This is a fairly big, muscular Pinot Noir, with beefy black-cherry fruit and oaky overtones of brown sugar. Give it a year or more to smooth out, because the long, intense finish filled with berry fruit shows tremendous promise. Drink 2013–2020.
— J.C.
(4/1/2012)
A lightweight but intensely flavored Riesling, with stony, fern-like and lime-ridden aromas. Elegantly intertwined lime and green apple flavors dominate the palate, finishing long and minerally. Just slightly off-dry.
— J.C.
(8/1/2003)
With 13 g/l residual sugar, this is a soft, off-dry style of Riesling that boasts admirable purity to its melon and lime flavors. It’s medium bodied, with a softly lingering finish that imparts great elegance, a character sometimes missing from Otago wines.
— J.C.
(9/1/2009)
This Pinot Noir from the Bannockburn subregion is a bit chunky and extracted without going too far, marrying ripe black cherry fruit with hints of cinnamon and coffee. It lacks the finesse of Carrick’s pricier bottling, but offers a rich mouthful of Pinot at an attractive price.
— J.C.
(4/1/2012)
Delicately herbal on the nose, with dry, dusty scents of earth that accent pretty cherry aromas. Not a blockbuster, this is a more delicate, feminine style of wine from Central Otago. Finishes with a silky flourish. Imported by Sauvage Selections.
— J.C.
(12/1/2005)
This is a big, slightly rustic Pinot that marches to a decidedly unfruity beat. Coffee and mushroom aromas set the stage, then add cola and earth notes on the palate. Finishes long, but with some rough edges; give it 2–3 years in the cellar.
— J.C.
(3/1/2009)
Medium-sweet on the IRF scale, this light- to medium-bodied Riesling displays classic scents of petrichor, green apple and lime. Shows decent length and hints of petrol on the finish.
— J.C.
(4/1/2012)
This slightly rough-edged wine needs 2–3 years to round into shape. Right now, it shows some rustic, tree-bark aromas alongside coffee and cocoa scents, while the cherry flavors are candied and intense. These elements carry the intensity needed for aging, and should come into greater harmony in time
— J.C.
(9/1/2003)