2024 Craggy Range Martinborough Pinot Noir

"This is an uncompromisingly dark wine that plays to New Zealand’s strengths in terms of purity and vivacity of fruit: raspberry, cherry and plum come streaming from the glass, and the fine meshing of fruit and oak in this wine adds to its lustre and appeal. In the mouth, the wine is both long and broad but not in any way clumsy, and the fruit flavours (raspberry to the fore again) are hypnotic. Svelte tannins are barely palpable, so there’s no textural barrier to entry. Of the six Pinot Noirs from New Zealand to feature in our Top 50 selections since 2018, this is the third to come from Wairarapa’s Martinborough."

“There’s an unrivalled depth of colour with juicy yet dark-black fruits on the nose of this very youthful example. The palate is primary and bright with lots of juiciness through the midpalate. Big on structure and presence, while approachable now it will reward with age."