Ara Single Estate Pinot Noir Marlborough 2012 – $$

I’ve walked past this supermarket wine a few times, but finally decided to give it a try as part of the regular office wine order (which I arrange, of course).

Ara Estate lies at the elevated end of the Wairau Valley in Marlborough, near the Waihopai Valley. The vineyard is sited above the confluence of the Waihopai and Wairau Rivers. Ara Estate aim for sustainability in their wine production.

Here is a wine dark carmine in colour. 13%. A savoury, dense nose – a surprise really – as I consider Marlborough wines to be generally lighter that this. It could even be described as “brooding”. (Ha! Pseud alert!). Floral also.

In the mouth, I see dark cherries + spice, again savoury notes, slightly stalky perhaps. Serious fruit weight this, and mid-length. Rewarding. 4