New Zealand Pinot Noir

95 points – Bob Campbell

Felton Road's entry level pinot noir is an elegant blend of several vineyards with a mix of savoury, earthy, herbal and coffee flavours with cherry, floral and spice characters. It's a supple and complex wine that reveals power through a lengthy finish.

366 cases produced.  

19/20 Points - Raymond Chan

Even, dark ruby-red colour, a little lighter on the rim. This has a very fine and intensely concentrated, tightly bound nose of fragrant and aromatically piquant dark raspberry and cherry fruit lifted by black and dark-red florals and entwined with dark thyme herb and whole bunch stalk complexities, and nuances of black minerals. Medium-full bodied, the flavours of savoury dark raspberry fruit are interwoven with dark thyme herbs, dark red and violet florals and savoury whole...

441 cases produced.  

19-/20 Points - Raymond Chan

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour with purple hues, a little lighter on the edge. This has a very full, soft, near-ethereal nose of savoury dark red berry fruits with suggestions of red-brown fruits along with earthy and dried herb layers harmoniously interwoven with subtle whole bunch stalk nuances. This is well-packed and blossoms with ease. Medium-full bodied, the palate features soft and fulsome flavours of rich and succulent savoury red berry fruits unfolding layers of earth...

400 cases produced.  

19-/20 Points - Raymond Chan

Dark, deep, ruby-red colour with slight black and purple hues. The nose is well-proportioned with tight and densely packed aromas of black berried and dark-red berry fruit, along with notes of liquorice, savoury herb and whole bunch stalk elements, iron-earth and black minerals. The nose is reserved and brooding. Medium-full bodied, the palate is full and concentrated with powerful and deep flavours of dark-red and black berried fruits entwined with liquorice, dark herbs...

 International Wine Challenge: Bronze 2016

916 cases produced.  

19.5/20 Points - Raymond Chan

Very dark, very deep, black-hued ruby-red colour with youthful purple tints, a little lighter on the rim. The nose is firmly concentrated with deep and intensely packed, fresh and vibrant aromas of dark-red berry and black cherry fruits melded with complexing layers of dark herbs and whole bunch stalk notes. The intensity and depth build in the glass. Medium-full bodied, the fruit flavours of dark-red berry and black cherry fruits are rich, ripe, lusciously sweet and vibrant and form...

17.5 points – Julia Harding (jancisrobinson.com)

A little darker than the 2008. More fragrant as well as more savoury. Oak spice a little more evident than on the 2008 though still subtle. So fresh and lively on the palate. Juicy red fruit but not at all bumptious. Silky though rich and long.

99 points – Bob Campbell

Ripe, dense and fairly deep-coloured Pinot Noir with dark-fleshed plum, dark cherry, violet and liquorice flavours plus a hint of rhubarb on the aroma. Clearly a very complex wine that won’t reveal its full potential for a few years yet. I particularly like the wine’s silken texture and almost chewy body. It must surely rate as one of Dry River’s best ever Pinot Noir vintages.

96 points – Bob Campbell

Intense and powerful wine with focused varietal flavours including Black Doris plum, anise/Oriental spices, dark chocolate, liquorice and floral/violets. Beautifully textured Pinot Noir with a very lengthy finish. Terrific Pinot Noir from one of the country’s leading producers.