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Last Updated: 09/09/08
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Excellent New Zealand Pinot Noirs

A wine list by Stephen Tanzer, Wine Writer, IWC
New Zealand sauvignon blanc had already imprinted itself on the consciousness of the international wine lover by the mid-1990s, but back then New Zealand pinot noir was just getting started. In fact, even seven or eight years ago there were barely a handful of pinots available in the U.S. that could be compared to serious wines from Burgundy in complexity, texture and depth -- or even, for that matter, to the best examples from Oregon and California. Today, retail shelves are awash with seriously good choices from New Zealand, thank in part to the explosion of the Central Otago region onto the world pinot scene. Here are some of my favorite New Zealand pinot noirs from recent vintages.
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2006 Carrick Pinot Noir Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
92 points. Medium red. Fresh, complex nose offers spicy red fruits, fresh rose and a meaty nuance; I might have been in the Chambolle/Vosne neighborhood. Sweet and dense but sappy and light on its feet, with penetrating dark fruit flavors complicated by a note of bitt... more
Priced From: $64.99
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2006 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block 3 Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
93 points. Good dark red. Dark cherry, bitter chocolate and allspice on the perfumed nose; smells like a Dujac wine. Densely packed, broad and deep; lush yet airy pinot without any undue weight. The red and darker fru... more
Priced From: $79.99
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2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir Block 3 Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
94 points. Bright medium red. Precise aromas of raspberry and minerals call to mind a wine from the southern Côte de Nuits. Urgent, sharply delineated yet utterly silky flavors of sweet berries and minerals saturate ... more
Priced From: $57.95
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2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir Calvert Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
92 points. Good deep red. Brooding aromas of dark raspberry, flowers, minerals and smoky dark chocolate. Wonderfully sweet and seductive on the palate, with an essence-of-pinot character verging on confectionery. Amaz... more
Priced From: $58.99
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2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
92 points. Good deep red. Lovely high-pitched aromas and flavors of raspberry, orange peel, spices and flowers. At once sweet and penetrating, with bright acidity framing the wine’s ripe flavors and giving it terrifi... more
Priced From: $54.95
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2007 Felton Road Pinot Noir Cornish Point Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
93 points. Good full red. Inviting nose offers wild berries, spices and meat. Fat, lush and sweet, offering a superb combination of textural richness and energy. A real fruit and spice bomb of a pinot. Finishes with explosive, lingering berry fruit.
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2006 Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir Waipara Valley

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
92 points. Bright red with ruby highlights. Initially reticent nose opens to reveal pure, vibrant scents of raspberry, rose petal, minerals, white pepper and sandalwood; ultimately quite reminiscent of a very good Chamb... more
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2007 Pyramid Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Calvert Vineyard Central Otago

Stephen Tanzer's Rating:
92 points. Deep, bright red. Pungent aromas of raspberry and sandalwood, with hints of smoke, flint and blood orange. Precise and energetic on the palate, offering a light touch but terrific intensity to the silky raspberry, spice and herbal flavors. Wonderfully sapp... more
Average cost for wines on this list: $59.14