Shez and I bought this from Majestic - a web half case offer only - about £60.

Searching for affordable new world pinot noir that satisfies me.

On the face of it, this looked a good deal, the CO pinot noir has been 5 years maturing. the Berridge vineyards are in an important part of the region and some fruit also, comes from the Felton Road vicinity.

The colour of the wine is right for a burgundy clone, fining done with egg white, there is little material in suspension, and you see thru the wine like a lightish cote de Nuits. So far so good.

On opening the wine, one is immediately concerned that the nose is predominantly of Tunes throat sweets, there is a confected boiled sweety whiff which makes me annoyed - it wont go away... I like black cherries from old organic trees with a bit of forest floor and leafmould in the flavour.

The wine has not developed much of a dimension, but is settled with age, and I note that a preservative (220) has been used as well as sulphites. The Nanny Goat has a worse and stronger confected mid palate flavour.

The finish on this wine is predominantly Tunes (without so much sugar) maybe pinot noir grows like this in CO ? In which case I'm not revisiting. The fact that those bloody preservatives are present in the wine has stopped the wine from developing character - exactly the same street, but heavy handed and much worse treatment is given to Blossom Hill cab - which is dire.
Whist I write this, I become more annoyed. The pinot fruit is there, and there is reasonable acidity, but is has been messed about with, and the natural ripeness has been masked by something else - what the hell is it ?

The search goes on to see if the New Zealander's can make a multi dimensional pinot noir for £10 a bottle. For this one - No earth mineral, no farmyard, no sweet oak, no leafmould or herbs, not much body (so feels watery at first) and indifferent mouth feel - in the final analysis, just a fermented pinot drink with a bit of 'child like' spice I'm affraid.

NB - For me though, I am very stuck in my ways, I like my pinot with deft use of new french oak or European oak to save money. I want it to be as natural as possible, a living wine.

I shall give it a last chance on day three to see if it can acquire something mouldy from the air, and dump the Tunes

Very Sorry Shez.

I may keep for visitors, or it may go back, I'm on bottle two, because I really needed to be sure whether I could get use to this confected style or not.

I am certainly stuck with preconceived expectation, so I will always be searching for a French clone, or even European clones. So far, from the southern hemisphere, and at a tenner or so, the Stellenbosch pinot noir, made in the Hugenot district wins hands down.

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Duncan

Dunc - Shezz

Have you tried the Stoneleigh PN from Waitrose. It's sub £10 ( or was last time I had one ) and it definitely has quite distinctive Pinot flavour.

Mel has given it a star or two in the past.

Mr G, thanks for the sympathy, but for some pinot folks, awkward nerds like me... Ok... of The Stoneleigh which is known to me - But, I have not tried the '08, when I tried the 07, it was much safer and more simple than her TN. So yes, I should try it again.

Goose, I have not given up on CO, and the '06 & '08 are judged to be better vintages in Bendigo and the Wairarapa valley

But I want the wines that Jayson likes. Not what the importers think we should have.

Lindis River

Jayson and Rebecca from Middlesborough UK talk about light coloured pinot with texture, some structure and a herby dimension

The grower producer at Lindis River, who owns his place and only makes pinot is not popular with the heavy marketing boys - according to another video by **Jayson. The wine is less than $25 NZ dollars in Jayson's shop, so with tax and all that UK sh*te, about £14.99 here, if ever imported, and after current devaluation.

Jayson first became interested in wine when his parents took him on month long holidays in France, so I think I know, that many of us oldies can trust his opinion.

Its a Long video - but makes the point well, about attractive and affordable pinot noir.

**Lindis River versus Mount Difficulty

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Duncan

Ooops

Sorry Goose, I modified my last post because I had not tried the Malborough 2008 Stoneleigh - I'm not qualified to make a public statement like that about a wine based on a previous year.

Very sorry Mr G. Nice pic though. Looks like Welsh Stone Mr G. great texture

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Duncan

This Cow and Gate Pinot Noir was brought to you in conjunction with Stoneleigh Vineyards



Please don't try this at home.

I shall give it a last chance on day three to see if it can acquire something mouldy from the air, and dump the Tunes

3rd Day - The jammy Tunes / Spangles nose has 85% gone and the nose is somewhat innocuous - what is there is ok now. This is now a light pinot wine with fairly simple cherry flavours. Mouth coating, mouth feel are short on texture and tanins, but better on depth of pinot flavour

Dissapointing.

End of.

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Duncan

Sorry to hear this Duncan.

I have been tempted by these "limited edition parcels" from Majestic. It must be terribly disappointing if they are not up to scratch.

I am no expert re: Pinot Noir, but have you tried Co-ops Santa Helena? I have had the '07 which was rubbish, but the '08 is outstanding. I know it is 14.5% but I honestly did not notice it. The nose was parma violets and the finish was > £10 in my opinion. Deserving of its '09 decanter international trophy.

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tribs

Greeeeat pic Goose. Luuuuuuuuuuuvit. Food and drink all together.

you eat small children ???

think it'll be difficult to find anything sub 10 that'll have thee grace and elegance you're after Mr D but we'll sure as hell keep trying to find it

Wanted to try the Drystone last night but never got round to it (McGuigan shiraz left open from Mrs Shez weekendwithout yours truely).
As you know, the only bottle of the Drystone I've tried was whilst battling a cold so had little sense of taste or smell to be able to assess it.

Think Craggy Range needs to be next port of call really

would also like to give Martinborough PN a go to see whether its much of a different style to CO

...and of course there's Victoria too

Shez, I sure as hell ain't giving up - and will email if.......

Scraggy Te what's it, is in Martinborough precincts, or Wairarapa (spelling) in some journals. Easter is early, 2nd April, so we watch to see what the waitress will be doing.

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Duncan

Decanter's TN for this wine

Cheers Tribs - clearly very good value. I'm apprehensive about this style for me. "Sweetly fruited" be careful would be my take on this comment, budget California PN has been pioneering this style for quite a while "Soft" soft is not satisfying for me, I've spoilt myself, even in recent years, more particularly, at the very beginning of the credit crunch.

I ought to pick up one for £7.99.

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Duncan