2009 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir

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.