Archangel Wines Long Trek Pinot Noir, Central Otago 2008

Tasted 15/07/11 with Sara, Jane and Alex. £10 UK retail (n/a Majestic). This winery's reserva wine is a multiple medal winner. I have had a couple bottles of the entry level for about 2 years and probably with hindsight, kept them a year too long. It is a New World style for sure and shows what Central Otago is now capable of with the fickle Pinot Noir grape..... this is a fruit forward, well balanaced wine but some of the fruit has now gone and would have probably benefitted from drinking when it was 2 years old, rather than 3. Young vines no doubt. Nonetheless, it is still most enjoyable - it's bright cherry red, intense strawberries on the nose, a little tannic on the palate, but there's boiled sweets, and a hint of spice in the mouth. This winery shows great potential for the future. Drink now, 16/20.