30+ minutes open in the bottle. Dark red color. Definitely drinking young but best value on the wine list. Nose initially smells of the General Mills plant in Buffalo, which leads to dark cherries and forest floor. Medium plus depth that is well balanced between dark fruit, earth, and smoke. Medium finish. Love this producer but tough to find in the US. — 3 years ago
This Verdicchio riserva wine shows its partial oak treatment with a yellow-gold color. There is also a hint of oak on the nose, but it is secondary to the citrus and the sea spray salinity. The complex palate brings a Meyer lemon flavor tinged with apricot. Acidity is perfect and the wine pairs great with my Anson Mills grits, but it’s even better with grilled prawns.
— 4 years ago
Loved this - not too sweet — 5 years ago
?mills. crisp almost tart , then almost brioche-like yeast with oily mouthfeel — 4 years ago
Used to think Pinot Noir lives in Burgundy until I tried old single vineyard Calera. These are epic wines. Red and dark fruit, rustic woods reminiscent of walking in Bois de Boloigne on a misty evening. Slight mushroom with wet tobacco and a whiff of fresh roasted coffee. I have not tried Calera post Josh Jenssen. Ryan and Mills are great vineyards too. — 5 years ago
ONE OF OUR ABSOLUTE FAVES — 4 years ago
Earthy aromas with ripe plum notes - a very Otago nose albeit in the lighter spectrum. Same notes transfer to the medium bodied sappy palate. Not as full bodied as I was expecting. Quite Burgundian in weight and texture. Made by the equally earthy Nick Mills, owner and winemaker who made his presentation at Pinot NZ 2018 in Wellington in bare feet. Rippon is biodynamic and chemical free. I subsequently had a nice chat with him - a genuine bloke. Must be one of the prettiest vineyard scenes anywhere in the world sloping up from Lake Wanaka. Whilst this is classed as Central Otago this is not as full bodied as the Bannockburn/Felton Road district. — 4 years ago
Rich Bluth
killer….this wine is just getting to peak!
benchmark pinot — 4 months ago