Vinanmeldelser

Yealands is based in the Awatere Valley, a subregion of Marlborough that offers generally cooler, later ripening than the main (Wairau) valley. This is a fresh, sappy, medium-bodied Pinot Noir, featu…

Sometimes said to be the world's most southerly vineyard—it's certainly one of the most southerly vineyards—Last Chance is also fairly elevated. It's a difficult plot to ripen, and always seems a bit…

This is a smooth, well-mannered and distinctly varietal wine, richly rewarding in cola spice and earthy black tea, with a juicy finish.

Falls off a notch from the '07, with tart acidity and sweet oak dominating. The depth just isn't there, although it's certainly a fine wine. Tastes like buttered cinnamon toast spread with raspberry…

A good, rich wine, brimming with ripe, fruity raspberries and cherries and lots of savory spices. Feels a bit rustic, with a sweet, caramelized finish. Drink soon.

Tastes young and acidic but weirdly ripe now, with jammy raspberry, cherry and cola flavors and a tart finish. The question is whether it will age. Unlikely, but you never know.

This is a big Pinot Noir, full-bodied and dry, and a little heavy. But it's rich, offering delicious waves of cherries, raspberries, red currants, licorice, cola and savory spices. Unclear if it will…

Mainly Chardonnay, with a drop of Pinot Noir, this dry bubbly has intricate flavors of lemons, limes, tangerines and honey, with a rich yeastiness. It's a little scoury in texture, but pretty good fo…

A fine Pinot from this veteran producer. They haven't lost their deft touch despite changes in ownership. The wine is classic Russian River, showing full-throttle berry-cherry fruit, balanced with go…

A fine entry-level Pinot Noir to introduce J. Christopher's expansive single vineyard offerings. This is balanced and true to variety, with clean Pinot cherry cola fruit flavor. There is just a delic…

Here's a most Burgundian, delicate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at a price that can sometimes deliver clumsy, thin, and/or vegetal flavors. This has varietally-true detail, clean fruit and delightful…

Raspberry fruit shines through with ample backing acidity. The flavors are true and fresh, though the wine seems to thin out midpalate. It was fermented with wild yeast and aged for 15 months in the…

Niner's Paso Robles Bordeaux-style reds have attracted attention. Now the winery turns to Pinot Noir, but they wisely turn to the cooler Edna Valley. The resulting wine is dry, silky and crisp in aci…

Very ripe and deliciously forward in cherries, cola, bacon, anise and sweet smoky sandalwood, with silky tannins. The acidity is a bit low, giving the wine a softness that limits ageability. Now–2011.

Released too young, at just over a year of age, this Pinot tastes sugary, with primary fruit essence, glycerine, alcohol and caramelized oak giving it an uncomfortable sweetness. It's probably techni…

The name comes from a Django tune, and also means “clouds” in French. Nothing cloudy here though—it's a pretty, lively, fruit-driven blend with cherry candy flavors. Crisp and fresh, a streak of cola…

Tremendously rich and ripe, this Pinot just dazzles the palate with waves of raspberries, cherries, cocoa, red licorice, bacon and other intense umami flavors. It's dry and silky, but the drawback is…

This light, elegant wine uses estate-grown fruit, and brings the same general character as the single vineyard offerings. Briary berry fruit, with pepper and spice, shows a more herbal aspect than th…

Tightly wound and dry, this is an elegant, fruity Pinot marked by tart flavors of cranberries and pomegranates and relieved by richer notes of cherry pie and sweet oak. Turns sharp on the finish, wit…

Celebrating the founding in 1875 of Antonin Rodet, this ripe, perfumed wine has red fruits that are opulent, gloriously drinkable already. It's ripe, softly textured, layered with delicate acidity.

Tastes as ripe, bright and spicy as it smells, with intense, pure flavors of raspberry, strawberry and cherry essence dusted with crushed white pepper, cinnamon and vanilla. Drink this light-bodied,…

The largest appellation in the Côte Chalonnaise produces here a foursquare, solid wine. It has red fruits, although the structure is what is dominant at this stage. There is a dry, smoky, meaty flavo…

With luscious raspberry, cherry and vanilla flavors, this silky Pinot is ready to drink now. It has a good structure of tannins and acids, as well as lots of new oak, which it handles well.

Light aromas of the barnyard don't impede the impression of pretty strawberry-pastry fruit flavors. The aging in 20% new French oak adds streaks of vanilla, cocoa and mocha to the finish.