Martinborough is considered by many as the home of Pinot Noir - not only in New Zealand but the 'New World' in general. It is hard to argue when wines like this are produced. Pinot Noir superstar, Larry McKenna, hand-crafts a wine that is overflowing with perfumed black, red and green fruit flavours that are all in harmony with the mid-weighted palate. Textured oak and fine-grained tannin give a nod to the fact that this wine will age gracefully for a decade or more. A stunning benchmark.

Rudi Bauer is part of the reason Central Otago is on the Pinot Wine Map so prominently. His Pinot's show great depth of colour with aromas of forest floor, earth and mouth filling flavours of berry and cherry fruits.

Pinot Noir from this region is amongst the best in the country and Scotchmans does it well. This example is earthy, gamey and packed with lovely pure Pinot flavour - delicious!

A fruit driven style of Pinot with fragrant strawberry aromas and sweet berry flavours. Moderate acidity and feathery tannins frame an elegant palate of ripe cherry with a touch of earthiness.

Oyster Bay Pinot Noir is surprisingly a serious complex Pinot. Intense cherry and gamey, earthy notes are enhanced with quality French oak and the finish is spicy savoury and long. Terrific value.

The grapes for the wines that carry the Mt Difficulty Bannockburn label are subject to two strict criteria: they are managed under the umbrella of the Mt Difficulty viticultural team and must be sourced from vineyards situated on the South side of the Kawarau River at Bannockburn. This Pinot noir displays lovely elegance and flow with striking precision and clarity. On the palate it kicks off with a supple dark berry entry, moving into a beautifully textured plush mid palate, after which fine elegant textural tannins frame fruit and acidity on a lengthy finish.

Every Gary Farr wine is a work of art, obsession and passion. Considered Australia's finest Pinot Noir winemaker this is his signature varietal from his home ground. No explanation should be required to make the decision to buy any Pinot from Mr Farr. Be warned - highly habit-forming.

Situated in the Adelaide Hills, the altitude and cool conditions of Nepenthe's vineyards are ideal for growing the Pinot Noir grape. And it seems that the rest of the country is starting to cotton on to the fact that this region is producing some of the most exciting examples currently available. Full of ripe cherry and raspberry flavours with a complementing acid structure and soft tannin backbone make this Pinot ideal for food pairing on a wide scale.

The cool-climate of the Adelaide Hills has proven to be a haven for Pinot Noir and is quickly establishing a reputation akin to the benchmark Australian regions. Tim Knappstein from Riposte harnesses the qualities of the region and the varietal with effortless ease with his The Sabre. Bright colour in the glass is followed by a lifted floral nose with a savoury edge. The palate is fresh, clean and superbly powerful. A delight.

Artemis Pinot Noir is hand crafted from grapes grown on low yielding vines, from the cool climate Southern Highlands of NSW. A blend of old world and new world winemaking techniques results in a wine full of intense Australian fruit aroma, complexity and structure.