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Isabel Estate is one of the original Marlborough vineyards and boasts some of the oldest vines in the region with wines 100% grown and bottled within the boundaries of the estate. There is a focus on small batch winemaking, giving greater options at blending and helping to create complex wines with a sense of place. Aratoro (meaning 'path of discovery') is Isabel Estate's top tier range. This single vineyard wine is a blend of two Pinot Noir clones, 10/5 and Abel. These clones were hand picked and fermented in separate four tonne open top stainless steel fermenters. Eighty per-cent of the fruit was destemmed with the remaining 20 per-cent being added to the fermenters as whole bunches. The wine aged on fine lees for 11 months where it underwent malolactic fermentation before being carefully extracted from barrel and prepared for bottling in the spring. The result is a dense and complex Pinot Noir displaying notes of plum, red cherry and violets. The palate is concentrated with layers of black cherry, dried herbs and cocoa. Silky yet firm tannin gives length and poise to this very special single vineyard wine.

Pristine dark red/blue fruit, florals, spice and minerals on the nose, leading to a structured, persistent yet velvety palate. FROMM have always loved Pinot Noir and showed both faith and foresight that it could thrive in Marlborough, planting Pinot vines in 1990. Their first attempt at the variety validated this belief with International success and acclaim and consequently helped put both Fromm and Marlborough on the international Pinot Noir map. From here the region''s Pinot industry bloomed and is now easily New Zealand's largest Pinot Noir producing area. Fromm, though, has remained staunchly boutique choosing to produce no more than 7,000 cases a year. With a quality without compromise attitude Fromm also makes fine examples of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Syrah and Rosa. All the wines are certified organic through BioGro.

This Pinot noir is the flagship from Two Paddocks an organically grown barrel selection from the estate properties. As in the vineyard, the wine is hand crafted using traditional methods including a 25% whole bunch indigenous fermentation and hand plunging. Maturation is in French barriques for 11 months, using a mix of older and new (25%) barrels.

A beautifully orchestrated sparkling, this bright, salmon-pink wine has a fine bead and aromas of honeyed red fruits with some delicate toasty notes too. The palate is bright and flavoursome, with strawberry biscuit flavours, cleansing acidity and a clean, zesty finish.

A herbal, floral and slightly 'funky' nose leads to dark, brooding red fruits with impeccable poise and balance. Great length.

Dedicated solely to perfecting the variety, Black Grape Society have come mightily close to Pinot perfection with this Cromwell Basin sourced beauty. Deep and rich in flavour and colour, the juicy plum, cherry and blackberry palate make way for a ripe savoury finish.

Nanny Goat is a Central Otago winery specialising in Pinot Noir. Its name derives from the fact that much of the country is rough, dry, mountainous and desolate – seemingly suitable only for goats. Apparently, the brand’s owner, Aussie John Valmorbida, was climbing up to a hilltop restaurant near Queenstown when the goat idea struck him. It is rather appropriate. Hand picked and destemmed the fruit was sourced exclusively from their vineyards in Queensberry before going into into small open top fermenters, with the final blend containing 26% whole bunch. The individual fermenters underwent a short pre-fermentation maceration before fermenting naturally and being left on skins for up to 32 days before pressing. After a brief period of settling, the wine was roughly racked, taking a small portion of light lees and transferred to 225L French oak barriques (27% new) where it underwent natural malolactic fermentation and matured for 11 months before being racked, blended and bottled. Typical of Queensberry Pinot Noir, the nose is dark and brooding yet beautifully perfumed. Blueberry and boysenberry notes are layered amongst florals suggestive of rose petal and violets. Toasted sweet baking spices are interwoven with dried herbs, black Doris plum and an intriguing whole bunch derived herbaceous lift. The palate is taut and powerful with powdery fine tannins up front lending a sinewy elegance. A fine streak of acidity offers a lively backdrop to the abundant berry fruits, presenting a wine that is both powerful and dense yet beautifully light on its feet.