We have been very active with Twitter lately and a local Vineyard decided to send us wine for review. We do a regular wine tasting and post it on Youtube.
Now the wines that I recieved from Johner Vineyard are not what I was expecting. I expected a couple of wines that were, on the whole, very average. I could not have been further from the truth.
Johner wines are some of the best Pinot Noirs I have tasted from New Zealand.
They sent me a whole case of wine, including some very strange concepts but also great wine.
The reserve Pinot Noir sits at $50 on the shelf but when compared to some Central Otago wines at the same price there really is no comparison.
The 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir has a depth of character, not often found, and purity of fruit balanced with tannin and intregrated oak to make this wine sublime.
The 2007 was even better already drinking well now it will continue to drink well for the next 6 years at least.
The Estate Pinot noir was as good as some reserve Pinot from other wineries and their entry level wine also a standout.
The most peculiar wine I have had the fortune of tasting was the Noble Pinot Noir. The wine itself is white and is a Noble Blanc de Noir ( white wine from Black grapes).
Although this wine is a sweet wine there is enough acid and structure to drink as an aperitif or dessert wine. Full of honey and pear with a twist of lemon wrapped in sugar, it was a diabetic’s nightmare.
All of the wines from this winery are to be paired with food and the Pinot Noir worked especially well with Roast Lamb and the dessert for the Noble was Pear Tartin.
Seek out these wines and you will be rewarded.
By Jayson Bryant
www.thewinevault.co.nz

Tags: Jayson Bryant