TN: 2018 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir The Fusilier Bannockburn Vineyard

  • 2018 Two Paddocks Pinot Noir The Fusilier Bannockburn Vineyard - New Zealand, South Island, Otago, Central Otago (4/19/2021)
    First things first. This is actor Sam Neills Pinot and while I have always enjoyed his work as an actor, I developed a full on bro crush on the guy after hearing him on a podcast recently. This is not some celebrity smacking his name on a label and charging 30% more for the privilege. No, he has been at this since 1993, and clearly is very passionate about making world class Pinot. Cornucopia Vitus on Vimeo Bias aside on the man, he has succeeded with the wine if this bottle is any indication. Decanted 6 hrs and under a screw cap. Starts off with generous aromas of wild strawberries and the tell tale Pinot baking spices, great nose. Deceptively structured in the mouth, at first seemingly easy going, lovely strawberries again, perhaps darker than what the nose would have indicated; some oak but it is very restrained and well crafted in its placement. After about half a glass, the structure really became apparent, still carrying a light frame, the underlying acidity and tannic structure rise to the surface, but all in good balance. As I tried to compare this to what I Pinot I know best, that would be OR and then some dabbling with Burgundy. This was neither, and the best thing I could come up was a botanical quality I haven’t tasted before - its 65% whole clusters so perhaps that’s what I am tasting. Anyway, this is big kid Pinot, and I am really glad a made the effort to track down this and the First Paddock vineyard (which I’ll open soon). Outstanding. (94 pts.)

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