Mt. Beautiful North Canterbury Pinot Noir – Brings Its A-Game

BULK BUY!

Pinot Noir from Cheviot Hills, North Canterbury, South Island, New Zealand.

SRP of $24 and available for as low as $18. 2,650 cases produced. Imported by Mt. Beautiful USA. Sample submitted for review. See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

From the bottle:

“Inspired by a bold vision from David and Leigh Teece, the picturesque Mt Beautiful vineyard is located in an intriguing new wine region – Cheviot Hills, North Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand.

Sheltered from the cool ocean breezes by the nearby Mt Beautiful, the vines grace north-facing slopes of coastal foothills. Here, the warm, dry climate and alluvial silt loam soils are ideal for growing the highest quality grapes.

14.0% Alcohol”

Being a child of the 80s, The A-Team was a Tuesday night staple in our household. And if you’re familiar with the show you know that during every episode there inevitably comes a point (no matter how impossible it may have seemed) when all their crazy plans somehow succeed and Hannibal sticks a cigar in his mouth and utters his famous phrase, “I love it when a plan comes together”. That’s exactly what popped into my mind when tasting this wine.

The 2011 Mt. Beautiful North Canterbury Pinot Noir begins with a lovely nose of cranberry, black cherry, a little oak, a little baking spice and some nice floral notes. It’s a bit subdued at first but actually quite complex and I enjoyed it very much. The wine tastes silky smooth with lots of tart black cherry, strawberry and cranberry plus some really lovely spice. Medium-bodied, with good acidity, the wine has absolutely fabulous balance — it’s one of those wines where everything just comes together. It ends fantastically, with a very long with a cranberry and spice tinged finish.

If you think great Pinot Noir has to come from Oregon, France or California think again — I pity the fool who doesn’t appreciate this Pinot Noir from New Zealand!

See a listing of local retailers selling this wine here.

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