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Pinot Noir is the red grape responsible for red Burgundy. Apart from some exceptions in the south, all red Burgundy is made from 100% Pinot Noir. It’s a so and so to grow and needs a cool climate to produce anything you might call remarkable. This makes it expensive. New Zealand has just the right climate and, in my opinion, makes the second best Pinot Noir in the world. All the wines we tasted were delicious and interesting, but I suppose you expect that at an average price of £10.20. In all cases, the smell was fabulous. In some, it was bewitching. The tastes weren’t disappointing, exactly, but weren’t so effusively marked. At £10 and below, I think New Zealand is the best place in the world for Pinot. Of course, you have to take account of what happens to red Burgundy with a few years in bottle. We haven’t been importing NZ Pinot for long enough to have experience of the ageing process. Alcohol could be an issue as most of these wines were 14% to 14.5%, which might be just too high to be attractive when the tannins smooth even more and flavours become more subtle and complex.
Sadly, our favourite wine was the most expensive. Wither Hills 2004 is £14.99 from Waitrose and it smelt of heaven. It was herby – perhaps sage – and also spicy. It smelt of well rotted compost, earth and, later, of coffee. It had quite sweet fruit in the mouth and wasn’t earth-shatteringly long, but finished with delicious acid.
Considerable cheaper, if you buy 3 bottles from Thresher, is Montana Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005, which is reduced from £8.99 to £5.99 on their very popular multibuy. I thought it smelt of the sticky edges of plum crumble, but Alex was reminded of a tonic wine. We also picked up oak and chocolate. It had a delicious freshness in the mouth, closer to a white wine, and the flavour developed in the mouth.
Third favourite was Waimea, Barrel Selection 2004, which is £9.99 at Majestic. It smelt herby, but also with vanilla oak and some caramelised dark fruit. It was dry and with more tannin that the others.
Fourth best was Clocktower 2004, which is £9.99 from Marks and Spencer. It was pretty atypical. A great big blockbuster of a wine with a strong, rich smell. Although we loved the taste, we found the alcohol far, far too strong. It reminded us of sloe gin.
Our least favourite was, bizarrely, Stoneleigh 2005, which is £8.49 from Waitrose. I have bought this wine relentlessly for dinner parties because it is so very good with food. It smelt of Tunes and damson jam and tasted young and dry, when compared to the others.
Wither Hills, Marlborough 2004 – Waitrose - £14.99
Montana, Marlborough 2005 – Thresher – £8.99/£5.99
Waimea, Barrel Selection, Nelson 2004 – Majestic - £9.99