Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir 2019

Refreshment is the name of the game at this North Canterbury winery, located in the Waipara Valley, just north of Christchurch. The nose is heady and perfumed: vivid cherries, strawberries and florals, with whispers of white pepper, river stones, and vanilla bean. The medium weight palate is similarly vibrant, leading with fresh, silky red berries framed in savory tannins. Not the world's most complex Pinot but totally delicious nonetheless. Drink now slightly chilled.

The 2019 Pinot Noir is meaty (reduction) and stalky, with sour red cherry, aniseed and resin. The wine is evolving perhaps more rapidly than I would expect from a 2019 vintage. This is firmly moving into a savory spectrum and on the way to developing tertiary characters. It's lean and a little metallic to finish. Candied cherries are the enduring memory. 12.5% alcohol, sealed under screw cap.