Crowded House Pinot Noir 2008 (Marlborough, NZ)

NOTES

An exclusively South Island Pinot with a component from the esoteric and bohemian quarter of vineyards around the Nelson River. One of New Zealand's more intrepid winemakers, Ant Moore gets a grip on the disparate elements of some seriously good fruit and gravitates everything toward the centre, formulating a Pinot wine that expresses South Island in general, and Central Otago at the margins. A tight wine, as always well crafted, with understated oak and blissful levels of cherry fruit, clearly planned with good food in mind

His travels around the grapegrowing districts of the South Island led to the unearthing of some choice Pinot Noir vineyard sites. Batches from Central Otago, Marlborough and along the Nelson River have been woven into a tapestry of charming pinosity, robed in chocolatey tannins and cradled with a gentle handling of oak. Maturation under a combination of fine French barriques for nine months.

TASTING NOTES

Iridescent plum colour with purple hue. Virile bouquets of stewed plum, some dried herbs and earthy notes. Rich and robust palate weight with fleshy fruit and savoury pinot characters. A full bodied pinot noir, with ample fleshiness derived from the Central Otago portion of the blend. There is mocha and chocolate, with earthy spice. Well balanced with a lovely array of fruits and fine tannins providing excellent weight and length. A luscious mid palate, expressing pepper and grainy tannins on a long finish.