New Zealand Pinot Noir?

[Auburnwine]

What has been your experience with NZ Pinot Noir? There are several showing up around here.

I have often found Pinots from cool climates to be a bit light, but need a Non-Oz, Non-US red for a tasting, and the Italian selections are pitiful.

[dananne]

Hi, AW. I've tried several NZ pinots this year. My favorite has been the 2000 Forrest Marlborough ($17). My brief tasting notes read "Yummy cherry cola flavors. Not as light as some others." The 1999 Giesen ($16) showed some pine needles and was yammy, though young and not terribly complex. A simple, cheap ($9) quaffer for picnics, porch parties, etc. is the mass produced Brancott pinot.

You mentioned Italian pinots -- I had one recently that was very complex, earthy, with strong mineral notes wrapped around some wild berry flavors. It was the 1998 Cantina Salorno Alto Aldage Tolloy Pinot Nero. Picked it up on closeout at Tower here in Atlanta for $15.

[Innkeeper]

http://www.wines.com/ubb2/Forum14/HTML/000132.html

[Thomas]

Brancott used to produce a fine Pinot Noir; maybe not the same one D speaks of; the one I remember was in the $15 to $17 range.

But Auburnwine, when you are trying PN from cool climates you have to make room for the possibility of lighter wine. Some of the light ones can have great appeal: two I can cite, and I am not a PN fanatic, are Ritratti Pinot Nero from Trentino, and one I had from Baden, Germany--but the producer's name escapes my feeble mind just now. Both light wines, but truly wonderful in fruit and elegance. Methinks it is the elegance that the NZ ones lack.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 08-27-2003).]