Akarua Pinot Noir 2011

Royal Easter Show Results out today with a another gold medal awarded to Akarua Pinot Noir 2011 - this takes the tally up to 3!

In the past called ‘The Gullies’, this is an early-drinking style, compared to its Reserve stablemate, but top vintages are still outstanding. Estate-grown at Bannockburn and matured in French oak barriques (30 per cent new), the ruby-hued 2011 vintage (****½) is highly refined and savoury, with rich, ripe cherry/plum flavours, well-integrated oak and a long finish. A 'feminine' style, it's very graceful, supple and harmonious

The 2011 Pinot Noir was aged 10 months in French oak, 30% new. Medium to deep ruby-purple in colour, it offers a good intensity of blackberry, mulberry and red plum notes with hints of cedar, toast, black pepper and baking spices. Medium to full-bodied with a medium level of grainy tannins, it has a medium to high level of acid lifting the pure berry flavours and finishing long. Delicious now, it should cellar to 2017+.

Deliciously vibrant, spicy, meaty and earthy, a lovely combo of savoury and fruity with a bright peacock tail flair to the finish.

A typical example of Akarua’s famous fruit-bomb style with lush, ripe dark cherry, berry and plum flavours. Made from 14 year-old vines grown in the winery’s own vineyards in Bannockburn, some fruit sweetness is nicely restrained by fine tannins that prevent any cloying. Crowd-pleasing wine that’s very appealing. The wine reminds me of the ground-breaking 2002 vintage which was wildly successful for the winery. Tasted recently is was deliciously mellow and complex, showing further potential.

Akarua Pinot Noir 2011 was oneof only  five 2011 vintage Pinot Noir's to pick up gold medals at the Bragato Wine Awards in August. Matt Connell believes that the 2011 will show itself as one of the finest vintages to date in Central Otago.

Highly refined, savoury Bannockburn red, ruby hued, with rich, ripe cherry/plum flavours, well integrated oak and a long finish. A ‘feminine’ style, very graceful, supple and harmonious.

A typical example of Akarua's famous "fruit bomb" style with lush, ripe dark cherry, berry and plum flavours. Fruit sweetness is nicely restrained by fine tannins that prevent any suggestion of cloying. Crowd-pleasing wine that's very appealing.

It's beautifully refined and elegantly expressed, displaying complex aromas of red/black cherry, floral, game and a touch of savoury mushroom. The palate is engaging and concentrated with silky texture and plenty of polished tannins, leading to a lengthy finish. This is not as opulent as the 2010 but it is a youthful wine showing exquisite elegance and promise, and destined to develop greater complexity given time. At its best: 2013 to 2018