A customer walks into a wine shop ... nope; not the start of a joke but a question asked from time to time is whether there are older vintages available?
Sadly, few if any wine shops have either the funding or the appropriate space to hold wines back for future release.
Among a sizable lineup of Central Otago Pinot Noirs tasted recently it was fascinating by contrast to see quite some diversity in the vintages available, with four of the six wines featured below for example from either 2018 or 2019.
In this case, the wineries have done that work for you, allowing you to try wines in their plateau of maturity.
2018 Mount Edward Central Otago Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent
Lovely florality leads, red
fruits and rhubarb, an earth/
clay-like nuance. Palate
shows some development,
quite spicy with herb/
thyme, again red fruits,
hints of cherry too, forest
floor influences.
Elegant, nicely
balanced, picking up
graphite notes, bright
acidity rounding out the
close. Good length,
refined in this hot
vintage. With reflection,
my rating has crept up.
2018 Stewart Town The Bounder Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Perfume melds with forest
floor-like notes, red fruits
and sweet dried strawberry.
The wine carries those
characters through into the
mouth. Quite a chewy style
with hints of dried herbs
and pencil lead, the fruit
sweetness swelling as it
opens up, matched a
tangy quality lending
nice freshness to the
close. At six years from
vintage, in a good place
to enjoy now.
2019 Stewart Town The Bounder Bannockburn Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Jumps out of the glass, dusty,
smoke, volume to the fruit
expression of red fruits and
raspberry. Fruit ripeness here
but neatly dry, a raspberry
drops note lending
brightness backed by
spice and red fruits, a
chalky/fruit pith aspect
adding to the texture.
Quite simply there’s a
togetherness to this,
elegance, complexity,
supported by lovely fruit
depth.
2019 Cox’s Vineyard Gibbston Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Hits some different
buttons, cranberry, a touch
of piquancy, wild herb and
savoury notes joining in.
Complexity and interest.
The palate engages with
crunchy texture and
chewy tannins,
brightness, vibrancy
and freshness, again
cranberry, red fruits, a
wild herb
undercurrent, tobacco
too. Refinement,
pinosity, a sense of
coolness, lovely
texture evolving.
2022 Poplar Estate Central Otago Pinot Noir
Rating Very Good to Excellent
Youthful fruit expression,
red fruited with touches of
blueberry and rhubarb, nice
perfume building. Carries
those characters through
to the palate adding
smoke and bonfire
embers. The fruit
sweetness grows with
air, contrasted by
chewy tannins and
some refreshing tart/
bittersweet elements
while the first savoury
hints arrive as the fruit
swells.
Website under development
2022 Grasshopper Rock Earnscleugh Pinot Noir
Rating Excellent to Outstanding
Earthy touches, wisps of
char, a minty/eucalypt
element, plum, increasing
savoury notes. Delightful
silkiness on the front
palate, neatly balanced
and integrated, all the
elements working
together. Time brings
the underlying tannic
structure to the fore, a
reminder of its
potential. Ends with a
refreshingly zesty
piquancy on the long,
long close.
