The good news for pinot noir lovers is there are plenty of attractive Kiwi offerings for $30 or less – often a lot less. By Michael Cooper.
The last time I checked, there were more than 700 New Zealand pinot noirs on the shelves. Many are prestigious, high-priced labels, often from single vineyards, where the winegrowers are keen to reflect key aspects of climate, soil and topography. Others just set out to give you a delicious mouthful of red wine at an affordable price.
The good news is that there are plenty of attractive, satisfying pinot noirs for $30 or less – often a lot less.
Alexander Dusty Road Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020
5 stars
Crafted for early drinking, but ageworthy, too, this second-tier red consistently offers irresistible value. Estate-grown and aged in French oak barriques, this deeply coloured wine is mouthfilling and savoury, with generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours that are gently seasoned with oak, and excellent depth and harmony.
- $28
Blackenbrook Nelson Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
This estate-grown, ageworthy wine was handpicked from 19-year-old vines at Tasman Village and matured for a year in French oak barrels. Deep ruby, it is a powerful young red, mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and savoury, with concentrated, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours and a well-structured finish.
- $29
Brancott Estate Reserve Awatere Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
3.5 stars
Bargain-priced, this bright-ruby wine is mouthfilling, with ripe, youthful cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good depth, a distinct touch of complexity, and a moderately firm finish.
- $18
Carrick Unravelled Organic Central Otago Pinot Noir 2021
4 stars
An organic red that was estate-grown at three sites at Bannockburn, then matured for seven months in seasoned French oak barrels. Bright ruby, with a fragrant, spicy bouquet, it is mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good complexity, fresh acidity and finely balanced tannins. Already enjoyable.
- $28
Catalina Sounds Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
Offering excellent value, this wine was grown in the Waihōpai, Awatere and Wairau valleys, and matured for nearly a year in French oak barriques. Ruby-hued and full-bodied, it is youthful and vibrant, with concentrated cherry, plum and spice flavours and a subtle seasoning of oak. A refined, generous and savoury red, it should be at its best 2023-plus.
- $27
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Advertise with NZME.Deliverance North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
This good-value red was matured for seven months in French oak casks. Drinking well in its youth, it is a bright-ruby, floral, graceful wine that's full-bodied, with ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, gentle tannins and good depth and harmony. (From Greystone.)
- $25
Delta Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
3.5 stars
Priced right and drinking well now, this single-vineyard Waihōpai Valley red was matured in an even mix of tanks and seasoned French oak barriques. Ruby hued, it is fragrant and medium-bodied, with good depth of cherry and spice flavours that are showing a distinct touch of complexity and a smooth finish.
- $20
Esk Valley Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
This fresh, youthful wine was grown in the Wairau Valley and matured in French oak barriques. Deep ruby, with a fragrant bouquet, it has concentrated, ripe cherry and plum flavours, gentle tannins and a smooth finish.
- $27
Falconhead Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
3.5 stars
Looking for a bargain pinot noir? Here it is. Estate-grown in the Awatere Valley and matured for a year in French oak barrels, this bright-ruby red is full-bodied, with satisfying depth of youthful cherry, plum and spice flavours, a distinct touch of complexity, and a moderately firm finish.
- $17
Hunter's Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
This stylish red was hand-picked from hillside sites in the Southern Valleys and matured for a year in French oak barrels. Deeply coloured, it is full-bodied, with strong, fresh, cherryish, plummy flavours, finely integrated oak, and a rich, smooth finish. Best drinking 2023-plus.
- $29
Impromptu Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
4.5 stars
From Misha's Vineyard, this red is designed as an "upfront, sweet-fruited" style, according to the winemakers. Estate-grown at Bendigo and matured in French oak hogsheads, it is bright ruby, fragrant and savoury, with strong, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good complexity.
- $30
Luna Estate Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
This fine-value, estate-grown red was oak-aged for 10 months. Bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, with good density of berryish, plummy, spicy flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, and ripe, supple tannins.
- $26
Main Divide North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
From Pegasus Bay, this Waipara red was aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Deep ruby, it is fragrant and supple, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours, finely balanced oak and excellent harmony. Already delicious, it should be at its best 2023-plus.
- $25
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Advertise with NZME.Martinborough Vineyard Te Tera Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
Delicious young, but also ageworthy, this wine was matured for 10 months in French oak barrels. Full, bright ruby, it is a mouthfilling, sweet-fruited red, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good complexity and ripe, supple tannins.
- $30
Mills Reef Reserve Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
This French oak-aged red is deep ruby, mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with generous, plummy, spicy flavours, savoury notes adding considerable complexity, and a firm finish. It's drinking well now.
- $25
Mission The Gaia Project Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
Offering great value, this estate-grown Awatere Valley red was matured in tanks and French oak barrels. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and supple, with generous, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing considerable complexity. Finely balanced for easy drinking, it's ageworthy, too.
- $22
Momo Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
From Seresin, this organically certified red was estate-grown in the Omaka Valley and matured for nine months in seasoned oak barrels. Bright ruby, it is fragrant and full-bodied, with good density of ripe plum, cherry and spice flavours in a "fruit-driven" style that's still fresh and youthful.
- $25
Mount Brown Estates North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
This bargain-priced red was matured for 10 months in French oak barriques. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, with cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good vigour and intensity, lively acidity and a finely poised finish. Best drinking 2023-plus.
- $22
Opawa Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
Already drinking well, this deep ruby, slightly earthy red was grown in the Wairau Valley and barrel-matured. Full-bodied, it has generous, ripe, cherryish, plummy, spicy flavours and a well-rounded finish.
- $28
Paper Road Wairarapa Pinot Noir 2021
4 stars
From Borthwick Vineyard at Gladstone, in the northern Wairarapa, this harmonious red is great value. Full, bright ruby, it is fragrant and smooth, with generous plum, berry and spice-fruit flavours to the fore, gentle tannins, and loads of drink-young charm. Best drinking mid-2023-plus.
- $22
Pisa Range Estate Run 245 Central Otago Pinot Noir 2019
4.5 stars
Offering excellent value, this regional blend was aged for nine months in French oak barriques. Deep ruby, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with good concentration of youthful, ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, and supple, finely balanced tannins.
- $28
Ruru Central Otago Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
This single-vineyard red was estate-grown at Alexandra and matured in French oak casks. Full, bright ruby, it is fragrant, mouthfilling and vibrantly fruity, with good depth of fresh cherry, plum and spice flavours, nutty, savoury notes adding a distinct touch of complexity, and supple tannins. Enjoyable young.
- $27
Seifried Nelson Pinot Noir 2020
3.5 stars
Priced right, this youthful red was matured for a year in French oak barriques. Ruby hued, it is full-bodied and sweet-fruited, with good depth of berry, plum and spice flavours that are showing considerable complexity. Drink now or cellar.
- $20
Starborough Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
Enjoyable young, this estate-grown red was barrel-aged for nearly a year. Bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, sweet-fruited and supple, with ripe cherry, plum and spice flavours, oak complexity, and good depth and harmony.
- $28
Stoneleigh Latitude Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
Celebrating the Golden Mile along Rapaura Rd, on the stony north side of the Wairau Valley, this is a bargain. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling, with good concentration of plummy, spicy flavours, nutty, savoury notes adding complexity, and a fairly firm finish. Revealing good potential, it should be at its best 2023-plus.
- $18
Sugar Loaf Southern Valleys Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4.5 stars
Estate-grown in the Southern Valleys and barrel-aged, this deeply coloured, mouthfilling red is generous and supple, with good density of ripe, plummy, spicy flavours, savoury notes adding complexity, and a harmonious finish. Fine value for current or future drinking.
- $30
Three Paddles Martinborough Pinot Noir 2020
4.5 stars
From Nga Waka, this third-tier red is a rewarding, drink-young style, and the 2020 vintage offers especially good value. Estate-grown, it was barrel-aged for more than a year, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Full, bright ruby, it is mouthfilling and sweet-fruited, with strong cherry, plum and spice flavours showing excellent complexity and harmony, and a well-rounded finish. (14% alc/vol)
- $25
Tinpot Hut Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
Made in a buoyantly fruity style, this youthful red was grown in the Awatere and Omaka valleys, and partly barrel-aged. Full-coloured, it is mouthfilling, with generous cherry, plum and spice flavours to the fore, a subtle seasoning of oak, and a smooth finish.
- $29
Villa Maria Cellar Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2020
4 stars
Bright ruby, this is a fragrant, mouthfilling, vibrantly fruity red, with good depth of cherry, plum and spice flavours showing considerable complexity, and fine, supple tannins. A harmonious, ageworthy wine, it should be at its best 2023-plus.
- $20-$25
Windrush Organic Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4.5 stars
Bargain-priced, this certified organic red was estate-grown near Renwick, handpicked, barrel-aged, and bottled unfined and unfiltered. Deeply coloured, with a fragrant, fresh bouquet, it is mouthfilling, with strong, lively cherry, plum and spice flavours that are showing good complexity, and a well-structured finish. Worth cellaring.
- $26
Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2019
4 stars
This finely crafted red is still youthful. Matured in French oak barriques, it is invitingly scented and full-bodied, with strong, fresh berry, spice and nut flavours that are showing good complexity and harmony. Top value.
- $22
Note: these wines are all in the 13-14% alc/vol range.
