Joe Czerwinski

Managing Editor of Digital and Print

In his role, Joe Czerwinski manages all aspects of digital and print production for Wine Enthusiast Magazine as well as helping drive the creative direction of the dynamic online and print publications. Czerwinski has been a wine journalist, editor and taster for over a decade and is a regular wine panelist, speaker and educator for events and organizations worldwide. Czerwinski was previously Senior Editor and Tasting Director for Wine Enthusiast Media. Czerwinski currently reviews wines from Australia, New Zealand and the Rhône Valley in France.

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Mt. Difficulty 2011 Roaring Meg Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Editors' Choice

Price $25

Mt. Difficulty’s Pinots have resisted the trend toward ever-softer textures, even in this, the winery’s entry-level bottling. Instead, the wine is firmly structured. Savory, dark-skinned plum fruit is accented by plenty of briary spice. Drink from 2014–2020. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Mt. Difficulty 2010 Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Cellar Selection

Price $45

This wine’s black cherry and earth notes are enticing, and the spice and mocha finish is intriguing, but right now the tannins are still a bit firm. Give this medium-bodied Pinot Noir another year or two to mellow, then enjoy it over the next 5–6 years. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Quartz Reef 2010 Pinot Noir (Central Otago)

Price $37

Made from fruit that is drawn from the Bendigo subregion, this is a full-bodied, supple Pinot Noir that boasts a notably silky finish. It’s smoky, violet-filled and savory, but those nuances are balanced out by the core of cherry fruit. Drink now–2020. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Escarpment 2009 Pinot Noir (Martinborough)

The Escarpment style is always one of ample ripeness, weight and structure, and the 2009 measures up to the winery’s previous successes. Plummy fruit is tinged with a dark chocolate note, while the palate is richly textured, and the finish is long and velvety. Drink now–2018. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Jules Taylor 2010 Pinot Noir (Marlborough)

Editors' Choice

Price $20

A blend of fruit drawn from the Awatere and Brancott subregions, this is a lively, fresh example of Marlborough Pinot Noir. Judiciously applied notes of vanilla and cinnamon accent flavors of cherry and herb that finish long, while the medium- to full-bodied wine’s tannins are ripe and impart a creamy texture. Drink now and over the next couple of years. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Villa Maria 2010 Cellar Selection Pinot Noir (Marlborough)

Price $30

Villa Maria’s upper-level Pinot Noirs have always been big and bold, but with this release the wines seem to have taken a turn toward more finesse and elegance. The 2010 Cellar Selection features a plushly textured palate, refined aromas and flavors of cherries, earth and cedar, and a long, softly dusty finish. Drink now–2018. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Mission Estate 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Hawke's Bay)

Editors' Choice
Online Exclusive

Price $16

Somehow, Mission Estate has managed to produce a prototypical Cabernet for a price that should leave consumers smiling. Cassis, tobacco and cedar notes pick up a mocha shading on the long, mouthwatering finish. It’s a soft, supple wine that can be consumed over the next five years. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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Saint Clair 2010 Pioneer Block 15 Strip Block Pinot Noir (Marlborough)

Price $30

The fruit for this provocatively named bottling is sourced from the lower Waihopai, or “Spy Valley” section of Marlborough. It’s a medium-bodied, supple wine that places the emphasis on earthy notes of beetroot and clove, and then adds in cherry fruit and vanillin. Long, savory and spicy on the finish. — J.C. (4/1/2013)

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2010 Écluse Lock Vineyard

California Cabernet simply doesn’t get richer or riper than this. It…

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