Rapaura Springs have turned plenty of heads with their current releases - the Reserve Pinot Noir is little short of jaw dropping. Drinking beautifully now expect a nose that's ripe, plush and jammed full of seductive fruit and spice smells, while textbook silky mouth-feel leads to a long fine finish. Drink it with five spice duck and rice.

It’s this trade-off of acid for tannin that makes pinot noir so food friendly. Pinot works well with salmon and ocean trout, their (Omega 3-rich) oiliness lapped up by pinots exuberant acidity and is the perfect red with soft brie-style and washed-rind cheeses, coming into its own with blue cheese. Try a soft Saint Augur cheese from the Auvergne with the Celsius Pinot Noir for a new flavour sensation.

Dark cherry, violet and cinnamon spice aromas complement red fruit, chocolate and subtle spice flavours on the palate. The fruit flavours are framed with supple tannins and a core of juicy acidity. This wine is immediately enjoyable but will continue to drink well for the next eight years if you can wait that long.

Approachable, generous and flavoursome with a silken elegance. Berry fruits come to the fore with gentle dried herb notes in the background. Medium bodied, the palate is finely structured with lovely soft lingering tannins which integrate perfectly with the soft supportive acid and plush fruit.

This wine has plenty going for it, including all those delicious flavours that make Kiwi Pinot adored across the world. It's a concentrated but elegant wine with dark cherry aromas with complex notes of mocha and cinnamon. Luscious bramble, cherry and spice give generous length to the palate.

Central Otago Pinot's are generally more user-friendly than Burgundy; Rabbit Ranch is very soft fruit-forward style with soft tannins; best enjoyed young.

The enticing Mysterious Diggings Pinot Noir shows a bright purple-red hue, and offers scintillating aromas as well as juicy flavours of red cherries. These flavours and aromas integrate with fresh and clean fruit characters on the dense palate, to provide a soft texture, as well as a long and enticing finale. With a cellaring potential of 1 to 6 years, this delicious red wine tastes amazing with mushrooms, fruit-based sauces and roasted chicken.

Grove Mill Pinot Noir is rich ruby red in colour, with a nose full of dark cherry and boysenberry and a touch of spice. A savoury complexity and a smooth finish make it the perfect match for barbequed meat with a roast beetroot salad.

Deep bright ruby red in colour, Devil's Staircase Pinot Noir is a dizzying fusion of firm fruit, tempting spices and alluring earthen notes. Each drop of this wine is bursting with flavours of black Doris plums, blueberries and bramble fruit that leave one wanting for more. It is characterized as a fruity, rich and full wine with finely balanced acid and firm tannins. The supple richness of Rockburn Devils Staircase Pinot Noir complements a range of savoury dishes. It can be tried alongside game birds such as quail, turkey and duck, or with a fillet of New Zealand salmon.