Greywacke Pinot Noir 2018

A very complex and well-executed style that has everything from crushed violets to cherries, blueberries, tar, Christmas spice, earthy notes, plums, sappy nuances and more. The palate has a sleek, succulent feel with very plush, smooth tannins, drawing the fruit effortlessly deep. Drink or hold. Screw cap.

Everyone has their personal memory bank of aromas, and when I tasted this I was taken back to a childhood visit to the Jorvik Viking Centre in York. After queuing outside for what seemed like an eternity, we boarded small carts on rails and were transported around the center, learning about life in Viking York. I remember the scary mannequins and the smell of smoked meats and log fires, and here they are in the glass (minus the mannequins). Once those savory characters yield, there is fruitcake, cinnamon spice, thyme and fennel. The tannins are rich and resolved, coating the mouth with a fine texture akin to licking a pebble while the acidity builds, providing satisfying refreshment. Rich, savory and fragrant on the finish. In a challenging vintage, this is a true success. Ready to drink, but with its substance and structure, it will evolve gracefully. Drinking window: 2021 - 2026

Smooth and elegant, with notes of caramel, nutmeg and black tea adding fragrant nuances to the plum and black cherry flavors at the core. Velvety tannins provide some traction on the finish. Drink now through 2031.

Kevin Judd's 2017 Pinot Noir shows a hint of green bean on the nose, perhaps a hint of stemminess, alongside ripe red and black cherries. It's medium-bodied and softly dusty in texture, with those soft tannins lingering on the finish.

Pleasingly aromatic pinot noir with red cherry, plum, violet, anise and a subtle grape stem flavour. A taut, vibrant, high energy pinot noir that is approachable now but promises to get more interesting with bottle development (6/2019)

From several different plots, all of different Pinot clones, the fruit was kept separate and partially whole-bunch fermented with wild yeast, then aged separately in medium-toast French oak, 40% new, for 18 months. It was then blended, fined and bottled. It has a lovely bright cherry nose, followed on the palate by some tarry oak, dark chocolate and fresh red fruits. The oak is dominant at the moment, with a fuller, richer, woodier character than the 2012, but it should settle down to reveal the purity of the fruit beneath.

Making top-flight Marlborough Pinot Noir wasn't easy in 2014, so this is an especially notable effort from Kevin Judd. Classic savory, forest-floor notes frame black-tea and plum flavors in this concentrated, richly textured wine. Drink now–2022. Edit's Choice