Time to celebrate Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir is a rising star in the New Zealand wine scene and with August 18th officially ‘Pinot Noir Day’, we thought it was time to celebrate this red beauty.
Second only in production volume to Sauvignon Blanc in New Zealand, Pinot Noir originates from Burgundy and has found a home in the cooler wine growing regions of the world, Marlborough among them.
Pinot Noir’s intense and rich flavours are a delicious accompaniment to a range of savoury dishes – wild duck, Marlborough salmon, venison and pork included. And it works equally well with cool weather and a cosy fire as it does with the scorching Marlborough sunshine.
Pick of the Pinots
We’ve included our pick of five fabulous Marlborough Pinots which are tasting great right now:
- Auntsfield’s Hawk Hill Pinot Noir or Heritage Pinot Noir. These single vineyard wines are something pretty special, with their rich, ripe and savoury characters. We love Bob Campbell’s comment about the ‘Heritage’ when he said it will “no doubt age magnificently – although it is dangerously easy to appreciate now”. Can’t argue with that. The only trouble you may have is getting your hands on a bottle!
- Cloudy Bay’s Pinot Noir is definitely an elegant Marlborough red. Loaded with red berry and cherry flavours, the Cloudy Bay team describe 2014 as being “our best Cloudy Bay Pinot Noir to date”.
- The 2013 Pinot Noir from Mahi is a fine blend of grapes from five of their vineyards, which brings a complex spectrum of red and black fruits to the glass. The sumptuous mouth-feel and texture makes it a pleasure to sample.
- The dark ruby red of Nautilus’ Pinot Noir woos you at first glance. The pretty violets and rich plum characters which follow will have you hooked.
- The Pioneer Block 16 Pinot Noir (from the Awatere Valley) – produced by Saint Clair is also a wee gem. We love the toasty coffee notes on the nose, which are superbly rounded out with rich berries, and herbal influences (like thyme) on the palate. A seriously good drop.
As you can tell, we’re massive fans of the Pinot Noir coming out of Marlborough. It sometimes sits in the shadows of our amazing Sauvignon Blanc offerings, but anyone who has had the pleasure of trying Marlborough Pinots will vouch for just how incredible they are. We also find it fascinating to watch the variation and evolution from vintage to vintage, as our ‘rising stars’ rise ever upwards.
If you’d like a knowledgeable team to take you on a tour tasting the best Pinot Noir in the beautiful Marlborough wine region, then give Sounds Connection a call today.
