From the cellar: TerraVin Hillside Selection Marlborough Pinot Noir 2004 – $$$

After enjoying a stunning sav blanc from this producer a while ago, I had high hopes for this pinot. I paid a lot of money for it, largely on the recommendation of a legendary Wellington wine retailer – Ben Rumble. He was often dismissive of NZ wines, and mostly pimped european wines in his shop, He would make exception for some kiwi wines that he thought reached his standards, and this was one of those. A rent increase made him to close his shop a year or so back. Too bad. I used to like browsing in there and talking about his wares with him.

The fruit is sourced from north-facing hillside sites in the Omaka Valley in Marlborough.The grapes are grown organically, with some bio-dynamic processes, producing low-yields, then hand picked and whole bunch pressed, and fermented with wild yeasts.

The wine is browning pinot ruby, and leggy around the glass. A beautiful bouquet – shroomy, lifted florals, violets. To drink – red fruits, aniseed, some intrusive bitterness at the back of the palate. Medium weight, fine drying tannins.

This could have slept longer. 4.5