RICH & RED

Waitaki, one of our newest wine regions, announces its presence with only 1,080 bottles of Kinross Kilted Pioneer Pinot Noir 2018 (RRP $50) – a hand-picked, single-vineyard pinot noir with concentrated red fruit aromas and fine tannins. Cherry and berry fruit aromas; subtle notes of fresh herbs, florals, spices; and nutty oak are the hallmarks of Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2018 (RRP $53). Serve this light ruby-red wine with salmon, tuna or poultry over the next four years. Lively and ultra-inviting in its youth, but well worth cellaring, Valli Bendigo Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017 (RRP $69) boasts aromas of blackberry, cherry, and mulberry; fresh summer berries on the palate; and fine tannins that build in the mouth. Hand-picked, fermented, then aged in French oak barriques for 11 months, Wairau River Reserve Pinot Noir 2018 (RRP $40) shows dense cherry, red berry and spice notes with ripe tannins and smokey oak undertones. Produced from the estate’s Southern Valleys vineyard, Forrest Pinot Noir 2017 (RRP $29) is a highly awarded example of the queen of cool-climate red wines, tasting of fruit cake and plum with mere hints of spice and savoury “forest floor” aromas. Fermented naturally for 11 months in French oak barrels, Spy Valley Handpicked Single Estate Pinot Noir 2016 (RRP $32.99) has an alluring aroma of vibrant red fruits, cocoa powder and dried spice, and red berry flavours with just a hint of toasty oak. Famously named for a 1930s English sports car, the iconic Te Mata Estate Bullnose Syrah 2018 (RRP $75) is a delight: classical purity with power; a sumptuous dark heart; and a long, structured, elegant finish.