Classic and complete, a bouquet with aromas of Martinborough silty mineral soils and red berry fruits of strawberry and old cherry - some fresh, some dried and maraschino. Complex and inviting. Flavours of red fruits and baking spices from oak, fine integrating tannins and medium+ ish acidity. Balanced, well made and ready to enjoy with food. Best drinking from purchase through 2024.
92 Points (Premium) Cameron Douglas Master Sommelier - March 2021
Bright, fresh pinot noir with savoury, smoky, cherry, berry and spicy oak flavours. A supple, sinewy, medium-bodied wine that might respond positively to a little more bottle age. RRP $35. At its best: 2021–2025
89 pts Bob Campbell The Real Review - March 2021
Deep ruby-black with a garnet hue and good transparency, lighter on edge. The nose is softly full with complexity, nuances of plums, dried black cherries entwined with sweet vanilla, black pepper, underlying herbs and a hint of gamey development. Medium-bodied, plums and cherries intermixed with dried cranberries, herbaceous thyme and pine throughout the palate, unveiling sweet spices of vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, along with black pepper on the finish. A subtle gamey development enriched the palate; supple, powdery tannin and lacy acidity persist to a lengthy finish. Match with hare and duck over the next 3 years. Handpicked, destemmed, fermented in open-top vats to 12.5% alc. Aged in French oak for 10 months, 20% new oak. Vegan friendly. RRP $35
4 Stars, 91 pts, 18+/20 pts - Candice Chow for Raymond Chan Wine Reviews - Feb 2021
Hand harvested between the 1st and the 19th of April 2017, the destemmed grapes went through a cold soak process before fermentation. Aged in French oak barrels for 10 months of which 25% were new.
Pale crimson in colour with aromas of red cherry, raspberry and savoury mushroom and dried herbs with a hint of baking spices. A light bodied palate but filled with ripe, red fruit characters, soft, barely there tannins and a touch of acidity leading to a lingering finish filled with oak derived spice. Drink now and enjoy with cheese and charcuterie platters.
4 ½ Stars, The Wine Writer - May 2021
A beautifully maturing pinot, the inviting bouquet shows dried cherry, smoked game, clove and roasted nut aromas, followed by an elegantly weighted palate that's smooth and flowing. It's well proportioned and flavoursome with charming bottle-developed complexity. At its best: now to 2022. $35.00. www.butterworthestate.com. Sept 2020.
91 pts and 4.5 Stars Sam Kim Wine Orbit
