Pinot Noir

April 21, 2025 (Cuisine magazine Issue 229)

There’s no holding back New Zealand pinot noir with some sensational wines in this tasting, says MARY-THÉRÈSE BLAIR.

For a time there was a preference that the list of ‘top’ wines should be a Top Ten – a round number that looks neat on the page. Being the pushy one I challenged this thinking as I thought the ‘hard break’ was unfair to wines that deserved a top accolade at positions beyond ten.

The fact is as we hurtle along our wine journey in New Zealand we are getting better at crafting sensational wines. There’s no doubt that the quality of our pinot noir has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years which makes sense seeing the results below – an uneven number of incredible pinots across a range of styles, regions and vintages. While I understand the lack of smooth edges in a list of thirteen might be unnerving for those who like things ‘just so’, your anxieties should be soothed when you taste any of these spectacular pinots selected carefully by Simon Nunns and our superb and highly experienced judging panel.

top Pinot Noir

Monte Christo Winery Pisa Pinot Noir 2023 (Central Otago)

I'm always delighted to discover a new winery – it piques my interest as I’m always excited to discover something fresh. A quick scratch below the surface, however, reveals that the Monte Christo Winery in the Alexandra Basin is anything but new. Originally founded in 1864 by Jean Désiré Féraud, a French businessman who came to New Zealand in 1863 during the gold rush, the winery was just one of the businesses the industrious Frenchman owned in the region.

His vine plantings were some of the first in Central Otago and by all accounts the wines were very good and were awarded gold medals in wine shows of the day. Sadly even these accolades weren’t enough to sway the then predominantly beer- drinking Kiwis who ultimately weren’t ready for the innovative Féraud. The vineyard was sold, returned to farmland and Féraud moved to Dunedin to focus on his other business endeavours.

Today the winery has been resurrected by Féraud’s relatives Stanley and Catherine Paris, along with Stanley’s sons, who are not only making wine from this historic site but who have also lovingly and carefully restored the original stone building which is now the Monte Christo tasting room. All I can say is that New Zealand is most definitely ready for the second coming of Monte Christo as this pinot is beyond compare.

It’s hearty and welcoming on the nose with aromas of strawberries and black olives with hints of Middle Eastern spices. The palate is plump and plush with fresh acid and well-rounded, bold tannins. There is a deep core of sweet dark fruit throughout the astoundingly long and weighty palate. Superb.

| $90
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  • Outstanding 5
  • Excellent 8
  • Very Good 27
  • Good 50
  • No Award 20
  • Total Entries 110

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