Wither Hills Marlborough Pinot Noir 2011 (Asda Extra Special)

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012. This was the disappointment of the night. It is Wither Hills entry level Pinot Noir sold for £11 under the Asda label. It did improve after opening but was still disappointing – far inferior to the Moko Black. Good medium purple colour but rather thin and astringent. Poor fruit and generally poor value for money. Drink now, 13.5 /20

Moko Black Pinot Noir 2011 Marlborough

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012.13.5% ABV, screw cap closure. About £13 UK retail (Petit Canon, SW6). The entry level Moko Pinot Noir seems to have shifted from Central Otago to the well-established Marlborough region. Nice deep purple colour, elegant and well balanced. Nice berry raspberry fruit, very much a new world style of pinot noir. Needs longer but very pleasant now. A good future. 16/20, from 2014. 

Maycas del Limari Syrah 2008

All wines tasted at the party held for baby Thomas on 25/08/2012. 14.5% ABV, cork closure. One of my favourite wines, many people tasted this at the end when their palates were a bit jaded. Still a big wine. From my Blog: ‘Tasted 7/2010. Great wine, great value at ca. £8.99 from Majestic or Tesco, etc. Excellent, elegant cool climate syrah that Chile can do really well. This is bordering on fine wine - it's not just varietal New World much-of-a-muchness. Deep purple colour, stewed fruits and hint of allspice on the nose; in the mouth it’s all about chocolate and damson with a good finish. Still a little tannic, but good now. Ideally, drink from 2011. This wine is better than the 2007 vintage. In 8/2010, I said: "This wine is from a great winery and represents truly excellent value for money. This is very well-made, top-drawer wine - not cheap varietal syrah - equivalent (in my opinion) to a £25 Rhone or Croze-Hermitage. Though variation in vintages aren't quite the same issue in Chile as in the Old World, 2008 was notably excellent in Limari. This is much better than the 2007 I tasted. The wine has fantastic mixed spice and chocolate on the nose, black pepper and bell peppers too. Though it is full and a little tannic at this stage in the mouth, this will soften. I would like to keep this wine for a couple of years and see what happens!’ From 2012, 16.5 / 20