An excellent Martinborough Pinot Noir. Rich and luscious like an Otago Pinot but not as overt as Otago usually is. Red and Black cherry with restrained whole bunch influence. Balanced French oak. Craggy Range is based in Hawkes Bay (the winery is a great spot for lunch!) but they were smart enough to establish their Te Muna vineyard in Martinborough - a much better terroir for Pinot Noir. Bob Campbell MW nailed the brief by saying it “delivers power with consummate subtlety. “ A point or two off for a ridiculously heavy bottle. — 5 months ago
Superb! At home — a month ago
Cattail creek wine dinner. Characteristics of pencil lead, tobacco, black cherry, and liquorish. The palate has a lifted acidity and spicy tannins but don't obscure the fruit expression. Paired with petite ribeye en persillade. — 9 months ago
The first bottle right after receiving this lot felt a little overblown and pruny. So glad I waited a while before opening a second one. This is now well put together and putting across the notes I expect out of old vine field blend California coast; chocolate, coffee, cool climate lift right on top of intensity. — 4 years ago
Lovely. Still quite youthful, 15yrs old and could easily go several years longer. Excellent tertiary flavours. Black olive, cedar, resinous, rosemary. Dry, medium body. — 4 months ago
Rieslllling with Calli in Newport Oregon! — 6 months ago
A nice CS/Sangiovese blend from around Pisa.
Very interesting how this evolves in the glass with the character of the two grapes coming out to shine and fading - sometimes this is very much reminiscent of a northern Medoc with gravelly black currants, a few minutes later the hallmark tomato leaf + some rusticity of Sangiovese emerges.
On the palate this is quite firm with a proper tannic frame filled with black cherry & black currant and juicy acidity.
Good depth & length and surprisingly youthful. — 2 years ago
K Brooks
Wonderful with baked chicken ($20). Crisp, floral nose and fruity. Lovely finish. — 20 days ago