Floral perfume and fine grained tannins derived from whole bunches compliment the natural plum and blackberry fruit typical of these Southern Valley sites. The clay soils give medium body, great flavour concentration, firm fine tannins and a lengthy finish.
The combination of earthy spice and bright fruit found in this wine compliment dishes such as duck breast with poached cherries. New Zealand lamb, slow cooked with star anise, cinnamon and cloves, is another particularly good match to the spiced notes and succulent palate of this wine.
93 Wine Enthusiast A gentle perfume of cloves, red berries and orange peel lend a potpourri-like feel to this Pinot. It's slightly sappy and autumnal, with a raw mineral edge. The palate is lightweight but with a sturdy spine of sap-like tannins and snappy acidity that feels like you're taking a bite rather than a sip. There is an ease and expressiveness here that's easy to love. Editors' Choice
92 James Suckling A fragrant nose of cranberries, sour cherries, redcurrants, dried flowers and sweet spices. Medium body with crisp acidity and velvety tannins. Round and creamy with spicy character to the finish. Long and vibrant.
91 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate The 2019 Southern Valleys Pinot Noir is concentrated and densely packed with flavor and tannin. The Southern Valleys are typified not only by the undulating hillside upon which the vineyards are perched but most notably by the soils, which are heavier and more loess dominant than the rocky river bed of the Wairau Valley. This gives the density and intensity that we see here, with hints of game and blood, strawberry, sour red cherry, some dried herbs and a hint of caper brine, plus cinnamon spice, to boot. Classy wine. These Southern Valleys Pinot are exciting because they achieve admirable tannin density and flavor ripeness at relatively low alcohol, lending them finesse and detail.
90 Vinous The 2019 Pinot Noir Southern Valleys offers a round and wholesome mouthful of wine. It is savory and deeply fruity with balanced cedar-like oak nuances meeting berries and wild herbs. There's a sense of hands being firmly off in this wine with its pure character and its mouth coating tannins as if the wine was not pushed in any direction. The naturally firm acidity of the cool Marlborough climate shows through on its taut, firm finish. While not the most concentrated of Pinots I've tasted, this will age gracefully thanks to its structural components.
90 Wine Spectator Generous and plump, with wild berry, black cherry and red licorice flavors that are juicy and spicy, which also show off dried rose petal, matcha and orange zest details, adding an aromatic, elegant lift on the silky frame.
