. 

2014 Domaine des Terres Dorées (Jean-Paul Brun) Bourgogne Pinot Noir The pinot vines for this superb wine are, surprisingly, in Beaujolais, where gamay is the reigning grape. Iconic winemaker Jean-Paul Brun’s only pinot is a juicy, tangy wine with the depth and complexity of many reds in the Côte d’Or. 

2014 Montinore Red Cap Pinot Noir A surprisingly satisfying pinot for the price, this Oregon bargain is made from 100 percent certified biodynamic grapes. It’s a drink-me-now version of the state’s bright, fresh, red berry and spice style.  

To contact the author of this story: Elin McCoy in New York at [email protected]

To contact the editor responsible for this story: James Gaddy at [email protected]

©2017 Bloomberg L.P.

"If you're going to splash out on one Pinot this year, make it one of Sam's."  Olly Smith

The Top 50 New Zealand Wines of 2016 - There's a complex and more serious statement to this wine in terms of oak treatment with pretty clear mocha and spice influence. It's quite modern, opening up to red cherries, pomegranate and orange rind with a fresh array of sappy and leafy complexity below. The palate's slick, where really assertive tannins are nicely tamed and groomed into a linear, composed and powerful style. Plenty of red and dark cherries that head into plum territory as well. This has balance and impressive conviction. Best from 2019–2025+.  Nick Stock, Contributing Editor

The 2014 vintage is the best yet. Grown in the company's vineyards at Bannockburn (49 per cent), Alexandra (32 per cent) and Gibbston (19 per cent), and matured in French oak casks, it is deep ruby, very fragrant and supple. A generous, savoury, complex red, it is intensely varietial, with strong, ripe cherry, plum and dried-herb flavours, finely structured and age-worthy. Best drinking 2017+

Olly's Pick of the Bunch - Wine of the Week

Silky red conjured by actor and winemaker Sam Neill from a great Otago vintage is up there with the best Pinot.

Full pinot noir ruby, in the top quarter for depth. Decant this wine, to reveal a good volume of red grading to black cherry pinot noir. It needs three more years in bottle, to develop the best side of its bouquet. Palate is already promising, potentially vibrant quite dark red cherry fruit with an undertone of black cherries, oaking beautifully judged. Palate is nearly velvety, pure cherry flavours, remarkable. This will be a gold medal wine in two years, the score here is anticipatory.  Cellar 5 – 15  years.   

New releases - New Zealand

Shows plenty of intensity and focus, with an appealing roasted savory overtone to the plush, ripe cherry and blackberry flavors.  Dried thyme, matcha tea and baking spice details emerge on the harmonious finish.  Drink now through 2026.

Complex, intense and complete -- a bouquet with personality boasting layers of light red fruits laced with spice and minerals. Fabulous palate, textured, ripe, finely tuned tannins and a lengthy finish

Two Paddock's flagship label is made from a blend of grapes from the vineyards in Alexandra and Gibbston. It's a bright, dense pinot rippling with energy and featuring cherry, raspberry, raspberry, mineral, floral/violet and spicy oak flavours.

NB: Two Paddocks notes that the 2014 is the first vintage to include 50% The Fusilier, Bannockburn.

Two Paddocks founder Sam Neill had some advice for prospective vineyard owners at the 2013 pinot noir conference: "Since you are approaching middle age, there are two inevitable things in your future. First, you will acquire a ride-on mower. Second you will have an enlarged prostate. The mower is more fun that the prostate, so make sure you buy a good one." His latest pinot is definitely more "boy band" than middle-aged though. Foppish in attitude, smooth and sexily fragrant with sweet, dried herbs and spicy notes and sinewy complexity on the finish; it's an eager-to-please star.

Full, dark, deep ruby-red colour with youthful purple hues.  The nose is powerfully concentrated and intense with aromas of black berry and black cherry fruit entwined with a complex amalgam of reductive mineral elements, funky stalk and stem whole cluster nuances, violet florals and cassis hints.  Medium-full bodied, the palate is tightly bound with vibrant and lively fruit flavours of black berries and black cherries, complexed by subtle whole cluster herb and stalk detail, cassis and violet florals.  The fruit is supported by very fine-grained tannin structure and the wine flows with good energy from ripe, integrated acidity.  This has excellent, firm linearity, unveiling complex reductive mineral notes as it carries to a very long, black cherry finish.  This is a tightly concentrated, sweet, black berry and cherry fruited Pinot Noir with subtle whole bunch and reductive complexities and a fine, grainy structure.  Match with lamb, beef and venison, and semi-hard cheeses over the next 6-8 years.  Hand-picked fruit, 49% from ‘The Fusilier’ site, Bannockburn, 33% ‘Red Bank, Earnscleugh, Alexandra, and 18% ‘First Paddock’ Gibbston, given a cold soak and fermented with 25% whole clusters to 13.5% alc., the wine aged 11 months in 25% new French oak.  

With fruit from Bannockburn, Earnscleugh and Gibbston sites the bouquet has a plenty to offer with old rose, raspberry, red cherry, hints of plum and strawberry; baking spices, a touch of vanilla and mild toasty oak influences. On the palate – dry, savoury, fruity and textured; flavours of red cherry and brown spice, hints of old rose and mild toasty oak; medium+ acidity, fine tannins and longish finish; balanced, well made, approachable now and cellar worthy through 2017.

Bright, dense and flavoursome Pinot Noir with cherry, raspberry, mineral, floral, violet and spicy oak flavours. High energy wine with impressive purity and length. Should age well.

Fresh, sweet, glacé cherry fruit that's delightfully friendly, fresh and lively. Easy peasy to like and admire - until one tastes its smarter siblings. At the winery, the 2014 is the current release but this is still a charmer.

This supple, silky Pinot will win friends for the variety. Bold plum and cherry fruit is sappy and spicy, with ample weight in the mouth and a long mouthwatering finish.

Intense bright purple cherry fruits, plums, lots and lots of strawberries and raspberries and some maraschino; there is such depth on the nose. The palate has beautifully soft and supple tannins that sit smooth and even. This is flavorsome, tidy and balanced.

The lovely 2013 vintage (5*) is the finest yet. Grown in the company's vineyards at Alexandra (84 per cent) and Gibbston (12 per cent), it was matured for 10 months in French oak casks (25 per cent new). Instantly attractive, it is sweet-fruited and youthful, with rich, vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, showing good complexity, and obvious potential. Savoury, supple and very harmonious, it should be at its best 2016+.

Bold and expressive bouquet that captures the scents of plush and juicy ripe red fruit, a dry stone and schist-like minerality and Otago sweet air laced with new and older oak. On the palate – dry, but immediately juicy with red fruit and plenty of acidity; medium+ fine tannins add texture and complexity; longish finish, expertly crafted.

A blend of Gibbston and Earnscleugh/Alexandra grapes showing typical herby, savoury characters of these two cool Otago sub-regions but enveloped in lush plum/cherry fruit flavours. The net effect is very appealing - quite burgundy-like and a real pleasure to drink.

Very dark ruby-red. Youthfully primary and tight with dark red berry fruits lifted by floral perfumes. Unfolds complexing whole bunch notes. Beautifully succulent fruit, sweet and aromatic, with layers of floral and herb nuances. Finesse on palate with fine tannins. Exudes class.

Complex, intense and complete - a bouquet with personality boasting layers of light red fruits laced with spice and minerals. Fabulous palate, textured, ripe, finely tuned tannins and a lengthy finish.

100 Top New Release Wines

Attractive pinot noir from two Paddock’s own Earnscleugh vineyards with taut, restrained and linear red cherry, mineral and floral flavours. The wine has power but delivers it with subtlety. Terrific cellaring potential.

Pale to med ruby-purple in color, the 2012 Pinot Noir offers a beautiful nose of bright red cherries, crushed raspberries and lavender with hints of black pepper, fennel seed and damp earth. Light to medium-bodied with a good core of red berry and cherry in the mouth complimented by herbal accents and silky tannins, it finishes long with plenty of layers.

Frost decimated the company's vineyard at Gibbston, so the 2012 vintage (4*) is entirely from its two sites at Earnscleugh, in the Alexandra Basin. Ruby-hued, it is silky-textured, with an array of cherry, plum, spice and nut flavours, gentle tannins and good complexity. Drink now or cellar.

Lighter purple-red colour, youthful in appearance. The nose is tight and brash, still needing time to come together, with fresh, herbal-nuanced red berry fruits, oak toast and a touch of reduction. Clearly with the componentry to show good things. Elegant and tightly bound on palate, the tannin grip and acid bite still apparent, but there is bright and sweet redberry fruit with clarity alongside some oak chariness. This has similar complexing detail and quality oak as in the single vineyard ‘Last Chance’ Pinot Noir. Give it another year to be delicious. 

Poised for a decade-long future, Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks has refined a good deal in recent years, arriving at a happy place of lifted allure of tangy, bright red berry/cherry fruits, long-lingering presence and impressive scaffolding of fine, firm tannins. Drink: 2017-2022

Medium to full red colour with a purple rim; the bouquet dominated by smoky sulfidic toasted-barrel characters. Attractive red cherry fruit beneath. An elegant medium-wieght pinot of refinement and length. Delicious wine, it’s not simple but is youthful and fresh. It’s not a try-hard, but as subtlety and length. Very good fruit, charm and drinkability.

High toned floral notes, citrus, red cherry and raspberry. Light and flighty perfume. Bright, flightly, frisky fruit character with a crunchiness of red currant and cranberry fruit and a lemony tang through the finish. Pretty smooth and even, cool and delicate, good fruit character, spice but touch distracting with tang through the finish. Still, plenty to like    Tasted : Oct-13
Drink : 2013 - 2023

The 2010 vintage (4*) was grown at three company-owned sites, in the Alexandra and Gibbston sub-regions. Matured in French oak barriques (25 per cent new), it is full and bright in colour, generous and sweet-fruited, with youthful cherry, plum and spice flavours and excellent depth through the palate. The 2011 (4*) is bright ruby, with good concentration of cherry, spice and slight herb flavours, good complexity and gentle tannins. Best drinking 2014+.

Soft, fully integrated and harmonious bouquet with dark cherry and brown spices first, then a mix of secondary characters emerge with old rose and a touch of old wood spice. A lovely dry wine on the palate with flavours of cherry, cranberry and plum; fine tannins and medium acidity, plenty of toasty oak with dark spice layers. Drink now and through 2020.

Since their debut in 1999, Hollywood A-lister and oenophile Sam Neill and winemaker Dean Shaw have fashioned a very natural, almost leafy style of Pinot Noir from their Gibbston and Alexandra valley vineyards. The wines come across as far less ostentatious than their Central Otago peers and they tend to drink perfectly at 2 – 4 years of age.

The ruby hued 2009 (☆☆☆☆) is supple and savoury, with good richness and complexity. Scented, it’s a mouth filling wine with deep cherry and herb flavors, vibrantly fruity and flowing.

Fabulous aromas. The bouquet is deeply scented with savoury meat, mushroom, dark cherry and floral notes. The palate is beautifully weighted and refined with elegant texture and a gently expanding mouthfeel. Tannins are well pitched, providing a lovely firmness to this generous wine. At its best: now to 2017.

A herbal edgy cooler climate style with nice floral and spice characters. Has energy and complexity. Stylish, supple wine with cellaring potential.

Pinot noir ruby.  Bourgogne rouge is the best descriptor here, for though the wine is clearly pinot noir, it also includes an appealing measure of European complexity factors such as brett, often found in quaffing burgundies.  Palate is soft, round and very food friendly, showing red and black cherry fruit and older oak,  already nearly mellow.  Cellar 2 – 5 years.  (☆☆☆)

The 2009 Pinot Noir presents a medium ruby – purple and intense black cherry, game, smoked meat, loam and black truffle notes. Crisp in the mouth with a medium level of finely grained tannins, this medium bodied Pinot has good concentration and a long savoury finish. Approachable now, it should cellar to 2015.

Pinot noir ruby.  This is deceptive wine, totally demonstrating the benefit of decanting all wine, and particularly newly-bottled ones.  Freshly poured, there is an unconvincing black passionfruit skins aroma,  almost hinting at decay.  Yet breathed, the wine is transformed into a complex pinot noir with roses florals grading to boronia on red and black cherry fruit.  Palate shows elegant ripeness, subtle oaking,  and unusually complex cherry flavours in which a shadow of black passionfruit lingers,  now almost attractively.  A strange one, benefit of the doubt.  Cellar 3 – 8 years.

An elegant and soft bouquet with florals, red apple skin, light red fruits and mineral/soil undertones; plenty of integration underway as well as youthful vibrancy. Juicy, fresh, dry, fruity and elegant; fine tannins and medium+(ish) acidity, moderate oak tones, a balanced and elegant wine with a lengthy finish and loads of complexity and charm. Drink now and through 2022.

This wine has age and beauty. The gorgeous bouquet shows complex aromas of cherry, plum, game and floral with a hint of truffle. It's succulent and silky on the palate with excellent mid palate weight, leading to a lengthy delicious finish. Smooth, rounded and very harmonious. At its best: now to 2015.

Most of the blind tasters placed this wine in Burgundy, which is certainly a credit to Sam Neill's wine-making team. We guessed correctly, first time, that it was from Central Otago. This may have been because we had a New Zealander on our team, but also the nose was ripe, with distinctive black cherry and spice aromas—an immediate giveaway. The wine is a blend from three vineyards: Gibbston, Alexandra and Redbank, and although some Central Otago Pinots can be a little too fruity for my taste, the palate here is quite silky and fine. Taking into account that Two Paddocks only began in 1993, when five acres of vineyards were planted, the future appears very promising indeed.

Picnic by Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2008 showed a transparent ruby hue in the sunlight. A wine with savoury earthy aromas, concentrated black cherry fruit and a ripe vinous complexity, it has rich cherry fruit, smoke, herbs and raspberry sweetness to the savoury finish.  A medium-bodied style with stylish French oak in harmony and an elegant touch.

Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir 2008 is deeper and darker in colour with a black cherry richness to the hue. The beguiling aroma of dark cherry fruit and smoky savoury oak leads into a concentrated beautifully structured wine with a silky seamless impression across the palate. Earthy and savoury with firm yet seductive tannins; black cherry and redcurrant fruit well up from within and a hint of chocolate emerges on the lingering finish.

A harmonious and integrated bouquet with a mix of primary darker red fruits and bottle development characters; cinnamon and cedarwood suggestions, quite complex overall.  These attributes are reflected on the palate with perhaps a little less primary fruit, but harmonious all the same, fine dusty tannins and medium acidity, lovely balance and length. Drink now and through 2020.

There's a lot of darkly toasted, spicy oak dominating this wine at present, although undertones of sweet fruit, mineral and a taffeta finish manage to emerge, giving it some charm.

Definitely for those who enjoy oaky wines.

The 2007 Pinot Noir is Two Paddock’s typical rustic take on Central Otago Pinot. An odd nose at first, almost soapy, but it comes together with further time in the glass. A little stemmy (as usual) but certainly with character. The palate is medium-bodied with touches of thyme lacing the red-berried fruit, showing a degree of elegance on the finish. Individual, but intriguing. I tasted Sam Neill’s wines both blind and at a well-organized public Central Otago tasting.

Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 2007 (89pts) (and its kinder!) Good medium red. Captivating aromas of red fruits, dried flowers, cinnamon and smoke. Sweet, suave and light on its feet, with lovely energy to the red berry and mineral flavors. A pure and refined pinot that finishes classically dry and with enticing peppery lift.

A note of coconut on the nose. Nice moderate weight. A lighter style with sweet blackberry fruit and spices. Integrated toasty oak with a note of bacon-fat. Excellent balance and finish.

Any cynicism that Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks venture may not be all that serious is dispelled the minute this wine unravels in the glass. A little Gibbston fruit is used to support the bounty of Neill’s Alexandra vineyard and the result is an impressive wine showing abundant dark skinned fruit, a fine herbal edge and gently gripping tannins.

Attractive wine with finely focused fruit flavours and an ethereal texture. Elegant and charming Pinot Noir that's very accessible now. Red cherry and spicy oak are the dominant flavours.

The 2007 vintage is full-coloured, rich and supple, with finely balanced cherry, plum and spice flavours, well-integrated oak, and a long finish. Floral, savoury and refined, its already drinking well.
 

Jane MacQuitty's top 100 summer wines - under £20 

Actor Sam Neill’s Two Paddocks estate is as far from Hollywood as you can get, in New Zealand’s South Island. Central Otago’s potential to produce pinot noir to challenge Burgundy was obvious from the start, and Neill was one of the first to prove the point. This delivers the pure, plummy, silky, rose-scented fruit that impressed me so much initially.

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Of the growing list of vineyard-owning celebrities, Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, The Piano) stands apart in the personal commitment he has put into his Pinot Noir vines. This wine is a blend of three vineyards, and shows off intense flavours of plums and just-ripe red and black cherries, with some toasty oak. Very mouthwatering.

The 2006 Pinot Noir has the edge, quite complex on the earthy, leathery nose; the medium bodied palate inbued with good natural acidity, earthy elements and a light, savoury, grainy finish.

Two Paddocks has made three stylish pinots this year – the stylish, charming Two Paddocks First Paddock 2006 (4 Stars); the oaky textural Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir (31/2 Stars), but for drinking now, the Picnic has the charm of youth with lots of fruit nicely balanced with a hint of spice, and a good finish.

Very dark. Very youthful but bold and assertive fruit with a swag of oak. Tannins are firm and solid. Has the concentration and depth of flavor to develop over  time.

Top Twelve New Zealand Pinot Noir

A blend of grapes from not two but three paddocks in three distinctly different areas of Central Otago: Gibbston, Earnscleugh and Alexandra. This is an unusual wine that's deceptively delicate but demonstrates considerable power with an extraordinarily long finish. Quite complex with an array of red and black fruit together with Central Otago's hallmark wild thyme character. Production is small 700 cases.

Good medium red. Subtle aromas of blackberry, redcurrant, mocha, spices and herbs. Juicy, intense and tightly wound, with a peppery/saline quality to the savory core of dark berry, spice and smoked meat flavors. Nice floral lift to the firmly structured, persistent finish. Tannins are suave.

In '05 Two Paddocks has produced this stylish wine, a blend from Last Chance at Alexandra, Redbank at Earnscleugh and First Paddock at Gibbston.

The result is a powerful yet charming, stylish wine with an exciting edge. There is all the cherry and cherryplum fruit you expect from Central, backed with lots of spicy toasty oak with suggestions of coffee and chocolate, and a long crisp finish.

[screwcap; up to 10 days cold-soak; up to 14 days cuvaison; 11 months in French oak 30% new; due to small crops, there are no individual vineyard wines in 2005, just this one label.]

Pinot noir ruby, older than some '05s. Alongside the Cloudy Bay, bouquet on the Two Paddocks is slightly more complex and French in style, but less floral. Palate is no richer, but it is a little riper in its tannins, which coupled with brett at an absolute threshold level, gives it lovely savoury depth. This will be great with food, and will mature gracefully in cellar for 5 – 8 years

The excellent 2005 vintage (4 stars) is from a very low yielding season in which the fruit from the company's vineyards at Gibbston, Earnscleugh and Alexandra was blended into this regional red. Fermented with indigionous yeasts and fermented for ten months in French oak barriques (25% new), it is a stylish wine, deeply coloured and youthful,  with concentrated cherry and spice flavours showing good complexity, and moderately firm tannins.

By Joanna Simon

Seductive cherry, plum and rose-scented wine from the actor Sam Neill's vineyards. 

Wine of the Week: Two Paddocks 2001 Neill Pinot Noir Central Otago

Exciting...I liked the wine because it has what strikes me as true Pinot flavours (no jam, no cough medicine, no beetroot). It's delicate rather than light with only the lightest vegetal note and real grace. To be drunk now rather than cellared, I think - even chilled as a late summer/early spring drink (depending on your hemisphere and local weather).

 After two rather disappointing vintages, actor Sam Neill's Kiwi Pinot Noir found its mark in 2001, delivering a complex, savoury, beguiling red with soft tannins, gamey fruit flavours, sweet oak and a hum of acidity.

[Proprietor's Note: We don't know what Tim could mean by the disappointing previous vintages, but he's spot on about the 2001!]  

Well coloured, complex/aromatic bouquet of ripe red berry fruits with hints of gamey spice and toasty oak. Elegant structure with rich texture of flavour, fine grain tannins, and impressive length. A top example of Otago's vibrant fruit and freshness of style, it has finesse rather than raw power. I liked it a lot - should make great bottles in two to three years.

SEX IN A GLASS -- Smells alluring, slightly racy and earthy but lush with fruit, and it tastes similar, with a slightly feral wildness laced with cherries and dabs of beetroot, a splash of spice: tasty and bright. Certainly virile, with a warm, almost cuddly tone, but is it sexy? Absolutely, if only for its silky texture, which makes your voice go husky when its mingled with such earthy flavour tones. What happens next is up to you.    PRICE : $42., AVAILABLE: momentarily

From Sam Neill's vineyards at Gibbston and Alexandra, shows just how delicious and charming good Central Otago pinot noir can be with that extra year's bottle age. Sam Neill plans to release his wines when they are ready to drink, according to marketing manager Ruth Elliott. This is powerful and harmonious with layers of flavours - velvety sweet fruit, spicy oak, smoky, gamey, savoury overtones and an attractive, crisp texture. Although it's delicious now, it will develop further over the next year or two.

Central Otago wine with a bouquet which is fragrant and spicy with suggestions of straw. Silky and seamless on the palate, with cherry and berry flavours light oak and very light tannine. Tasty, easy drinking wine for now and the next few years.

Sam started out making wine for his family -- now his Pinot Noir red as taken off. Popular both Down Under and in the US.

Jilly's verdict: This is a rich man's folly. Brilliant stuff, I absolutely love it. It's got a gorgeous nose, a piercing berry fruit with a little simmering compost. A bouncy, jazzy wine, with a touch of vibrancy to it. It's understated -- Sam's name doesn't even appear on the label.

Only 155 cases of this pinot were produced, which makes it pretty hard to find. Actor and Central Otago enthusiast Sam Neill owns the vineyard, Steve Moffit tends the vines and Dean Shaw makes the wine. They form a pretty formidable team.

Current Release 2000 There's an earthy, rustic note on the nose that rather appeals to the peasant in me, but the overriding impression is of good, sweet fruit. It's smartly balanced, with rich flavours suggestive of cherries and plums and a spicy, sweet-edged finish. It makes a great partner for pink cooked roast lamb, spiked with rosemary and garlic before it hits the oven.

Quality: 4 ½ Glasses--Excellent wine that will taste every bit as good as a five-glass model in all but the most analytical of circumstances

Value: 3 ½ Stars --Good value wine selling for a fraction less than it's quality merits.

© Copyright 2003, Penguin Books NZ. Posted with the permission of the publisher

At present is almost overwhelmingly perfumed and fruity, with vibrant cherry, raspberry and plum flavours, but behind the fruit, some serious, savoury complexity is developing. It's not quite together yet but may well develop into a totally charming wine as the 1999 has done.

Cuisine
BEST OF THE BUNCH
By Bob Campbell
June/July 2000

$32 -- Drink now or cellar for up to 5 years.

Sweet plum and cherry flavours with a beguiling silken texture. Very attractive Pinot Noir. Deliciously drinkable.

12 April 2000, Otago Daily Times
GOOD PINOT NOIR AT A PALATABLE PRICE
By Charmian Smith

Pinot Noir is one of the most versatile red wines. At its best, charming with an underlying strength and hinting of cherries and mushrooms, it goes well with a huge range of food. However, fine Pinot Noir has always been expensive and often been over priced. Now, as new plantings come on stream, more reasonably priced bottles are emerging on the shelves. ...

Two Paddocks Pinot Noir 1998

(about $32) is the second vintage from Sam Neill's vineyards, and still in very short supply. As more vines come into production, larger quantities should be available from 1999 on. This shows typically Central Otago cherry-plum fruit with a hint of sappiness, but also concentration, length and a fine texture. It developed more charm with being open a day, indicating it will develop with bottle age--something Neill has often said about Central Otago Pinot. ***½ .

Light-textured wine but lots of flavour with some racy Otago acid which will give the wine some life. Feels young but opened up well in the glass. Best with two more years.

This little beauty (s/available last time looked) at Bono Street Wine and Liquor for $32 - for some reason cheaper than the 97 vintage of the same wine. It's a well organized Otago pinot: with elegant berry fruit flavours and a nice acidic edge.

BEST OF THE BUNCH

$28 -- Drink now or cellar for up to 5 years.

First release from a brand new Central Otago winery owned by actor Sam Neill. Strong cherry and plum flavours with savory, gamy influence that adds greater complexity and interest. The wine has good richness, impressive concentration and a silken texture. Available in limited quantities.

A sweet red noseful, fruit fresh and just a touch scatological. The taste is all enthusiasm, bright-eyed, slender body studded with red fruit flavours and the more mellow, complex tones of horse shit, or is it cow shit. With the supple tension of good pinot noir, Otago's typical fruit zip and well-measured winemaking, this is already one of the best wines yet from the deep south. The only problems is that there is so little of it. 

The NZ Organic Library Stock Wine Awards (Vintage wine awards) were launched in 2018 as a proof of concept, to both discover without doubt how certain wines are ageing, and to then promote the  cellaring potential of these wines to consumers.  

2022 Library Stock Wine Awards 2016 & 2017 vintages

A very settled Riesling with a neat thread of lime juice and pithy citrus rind that’s really nicely carved into the dry style (not always easy in Central Otago). This has terrific, crisp appeal. Drink now.

Intricate, sleek and poised, this fabulous riesling shows lemon pith, lime sorbet, crunch apple and jasmine characters on the nose, leading to an impressively focused palate that is finely textured and vibrant, while flowing seamlessly to a persistent finish. The wine offers outstanding clarity and precision with whispering sweetness and steely acidity, finishing splendidly long and mouth-watering. At its best: 2020 to 2030.

Estate-grown at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra, in the Red Bank Vineyard, the 2014 vintage (3.5*) has fresh lemon/lime flavours, showing very good vigour and depth, and an off-dry (10 grams/litre of residual sugar) finish. Enjoyable young.

I'd happily make this my house white.

Really great balance in this dry-but-not-bone-dry (RS 6g/l) Riesling grown on Sam Neill's home farm.  Their only white wine and just 150 cases made.  pH 3.04! Admirable varietal character.  I'd happily make this my house white.

Estate-grown at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra, in the Red Bank Vineyard, the 2014 vintage (3.5*) has fresh, strong lemon/lime flavours, showing very good vigour and depth, and an off-dry (10 grams/litre of residual sugar) finish. Enjoyable young.

Jan 19, 2016, Yvonne Lorkin

4.5-Stars -- How winemaker Dean Shaw manages to stuff the equivalent of an entire citrus orchard into a 750ml bottle is beyond me, but if you're a fan of anything resembling a crunchy-crisp, lime and apple smash up, that also manages to be stylish and elegantly put together, then this has your name on it. Crafted from fruit grown in their Redbank vineyard in Earnscleugh, Central Otago, this delicious riesling has intense concentration, tautness and a hint of spice on the finish. Superb with sweet & sour fish slathered in fresh chilli and coriander.

Bright, light straw-yellow colour with light golden hues, pale edged.  This has a soft and gently full nose of ripe yellow florals and lime fruit with delicate apricot and exotic tropical fruit notes akin to botrytis..  Honey and sherbet elements add to the exotic interest.  Off-dry to taste and medium-bodied, the fruit is exotic with yellow florals, tropical fruits and honied notes.  The wine is soft and has a luscious mouthfeel, with a rounded, finely textured core.  The palate is balanced by crisp, lacy, underlying acidity, which enhances the line and flow.  The flavours blossom from the rich core and carry to a long, lingering finish of florals and honeysuckle. This is an exotic Riesling with yellow florals, honey and marmalade notes, along with a strong core and fresh acidity.  Match with Asian and Middle Eastern fare over the next 4+ years.  Fruit from 0.5 ha of the ‘Red Bank’ vineyard, hand-picked and stainless-steel fermented with a small portion in seasoned oak to 13.0% alc. and 6 g/L RS, TA 9.0 g/L and pH 3.04.  150 cases made. 

Wild honey and white floral, fresh and baked apple, quince and lemon – a bouquet filled with a sense of place and personality. On the palate – dry, wild and full of energy – the quince and lemon combination stand out with apple to follow; high acidity, crisp and generous – a really worthwhile aperitif style.

More concentrated and with more weight than the highly drinkable Picnic Riesling in a similar off/dry style and with mineral, lime and wild flower flavours. Attractive wine that can be enjoyed now but should become even more interesting with bottle age.

Sweet mandarin and lime flower, iced peach tea and lemon aromas – quite complex with a particular mineral note. On the palate – dry with vibrant acidity with flavours of lime and lemon, crisp green apple and thyme laced elderflower – very cool! Light weight with medium length and a sweet note on the finish.

Estate-grown at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra, in the Red Bank Vineyard, the 2013 vintage (4*) is a youthful wine, medium-bodied, with very good depth of citrusy, limey, slightly spicy flavours that build across the palate to a sustained, basically dry (5 grams/litre of residual sugar) finish. A good food wine, it carries the dry style well.

Light, frisky, fine perfume of citrus, green apple, floral things - zing! Bright and frisky entry to the wine. Tightly wound and laser-like across the palate, very long in flavour, intense and coiled. Super fine, needle-like thrust of zingy, lightly chalky textured wine. Really inward. Very good.    Tasted : Oct-13   Drink : 2013 - 2017

"Made from organic grapes grown on estate vineyards. Soft, rich and fruity pinot noir with ripe plum, dark berry, liquorice and just a hint of smoky-oak flavours. On a hot day, it might be improved by being slightly chilled (but not too much)"

Cellar 2022–2026

"Bright and pristine, the beautifully fragrant bouquet shows red cherry, raspberry, floral, clove and mushroom aromas, leading to a finely flowing palate that’s juicy and rounded. Wonderfully framed by polished tannins, making it immensely tempting and attractive. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2028. "

"Still very youthful, the 2020 vintage (4*) was hand-picked and French oak-aged. Deep, bright ruby, with fresh acidity and supple tannins, it is packed with cherryish, plummy, spicy flavours, gently seasoned with oak. Best drinking 2023+. Certified organic."

"Sweetly ripe and elegantly complex with dark cherry, mixed spice, toasted almond and smoked game nuances, the wine offering plump mouthfeel and silken texture, well supported by fine-grained tannins. Beautifully composed and harmonious with a lengthy delectable finish. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2027."

"Attractive, modern style with toasty oak, plenty of spice and light flinty reduction, across bright red cherries and plums. The palate has a very succulent, open and easygoing feel with bright, fresh and supple tannins. Drink now. Screw cap."

"Certified organic, the 2019 vintage (4*) was estate-grown at Bannockburn (46 per cent), Alexandra (36 per cent) and Gibbston (18 per cent), hand-picked and matured for nine months in mostly seasoned French oak barriques (4 per cent new). Deep ruby, it is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and supple, with very good depth of vibrant cherry, plum and spice flavours, nutty oak adding complexity, and plenty of drink-young charm."

Elegant, fragrant and inviting, the wine shows ripe plum, dark cherry, floral, subtle spice and almond characters. The palate delivers succulent fruit intensity and rounded mouthfeel, gorgeously complemented by spicy nuances and polished tannins. Immediately appealing and highly enjoyable. At its best: now to 2023. $34.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Jan 2020.

Aromas of very bright red cherries and a sleek, lithe and juicy feel. This has attractive, light and smooth texture with plenty of bright red cherries, holding long and lively at the finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap.

Deep-set cherry aromas with wild herbs and some spiced black tea. This has an exotic but approachable feel with bold cherry flavors and fluid, ripe tannins that deliver a smooth, pastry-like texture. Drink now.

The entry-level wine delivers value and bright, crunchy red cherry fruit in a crisp, drink-now mode.

Plenty of red fruit concentration layered into the Pinosity signature of this wine - vibrant and fresh with with raspberry and red cherry with a hint of cranberry fruit; a touch of whole bunch savoury notes add depth. This style from the Two Paddocks stable is becoming a serious wine. ​

This early release pinot noir has a reductive meaty thread ahead of some spicy blue and dark berry fruit aromas and flavors. Chewy, untamed tannins and a sense of knockabout appeal. Drink now.

Owned by actor Sam Neill, Two Paddocks produces luscious pinot noir on New Zealand's South Island.  This is a great introduction to the estate, with notes of red berries, spice and some attractive juicy fruit.

Seductive strawberry and plum perfume, a generously silky, cherry and strawberry palate, a streak of refreshing orange peel and a light touch of structure-giving tannin. Very attractive.

Pinot noir ruby, below midway in depth. Bouquet is intriguing, floral with buddleia and cream / orange roses, and a suggestion of spicy / smoky complexity. Palate is clean, ripe, attractively balanced to oak and much more concentrated and juicy than the early days of the Picnic label – in short dinkum pinot noir. Except it might not be bone dry, though. Cellar 3 – 8 years.  

Fresh, vibrant, lots of red florals and very fruity aroma; just noticeable softer oak layer, a hint of spice and vanilla and a calm inviting bouquet overall. On the palate – dry, fresh, fruity, easy tannins and crisp youthful acidity; a touch of palate tension and poise adds to the length and enjoyment of this wine.

Promoted as 'the people's Pinot', the 2014 vintage (3.5*) of this drink-young red was hand-harvested and French oak-aged. Bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, with gentle tannins and good depth of cherry, plum, spice and herb flavours, fresh and smooth.

Promoted as 'the people's pinot', the 2013 vintage (4*) of this drink-young red was estate-grown, hand-harvested and French oak-aged. Bright ruby, it is sweet-fruited and supple, with generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, showing good complexity and harmony. Clearly a top vintage, it shows good substance; drink now or cellar.

This has a wealth of bright cherry and pomegranate fruit and is really vibrant, primary, energetic and full of life. The palate has strawberry, raspberry and plum compote flavours; light, easy tannins; and a neat, chiseled finish. Drink now.

Promoted as 'the people's pinot', the 2012 vintage (3.5*) of this drink-young red was estate-grown, hand-harvested and French oak-aged. Ruby-hued, it is medium to full-bodied and smooth, with very satisfying depth of ripe cherry, plum, dried-herb and spice flavours, a gentle seasoning of oak, and loads of drink-young charm.

Some char, pepper and red fruit, vanilla, sweet red berries, medium bodied, light of touch and pretty squishy strawberry acidity. Pleasing to drink.
Tasted : Oct-13   Drink : 2013 - 2017

A Central Otago regional blend, the 2009 vintage ( ***) tastes like a second tier Two Paddocks Pinot Noir, rather than a sort of picnic Beaujolais. Matured in French oak barrels (25% new), it is full ruby, with strong plum, herb and spice flavours, showing some savoury complexity, and fairly firm tannins.

It's ripe and lifted on the nose displaying red/black cherry, dried herb and game characters. The palate is lively and well fruited with a juicy mouthfeel and fine tannins. A well balanced and very satisfying Pinot. At its best: now to 2013.

Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2009 Picnic Pinot Noir has aromas of black cherries, warm raspberry, cinnamon and cloves. Medium bodied and structured with a low to medium level of silky tannins and a refreshingly high level of acidity, there plenty of juicy fleshing the middle and lingering long into the finish. Drink it now to 2014.

Light dry wine with subtle cherry flavours supported by fine and drying tannins. A bit short but is solidly varietal and offers reasonable value.

Yes, yes, I know, the name suggests spring/summer rather than dark winter evening drinking (as does the very summer photo!). But then this wine is so vibrant, delicious and versatile that I’d be happy having it any time of the year. Dense and juicy – it’s like that gorgeous waft of fruit you get when you take the top off a blender after making a red berry smoothie. Bursting with life, fresh and crisp but also generous and round on the palate. A great example of a NZ Pinot Noir, and yikes, this isn’t cheap it’s true, but there’s enough going on to make it worth that extra price. 

A blend of fruit from all the Two Paddock’s vineyards and other parts of Central Otago. The nose is spicy with bits of carrot top and black cherry fruit. On the palate it is smooth and sleek with spicy, savoury black cherry fruit character. Impressive styling and weight for the price. Perfect with most fowl dishes.

One of the better "cheaper'' labels from Central, this has savoury undertones, earthy suggestions of bush tracks, and ripe fruit hinting of plums and cherries. Simple but very drinkable. Good value.

It's earthy and savoury on the nose displaying game, spice and dark plum characters. The medium-bodied palate is well fruited showing soft texture, bright acidity and a gently drying finish. At its best: now to 2011.

It's earthy and savoury on the nose displaying game, spice and dark plum characters. The medium-bodied palate is well fruited showing soft texture, bright acidity and a gently drying finish. At its best: now to 2011.

From actor Sam Neill’s vineyards, this easy wine hints of dark cherries and fresh field mushrooms with a suggestion of spicy oak. A bright, nicely balanced, textural wine.

 

A Central Otago regional blend, this is an attractive drink young style with deep, youthful colour and a lifted, aromatic, spicy bouquet. The palate is fresh and ripe, with very satisfying depth of cherry, plum, and spice flavours, a touch of complexity and a smooth finish.
 

Ripe crushed strawberry and red cherry flavours with a silken texture. Appealing entry level Pinot Noir that has a little more weight and complexity than many at this price. Bone dry without the sometimes annoying sweetness that can be a feature of less expensive Pinot Noir.

The 2007 vintage is an attractive drink-young style, … deeply coloured, with a lifted, aromatic, spicy bouquet, it is fresh and ripe, with very satisfying depth of cherry, plum and spice flavours, a touch of complexity and a smooth finish. 
 

From the South Island’s pinot haven, Central Otago, the 2006 Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir is hard to pass up for value and style, showing plenty of lifted fragrance and bright pinot characters. It shines on the palate with ripe cherry fruit and neatly proportioned tannins that drive even and long, brightened by acidity and lifting through the finish.

A Central Otago charmer that’s easy to enjoy, this could be served slightly chilled to emphasize the freshness. It does have structure and silky tannins, but really it’s all about soft ripe red berries with a hint of spice and funk. It’s perfect with grilled veal chop or pork tenderloin.

Two Paddocks has made three stylish pinots this year – the stylish, charming Two Paddocks First Paddock 2006 (4 Stars); the oaky textural Two Paddocks Central Otago Pinot Noir (31/2 Stars), but for drinking now, the Picnic has the charm of youth with lots of fruit nicely balanced with a hint of spice, and a good finish.

Deep colour, showing some early development. Funky notes on the nose.  Palate is of moderate intensity with some depth and rather firm tannins.

Good medium red. Raspberry, strawberry and woodsmoke on the nose. Sweet, supple and mellow, with herb-tinged berry flavors. Finishes with good sappy lift. The wine's soft tannins won't get in the way of enjoying this gently styled pinot right now. In fact, I'd drink this less expensive release now and give the regular estate blend a year or two of bottle aging.

Ruby, minutely deeper than the 2004 Last Chance. Bouquet is sweetly floral, in a buddleia style, with mixed red and black cherry fruit, seemingly more alcohol than the given 13%. Palate is softer, riper, less oaked and more easy-going than the more serious wine, but with lovely pinot flavours bespeaking a riper year than the 2004 examples. It is almost as if there were 3 g/L residual sugar to soften it. This is attractive ‘picnic’ pinot. Cellar 3 – 6 years.

I always enjoy this simple, easy drinking wine from Sam Neill's vineyards. Compared with the more complex, minerally elegance of The Last Chance Pinot Noir (3 1/2 stars), the Picnic is a lively wine that dances on the tongue and has an intriguing spicy, slightly gamy character with an underlying edginess.

A drink young style, the 2005 vintage (3 stars), is blend of Marlborough and Central Otago grapes. Its a full coloured wine, flavoursome and supple, with plummy, herbal, spicy characters, and enough tannin to be interesting. A "pretty" wine with some substance that's ready to roll.

...producing a growing number of lower priced, accessible New Zealand pinots. The best of these are world beating wines with appeal and verve, often a blend of vineyards assembled into a generic regional statement with a name that suggests drinking, not thinking.

Down Otago way there are several good renditions too. 2004 Two Paddocks Picnic Pinot Noir is as light hearted as its name suggests, with simple musky aromas and fragrant red fruit. The palate is sherbet-like with dried herbs, easygoing tannins and good overall balance.

Elegant pinot noir ruby. This is simply lovely pure light pinot, some florals, clear cherries, pleasing and fragrant. Palate is pro rata, not as concentrated as the more serious wines, red fruits dominant, but the alcohol (if correct) showing how easily the flavours of physiological maturity are achieved in a good year in Otago's continental climate. If this were priced close to the other Picnic Series wines, it would be a great introduction to the variety. Cellar 3 – 5 years.

"An entry-level riesling that seems slightly sweeter than the Two Paddocks equivalent but sits in the medium-dry segment. I like the punchier acidity balanced by a touch more sweetness, which gives the wine a delicious edginess."

Cellar 2022–2029

"Fresh, youthful, crisp, off-dry riesling with crisp, bright citrus-lime, oyster shell and floral flavours supported by a line of steely acidity."

Cellar 2022–2029

"It’s delicately lifted on the nose showing apricot, lemon peel and crunchy apple notes with a hint of savoury nuance. The palate displays finely textured mouthfeel together with subtle sweetness and bright acidity, finishing wonderfully long and linear. Style: Off-dry. Certified organic. At its best: now to 2031."

"Certified organic, the 2019 vintage (4*) was estate-grown and hand-harvested in the Red Bank Vineyard, at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra. Made in an off-dry style (10-12 grams/litre of residual sugar), it is a light lemon/green, scented wine, medium-bodied, with plenty of citrusy, slightly appley flavour, crisp acidity, and lots of current-drinking appeal. Still youthful, it should also reward cellaring."

Fabulously fragrant and inviting, the bouquet shows Gala apple, lemon pith and blossom aromas, followed by a focused palate that's bright and lingering. The wine offers pristine fruit flavours together with fine texture and refreshing acidity, making it highly enjoyable. Style: Off-dry. At its best: now to 2026. Certified organic. $28.00. www.twopaddocks.com. Jan 2020.

The warm and early 2018 harvest has delivered a wine bathed in ripe white-peach aromas and flavors with good depth, line and length. It finishes slightly off-dry and achieves handy balance. Drink now.

Grown near Alexandra, this is an attractively scented, medium bodied wine (12.5% alc/vol) with excellent intensity of vigorous, citrusy flavours, a sliver of sweetness and a long, crisp finish.

For sheer fun, enjoyment, exuberance and levity this just off-dry Riesling gets full marks. It is light and fresh with vivid green apple and bright lemon notes. The palate is zesty and oh so juicy. Underneath is serious intent and enough stuffing to allow for some bottle age – but don’t let that hold you back. Drink 2018-2025 Alc 12.5%

Quite bright lime and green-apple aromas with a light, herbal overlay. The palate delivers bright and easy apple and elderflower flavors. Really attractive. Drink now.

Certified organic, the 2017 vintage (4.5* ) was estate-grown and hand-picked in the Red Bank Vineyard, at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra. Made in an an off-dry style, it is pale lemon/green, with excellent intensity of vigorous, citrusy flavours, a sliver of sweetness and a long, crisp finish. Already drinking well, it should be at its best 2020+.

The aromas, textures and flavours derived from a wild fermentation show well with wild flowers, wild fruits and white fleshed pears; some honeysuckle, a touch of 'funk' and old wood or lees notes. Buy! Very nice wine ​

The 2016 vintage (4*), tasted in April 2018, is invitingly scented, with lively, youthful, lemon and green apple flavours, a hint of toasty, bottle-aged characters, and good concentration. Drink now onwards.

Aromas of ripe red apple, preserved lemon and zesty citrus. Off-dry as it meets the palate leading to a dry finish; intense acidity and developing complexity. 

A slightly waxy and spicy nose with a core fresh apple, pear and lime flavors. A slight barley-like finish. Drink now

Estate-grown in the Red Banks Vineyard, at Earnscleugh, near Alexandra, the 2015 vintage is an off-dry style. Lemon-scented, it is a medium-bodied, citrusy, appley wine, fresh, finely balanced and full-flavoured

As Haynes Hanson & Clark (UK) are still on the 2014 vintage it may be that this zingy off-dry Riesling doesn't sell all that quickly. It deserves to. Age has give it the kerosene/petrol whiff that Riesling sometimes acquires, and which is so much more appetising than it sounds, but the palate remains focused on juicy, lime and apple refreshment.

The 2013 vintage (3.5*) is similar to the 2012. A medium-dry style (10 grams/litre of residual sugar), it is lemon-scented, with strong, vibrant, citrusy flavours. Enjoyable young.

This is a well-made Riesling with fine linear mouthfeel, lovely austere mineral tones and a touch of honey and light linoleum notes.  Only 600 cases were made of this, the more casual Riesling in Neill’s stable, but it is startlingly good – and, given the meticulous and tiny production, incredibly fairly priced.

Slate-like minerality over citrus fruit and appley notes. Serious kind of entry to the wine. Slippery sweetness through the wine with light tang of grapefruity acidity. Sweetness drives the wine and becomes focus, not met with enough acidity to give power and drive, but there's high refreshment factor here and delicacy is a forte. Pretty good.
Tasted : Oct-13   Drink : 2013 - 2017

Estate-grown in the Red Banks Vineyard, at Earnscleugh, in Central Otago, the 2012 (3.5*) is crisp and lively, with lemony, appley flavours, gentle sweetness, and very good depth and harmony.

This flavour-packed dish cries out for an energetic, aromatic white wine -- one with intensity and zip. From New Zealand's Central Otago, Picnic Riesling 2011 from Two Paddocks is a gloriously fragrant wine, and is what I'd be pouring when preparing, and then devouring, a bowl of succulent mussels. Its crisp acidity and zesty lime character will cut through the rich, creamy sauce, and its hit of sweetness will set off the sweet mussel and salty bacon flavours.